Enchanted Colonial Village

Visit the Enchanted Colonial Village, on display Friday, November 23 through December 31!

Funding for this exhibit is provided by The Philadelphia Foundation.

History of the Enchanted Colonial Village

Designed by Lit Brothers display designer, Thomas Comerford, and built by German toy firm Christian Hofman expressly for Philadelphia's Lit Brother's department store, the Enchanted Colonial Village is a 3/4 life-size display depicting scenes of workshops in a small colonial hamlet preparing for the holidays.

1962–Eighteen scenes of the Enchanted Colonial Village premiere for the holidays at Lit Brothers department store.

1977–Lit Brothers department store closes and the Sun Oil Company buys the display from liquidators, but failed to find a home for the Village in Philadelphia and put it in storage.

1982–The Village was restored by Williamson Trade School of Media, Pennsylvania and given to Longwood Gardens for their holiday celebration.

1984–Longwood Gardens gives the Village to the Smithsonian Institution, which places it in storage.

1989–Atwater Kent Museum borrows the Village from the Smithsonian and hires Studio Displays from Charlotte, North Carolina to restore it.

1994–The Village occupies the entire second floor gallery of the Atwater Kent Museum.

1995–Due to the enormous cost of maintaining the Village it is put back in storage.

2000–Please Touch Museum receives a grant from The Philadelphia Foundation to restore the eight remaining scenes of The Enchanted Colonial Village and acquires the Village from The Atwater Kent Museum for $1.

2001–For the first time in seven years a scene from the Village opens. The Toy Makers workshop opens to the public on November 21st.

2002–Present–Each holiday season Please Touch Museum has presented newly refurbished scenes from the Village.

November 2008–Please Touch Museum will premiere all eight remaining scenes of the Enchanted Colonial Village at the new Please Touch Museum Memorial Hall Fairmount Park.

Please Touch Museum Memorial Hall Fairmount Park will open in Fall 2008. For more information on the Memorial Hall project visit Memorial Hall Update


Enchanted Colonial Village 2007

General Store

General Store

Villagers buy goods to prepare for their holiday feasts.

Carolers and Snowman

Carolers and Snowman

Setting the scene for chilly holiday season carolers spread holiday cheer as the snowman’s special friend peeks at our visitors.

Baker

Photo Coming Soon!

Blacksmith

Photo Coming Soon!