April 2023: With the April re-opening of regularly scheduled tour hours, Historic Strawberry Mansion welcomes back visitors each year in prime time to catch its gardens as they begin greening and blooming. In the kitchen garden and strawberry patch, look for apple trees and strawberries putting out leaves and flowers ahead of summer’s fruits. In back, meander down the tree-shaded azalea path that borders the lawn. Take a seat at one of the iron chairs in the arbor or on the back porch and listen to the birds. (They love the place.)

Hourly guided tours are available beginning April 22nd, at a rate of $8 for adults and $5 for youth and seniors. Tours offer a look into the mansion’s fascinating history. It was built in colonial days by Judge William Lewis, an abolitionist, friend of George Washington, and lawyer prominent in crafting the laws of the young nation.

The Mansion is also beautifully furnished in the period, with many authentic, historical and/or storied pieces. Look in the Lewis Parlor Room for two chairs originally owned by Washington. On the kitchen wall is a rare Revolutionary War map of Pennsylvania so finely detailed that it includes inns. The second floor’s Banquet Room holds a matched pair of blue and gold Minton urns formerly owned by Theodor Roosevelt. The top floor has one of the largest and most important doll collections in the area and includes the group of sesquicentennial dolls that started the collection, and the recently acquired Philly Baby, a 1901 doll made locally, exclusively for a Philadelphia store.

There’s much to see and enjoy at the Mansion, especially on a sunny day in Spring.

Historic Strawberry Mansion reopens for tours on April 22nd. Tours are Thursday-Sunday, 10 AM to 4 PM, and begin at the top of each hour on a walk-in basis.