Families can visit Santa for photographs and to share their holiday wishes at the Annual Holiday Open House & Auction, a festive and free holiday event at the Lukens National Historic District in Coatesville appeals to all ages. PHOTO CREDIT: Robert O. Williams/The Williams Group
You won’t want to miss the Annual Holiday Open House & Auction, a festive and free holiday event at the Lukens National Historic District in Coatesville appeals to all ages. This year’s event will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. December 13th, on the grounds of the National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum (NISHM) on 50 S. 1st Avenue in the heart of Coatesville.
Our event has become a Chester County tradition with its holiday lights, historic homes decorated with period garlands, photos with Santa, model train displays and more. The event is especially popular because of its Victorian period l setting and old-fashioned traditions including live holiday music by the celebrated Lukens Band, a brass ensemble band founded in 1911 and known for its rousing popular tunes and classic American and German music repertoire.
This event is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors. They include the Alliance For Health Equity, Bentley Systems ,Inc., Breuninger Insurance, Citadel Federal Credit Union, City Construction Company, Coatesville Flower Shop, Edge Machinery Wallboard Company, Harry’s Hotdogs, Ms. Joy Rowland, Ms. Ruth Nunn, Pacer Industries, Polish American Citizens Club, Quick Stop Pharmacy, the Stewart Huston Charitable Trust, and The Huston Foundation.
Enjoy delicious holiday refreshments and make memories with your family with the evening’s activities such as “make-and-take” crafts.
As always, children are admitted free. They can look forward to the Christmas season by meeting Santa and seeing such holiday decor as a giant decorated tree and a sweeping grand staircase festooned with garlands, both in the historic Lukens’ Executive Office Building on First Avenue .
Share your child’s delight with our train display, a large and elaborate “0-gauge” layout with a Christmas and winter theme. Families can also visit Santa for photographs and to share their holiday wishes.
Stroll the grounds of the Lukens National Historic District where 500 luminaries will light the way and candles will glow from the numerous windows of our historic houses. Tour guides will be stationed at both the stately 1889 Graystone Mansion and nearby Terracina, the region’s rare example of a Country Gothic home built in 1850.
In addition, you can bid on a range of items in our annual online auction or purchase iron-and-steel-themed gift items in our museum shop. You can bid in person, using our computers, or shop at home – the items are numerous and range from sports memorabilia, tickets to area museums, gift baskets, restaurant gift cards, to rides on a vintage automobile and home improvement products such as storm doors, and so much more.
To determine when bidding starts, watch our social media posts (or visit our
website at steelmuseum.org ) for links to the online bidding site. The bidding window opens the day after Thanksgiving Day and ends at 8 p.m. on the night of our Holiday Open House, Dec. 13.
The Holiday Open House will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. December 13, 2024 on the grounds of the National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum, 50 S.1st Ave. Coatesville, PA. 19320. The event is free and open to the public although a $5 donation is gratefully requested for each adult. Children are admitted free.
