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| Collections Overview |
The artifact collections of the Mercer and Fonthill Museums fall into three broad categories: (1) those related to everyday life and work in pre-industrial America; (2) those representative of the art, architecture and collecting interests of Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930); and (3) those that document the history and culture of Bucks County and the Delaware Valley region from earliest human occupation and settlement down to the present day.
The core of the Mercer Museum collection was conceived by its founder as an encyclopedic assemblage of pre-industrial American material culture. Established in 1897, it is now recognized as one of the most extensive collections of artifacts associated with pre-1850 American life-ways and technological history. Comprising nearly 40,000 objects, the museum is especially renowned for its collections of tools and artifacts associated with pre-industrial trades, crafts, agriculture and domestic work. While originating primarily in the Middle Atlantic region, these collections also include thousands of objects from New England, Appalachia and the Deep South.
As the museum of the Bucks County Historical Society, the Mercer also maintains significant holdings related to local history. These range from archaeological materials associated with the native people who were the region’s original inhabitants, to twentieth-century artifacts illustrative of the county’s modern aesthetic, industrial, commercial and suburban heritage.
Because of Henry Mercer’s strong interest in developing comparative collections of pre-industrial tools and examples of manual technologies, the Mercer Museum also holds objects from other global cultures. These materials, collected under Mercer’s sponsorship and direction, include a variety of Native American artifacts, as well as objects from West Africa, China and Southeast Asia.
The collections of Fonthill Museum, Mercer’s castle-like concrete home, represent many of the personal interests of the museum’s founder. Most important, these include several thousand European and American prints, and decorative ceramic tiles from Europe, Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. Many of these tiles are inset into Fonthill’s walls and ceilings. Fonthill‘s collections (numbering some 14,000 artifacts) also encompass a variety of other works of art and handcraft, many acquired by Mercer in his travels, as well as household furnishings, decorative items and personal effects.
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| Collection Highlights |
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The Mercer and Fonthill Museum’s greatest assets are the extraordinary breadth and diversity of their collections. Among our most important and extensive holdings are woodworking tools, ceramics (including tiles), textiles and clothing, lighting devices, iron stoves and stove plates, prints and drawings, agricultural implements, firefighting equipment, and various forms of Pennsylvania folk art and craft. Fuller descriptions of some of these collections, with representative images, may be found at the links below. Watch for more of these pages to be added!
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| Fonthill: Prints and Drawings |
| Fonthill: Textiles and Clothing |
| Fonthill: Mercer's Art Pottery |
| Mercer: Needlework Samplers |
| Mercer: Pennsylvania-German Fraktur |
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| Online Resources |
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RolloPAC is an online catalog to the collections of the Mercer and Fonthill Museums, and the Spruance Library. Instituted in 2006, RolloPAC is being updated and added to regularly as collections are cataloged and processed. Information on several thousand artifacts from the museum collections is available via this catalog, though no digital images are included at present. Images of museum objects will be added in the future. To search the catalog, follow the link below.
Search the Catalog
The development of RolloPAC has been supported by generous grants from the Museums for America program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas.
RolloPAC has also been supported by grants through the Library Services and Technology Act program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. In Pennsylvania this program is administered by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries in order to assist statewide libraries in providing all users access to information.
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| Access to Collections |
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The Mercer and Fonthill Museums welcome researchers who make appointments to study the artifact collections. All requests must be made in writing by filling-out a Collections Access Request Form (see link below). The standard museum admission fee applies to these requests. However, the museum reserves the right to charge an additional Staff Supervision Fee for requests requiring an extensive amount of staff time. For researchers unable to make an on-site appointment, the Curatorial Department will conduct limited research in our catalog files and provide photocopies of relevant records. A Service Fee of $25.00 for the first 15 pages and $.50 for each page will be charged. This service must be pre-paid with checks made out to the Bucks County Historical Society. Direct inquiries to: Curatorial Department, BCHS, 84 South Pine Street, Doylestown, PA 18901 (215-345-0210 ext. 126), or e-mail: curasst@mercermuseum.org.
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| Collections Access Request Form |
| Collections Access Policies |
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| Photographic Rights and Reproductions |
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Images from the museum collections are available for personal use, research purposes, and both commercial and non-commercial forms of publication. Information regarding usage policies, fees and procedures may be found on our Rights and Reproductions page.
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| Gifts to the Museum Collections |
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The Mercer Museum invites gifts and bequests of artifacts and artwork that fit within the scope of its collections. These may include tools, products of handcraft, and other artifacts of pre-industrial America (to circa 1850); and materials of all kinds related specifically to the history of Bucks County and the experiences of its people (to the present). To offer an object or collection to the museum, to discuss a proposed bequest, or to learn more about the Museum's collecting interests, please e-mail curasst@mercermuseum.org.
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| Recent Acquisitions |
The Mercer Museum continues to acquire objects that enhance and enrich its renowned collections. Gifts, bequests and occasional purchases are the primary ways the museum adds to its holdings. New acquisitions are utilized in exhibitions, public programs and research initiatives, and are made more widely accessible via a photographic services program and through loans to other museums.
Examples of recently acquired objects that express the diverse collecting interests of the museum may be seen at the link below. As gifts to the collections, many of these artifacts and artworks also attest to the foresight and generosity of their donors. Entrusted to the museum's care, these objects will serve to educate, inspire, and enrich the lives of future generations. New acquisitions will be posted and updated regularly.
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| View Some Recent Acquisitions |
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| Frequently Asked Questions |
What are the museums’ collections?
The Mercer and Fonthill Museums hold a wide variety of historical and artistic objects. To find out more, see:
Collection Highlights
Recent Acquisitions
Do the museums accept donations to their collections?
The Mercer Museum invites donations of appropriate materials. Fonthill is a non-collecting institution. For more information, see:
Gifts to the Collections
Can I conduct research on the museum’s collection via my home computer?
Yes. Visit RolloPAC, our on-line catalog, to begin your research today!
Does the museum provide a research service?
Yes, but on a limited basis. Please see the following for additional information regarding this service:
Access to Collections
May I take photographs of museum artifacts?
Artifacts on exhibit in the Mercer Museum may be photographed by visitors for study and personal use only. If a photograph is needed for purposes other than this, or if you require images of objects not on exhibit, please see our Rights and Reproductions policies and procedures.
Photography is not permitted during visits or tours at Fonthill Museum. To obtain images of Fonthill collections, see our Rights and Reproductions page.
All inquiries regarding on-site commercial photography projects or wedding photography should be directed to:
Can the Mercer Museum tell me the value of my historical object?
No. Like most not-for-profit museums, the Mercer Museum does not provide monetary appraisals. However, there are many qualified persons that would be able to determine a fair market value. Checking your local yellow pages is a good first step. Many auction houses also provide appraisal services. You may also wish to check the following websites for additional information in picking the “right” appraiser for your historical object.
How should I conserve and/or preserve my family treasures?
The Mercer Museum does not undertake any conservation treatments in-house. All interventive treatments are outsourced to professionally trained conservators. However, preservation is what we do best! Simple proactive steps such as storing objects in temperature and humidity controlled environments, keeping them away from direct sunlight, and using acid-free packing materials are techniques that anyone can do. However, if more attention is needed to stabilize your object, review the following websites for preservation techniques, finding a conservator in your area, and buying appropriate preservation supplies.
Preservation/Conservation Tips:
Supply Companies:
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| Ask the Curator |
Questions regarding museum collections and services may be directed to the Curatorial Department at curasst@mercermuseum.org.
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The Bucks County Historical Society / Mercer & Fonthill Museums
84 South Pine Street, Doylestown, PA 18901-4999 | 215 345 0210 / fax 215 230 0823 |
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