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Oh, and just a disclaimer here - this is not a sponsored post. I was not compensated in any way by the museum or any of the other Hershey properties when I wrote this. Since writing this, I was chosen to be a member of the Hershey Sweetest Families Panel, so some of my visits to Hershey may be sponsored or compensated. You can read all of my Hershey posts on my Hershey Insider Page!
The Hershey Story is a museum that details exactly that- the life and times of Milton S. Hershey, and the history of Hershey, Pennsylvania. There are interactive exhibits, antiques and artifacts to see, as well as chocolate tastings, a chocolate lab, kid friendly activities and more!
Where is The Hershey Story Museum?
The Hershey Story Museum is located right on Chocolate Avenue (yes, there is such a place!) in Hershey, Pennsylvania. There is free parking in the garage right behind the museum. Yay for free parking! Chocolate Avenue is a neat place to see, as the streets really are lined with Hershey Kiss shaped lights.
How Much are Tickets for the Hershey Story Museum?
If you are staying at The Hotel Hershey or Hershey Lodge, they usually give you complimentary passes to the museum (which is how we visited). Otherwise, the fees vary based on what you decide to do there. Basic admission to the museum (as of the publication date of this entry) starts at $12.50 per adult and $9.00 for kids ages 3-12. There are discounts for military personnel and seniors (ages 62 and up). There are also all kinds of combo packages you can buy, and different fees for different activities in the museum, so be sure to check their admission page for exact information.
What Will I See at The Hershey Story Museum?
The Hershey Story Museum is a small museum and we were able to visit on our way home after a two day trip to Hershey. There is a little cafe on the lower level when you enter called The Pantry Cafe, and the coffee in there smelled delicious! We didn't stay to eat, but you can find details about the cafe here.
Getting Around at The Hershey Story Museum
When you check-in at the main desk you will be given a wooden coin to start your adventure. You can program the coin with info about yourself at the main kiosk, and use it at certain points throughout the museum to help you learn about Milton and his life. You deposit the coin at the end of your visit, too (you don't get to keep it). We really liked this new technology! It helped us slow down a bit at each exhibit, and I liked how it was personalized to us and told us more about Milton Hershey's life. There was even one kiosk where the coin enabled us to hear Milton Hershey's voice (the only recording they have of him). It was amazing to hear him speak!
Oh, and don't miss the beautiful painted mural of Milton Hershey on the wall in the main lobby. If you pose just the right way, it looks like he's talking to you.
Your basic admission to the museum allows you to explore all of their interactive exhibits about Milton Hershey's life. You basically wind yourself through different rooms that tell about Milton Hershey's life. His story is really fascinating, and we loved seeing all of the things from his life and business.
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| Inside The Hershey Story Museum |
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| Relics from The Hershey Story Museum |
There are also all kinds of neat facts about the history of the town of Hershey. I especially loved seeing all of the old outfits and uniform of Hershey team members, engineers, park workers and more.
Special Exhibits
The Hershey Story Museum has changing special exhibits. While we were there during the summer, they had a fun exhibit all about being a worker at the Hershey Factory in the early 1900's. An attendant handed you a card that you had to stamp at each working location, and then return to him to 'punch out,' and see what job he would 'hire' you for. I was hired for the Wrapping Department. My pay at the time would have been 10 cents per 5 pound box of wrapped Kisses! Don't I look like I'm ready to work on the line?
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| "So, Milton, tell me about your time in Cuba..." |
Chocolate Lab and Chocolate Tastings
For a small added fee you can participate in the museum's Chocolate Lab, where kids can experiment with hands-on chocolate creations. This is a 45 minute family activity that is led by museum personnel. We chose to skip this because we only had a short time at the museum and we didn't think The Jersey Momma's Boy could sit through a 45 minute session (he is 6). If you plan on doing the lab, be sure to read all of their regulations. Children under 4 are not permitted, and children under 13 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Also for an additional fee is their Chocolate Tasting session. There are different options for purchase and different items the kids (and adults!) can taste, so check their page or call the museum for more details. We chose to skip this, too, only because we had just come from Chocolate World, where we had all consumed more than our share of chocolate for the day!
Souvenir Shop
As always, I loved the little souvenir shop. They had plenty of cute items and many chocolate treats for sale. I somehow found a Reeses product that I did not see at Chocolate World, so I was excited to purchase that. They also had scented pens, shirts, jewelry, books (lots of cool books about Hershey!) and more.
Jersey Momma Tips
-sometimes it's hard to get the little ones to really appreciate artifacts and antiques at museums. There is a free I-Spy booklet you can download on the Hershey Story website that helps little ones with each exhibit, or an apprentice program you can add on for an additional $3.00. You can read more about that here. There are also plenty of buttons for them to push and things for them to watch and listen to along the way. The new coin system was also a fun way to get the kids involved!
-food and drinks are not permitted in the museum, but the cafe was clean and cute and had lunch offerings, too. There are plenty of places to eat within walking distance of the museum, as well. Parking is free!
-you usually receive complimentary museum passes when staying at one of the Hershey resorts, so be sure to take advantage of it!
-the museum is not far from other areas of town, so you could potentially make a day of it and go shopping at the outlets or go to other areas of Hershey if you desired. There are plenty of places within walking distance, such as The Beef Jerky Outlet, Duck Donuts, Melt Spa and more! Check google maps and you'll see what's nearby.
-you can purchase a ticket package for both the museum and Hershey Gardens to save some money! There are also packages you can purchase if you want to do multiple activities at the museum.
-the museum holds events, holiday specials, and fun activities throughout the year. Check back often with them to see what's new!
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