Mauch Chunk Museum & Cultural Center
A small town history museum housed in an old church, using models to tell the story of coal transport and the Switchback gravity railroad.
The museum is in a 19th-century Methodist church above Race Street. It presents the history of Mauch Chunk as a hub for anthracite coal transport. Its highlight is a large model of the Switchback Gravity Railroad, which helps visitors understand America's early roller-coaster-like coal railway. Other exhibits cover the Lehigh Canal, floods and local families. The museum is small, and a visit takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Admission is about US$5, and it is usually open Tuesday through Sunday.
Opening hours
Tue–Sun approx. 11:00–16:00
Nearby sights
- Mauch Chunk Opera House
- Jim Thorpe Historic District & Race Street
- Old Jail Museum
- St. Mark's Episcopal Church
- Asa Packer Mansion
- Harry Packer Mansion
- Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway
- Switchback Trail & Mount Pisgah