Welcome to Megan’s Museum Minute, your guide to the best museums, exhibitions, and cultural happenings across the Lehigh Valley and the region in 2026! I’m Megan van Ravenswaay, and each week I’ll bring you behind-the-scenes stories, insider tips, family-friendly ideas, and easy date night plans. From historic sites to special exhibitions and festivals, consider this your go-to guide for the Lehigh Valley’s 250th anniversary year. Let’s start your cultural adventure now on Megan’s Museum Minute!
Museum Spotlight
Here’s something fascinating to put on your museum radar right now: The Spy Who Brought Surrender at Lafayette College, running through May 2027 at the Williams Center for the Arts.
This exhibition takes a closer look at a painting called Lafayette at Yorktown, created around 1783 by French artist Jean-Baptiste Le Paon. The painting shows the Marquis de Lafayette during the American Revolution—and, importantly, it includes a Black man who has traditionally been identified as James Armistead Lafayette.
And James has quite a story.
Born enslaved in Virginia, he became a spy for Lafayette during the Revolution. He was able to move between the American and British sides, gathering information and reporting back to Lafayette and General George Washington. His intelligence helped the Americans understand British plans and movements in the critical period leading up to the surrender at Yorktown
What makes this exhibition so intriguing is that it starts with a painting, but quickly becomes a detective story. Who is the man standing beside Lafayette? Why was he included in the painting? And what can this artwork tell us about the Black people whose contributions to the Revolution have sometimes been left out of the traditional story?
The Spy Who Brought Surrender is part of the Lehigh Valley 250 celebrations, and it's a wonderful opportunity to look at the Revolution from a different perspective.
So, you've got plenty of time to see it—but don't wait until the last minute. Put Lafayette College on your must visit list.
Date Night
Looking for a date-night idea that doesn't involve another dinner and a movie?
On September 17, head to the Hellertown Historical Society for Talks in the Tavern: Plant Medicines Used in the Revolutionary War, featuring Dr. Wendy Gruver.
Now, you might not immediately think of medicinal herbs when you think about the American Revolution. We tend to picture battles, muskets and military strategy. But behind every army were doctors, nurses and ordinary people trying to treat injuries and illnesses with whatever they had available. When the war disrupted trade and expensive imported medical supplies became difficult to obtain, people had to turn to gardens, fields and forests for remedies. Plants that had been used for generations suddenly became even more important.
Dr. Gruver is a retired University of Pennsylvania professor and a registered herbalist. She'll talk about the plants that were used for healing during the Revolutionary War and how this period became an important point in the evolution of medicine.
And this is exactly the kind of program that makes a great date night. You can learn something unusual together, compare notes afterward, and maybe discover that some of the plants we still recognize today have a surprisingly long medical history. The program is free and open to the public.
So grab your favorite history-loving person—or someone who simply enjoys a good conversation—and make September 17 your local-history date night.
Family-Friendly Activity
Okay, families—this one is for anyone who thinks history should involve a little adventure. How about taking the kids underground into a real Pennsylvania coal mine?
The Molly Maguire and No. 9 Coal Mine Experience combines a ride with the Jim Thorpe Trolley Company with a tour of the historic No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum.
And here's what makes this one cool: you're not just standing in front of an exhibit reading about coal miners. You actually go into a historic mine and get a sense of the world these workers entered every day. Think dark tunnels, underground machinery, narrow passageways and the stories of the men and families whose lives were built around Pennsylvania's coal industry.
Then add the trolley ride through Jim Thorpe and the fascinating—and sometimes mysterious—story of the Molly Maguires, and you've got an experience that feels like a little time-travel adventure. It's history you can walk through, explore and experience together.
So if your kids think museums are just cases full of old stuff, this might be the experience that changes their minds.
Save the Date
And finally, save the date for September 24.
The Upper Milford Historical Society is planning a program called Footprints in the Snow, featuring historian and reenactor Michael Jesberger. The program focuses on General George Washington and the soldiers who served with him, bringing the Revolutionary War down to the level of the ordinary people who actually made up the army.
We often remember Washington as the general, but this program gives us a chance to think about the men who followed him. They were farmers, tradesmen, teachers and young men who left their homes and families to take part in something much bigger than themselves.
And that title—Footprints in the Snow—really captures the human side of the story. Imagine marching through the winter landscape with Washington's army, dealing with cold, exhaustion and uncertainty, and wondering what was going to happen next. Michael Jesberger is a historian and reenactor, so expect storytelling that brings these people and this period to life.
So mark September 24 on your calendar and keep an eye out for the final details from the Upper Milford Historical Society.
2026 is a milestone year for the nation. From commemorative exhibitions to festive events, there’s so much to see and celebrate. To find out more about all these events and more, visit lehighvalley250.org.
That’s a wrap for your Museum Minute! I’ll be back next week with another quick look at our local culture.
