Explore our Collections

At the heart of the Heritage Center are its collections. The push to preserve old German-language books and manuscripts held by Schwenkfelder families began in the late 19th century, and the three-dimensional objects, fraktur, and art that comprise the museum collection followed soon afterward. Preserving these precious pieces of the past, interpreting them through exhibits, programs, and publications as well as research and documentation of the collection is the priority of library/archives and museum collections staff.

From the 16th century works of Caspar Schwenckfeld and meticulously copied manuscripts of the Schwenkfelders to exquisitely stitched 18th century needlework and rough-hewn tools of rural trades, the Heritage Center collections provide insight into lives of the Schwenkfelders and local Pennsylvania Germans. We are privileged to safeguard the physical representations of the stories passed down through the generations for all our visitors to experience.

We are always looking to enhance the stories we tell through our collections, which continue to grow and evolve. If you have an heirloom you think might fit our collections, we encourage you to contact our Archivist, Hunt Schenkel (hunt@schwenkfelder.org) or Curator of Collections, Candace Perry (candace@schwenkfelder.org).

Explore the collection through our PastPerfect database, and the links below!