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The Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy
The Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy
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Museum Map & GuidesExploring the Center

We’re excited to welcome you to the Stevens & Smith Center! Below you’ll find resources to prepare you for your visit. Throughout the museum you will encounter historic artifacts, exhibits, and audio-visual experiences designed to fully immerse you in the Center’s stories. Browse the information below to make the most of your visit.

Two women stand in a museum exhibit, looking at and pointing toward a display of antique bookshelves, desks, and historical artifacts behind a railing. A green sign titled “Forged on the Frontier” is on the wall.
Galleries
Accessibility
Visitor Services
Online museum Store
Floor plan labeled Level 1 - L1 showing exhibit rooms, restrooms, stairs, elevator, coat room, and entry/exit points. Includes orientation gallery and office. Key symbols explain features and accessibility.
Floor plan of Level 2 labeled L2, showing the location of restrooms, stairs, elevator, community room, and four exhibit areas: Shared Lives, Stevens Bedroom, Enduring Influence, and Remembering Stevens & Smith.
Floor plan of the Lower Level (LL) showing exhibit rooms, restrooms, elevator, stairs, ramps, and accessibility information. Areas include Refuge & Reflection, Defying Slavery film, and Freedom & Slavery in Pennsylvania.
Basement B floor plan with labeled areas: stairs, restrooms, elevator, exhibitory space titled Legacies of Reconstruction, and exits. A key explains symbols for accessibility, entry, exhibits, and cellar level access.

Multilingual Museum GuidesExperience History in Your Preferred Language.

Español
Chinese
Vietnamese
Arabic
Nepali

AccessibilityA Museum for Everyone

A hand with a silver ring touches a tactile display with Braille text on a dark green surface. The Braille dots and partially visible printed text are designed for visually impaired readers.

In the creation of the Stevens & Smith Center, LancasterHistory had the unique opportunity to consider accessibility at every phase of planning. From floor plans to typefaces, the Center is designed to be an inclusive experience for all. Click the link below to learn more about what accessibility offerings are available.

Accessibility Offerings
A sepia-toned historical photograph shows a man in a suit and bow tie standing next to a woman with dark hair parted in the center, both looking directly at the camera.

Experience the Lives ofStevens & Smith

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