The Pennsylvania National Fire Museum is a very important testament to time and of history of not only the local Harrisburg PA fire department but the fire department in general as a whole from its humble beginnings and where it started to what it has become over the years all the way up to today. I recently visited with my wife and kids, and we had a great time exploring all there is to look at. Whether you want to explore for yourself or have someone show you around they will accommodate you. When we went it was on a Saturday, so I figured there would be more people there but there was not. The museum does apparently run at least partly on the admission fees and or donations from the public so your visit would not only be interesting and fun for you for whoever you go with but go toward a good cause as well. The museum is also very well laid out, the pictures speak for themselves. It is also filled with many fire-department artifacts, and they even let the kids and I ring the bell in the bell tower before we left.

Wow! This museum was such a pleasant surprise! It is so well done and the staff are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. We stopped in while passing through on a trip to Lancaster and we were not disappointed. We spent longer there than anticipated because time flew as we explored the exhibits and heard stories of how things works from the staff. Their working Gamewell System was amazing. Highly recommend if you have a couple hours and will be in the area!

What a great museum! Historical fire engines from hand pumps, steam pumpers, and ladder trucks. A working Gamewell alarm system fills a room and sure to intrigue anyone with mechanical or electrical background. There is even a display of movies about firefighters. This just became one of my favorite small museums and is now on my list to take visiting relatives.