Ohio House and Memorial Hall Tour on September 30

Take a captivating journey back to the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 with a tour of two of its most significant remaining structures: Ohio House and Memorial Hall. 

Our tour begins at Memorial Hall, which today is home to the Please Touch Museum. This grand building, a stunning example of Beaux-Arts architecture, was originally built as the Art Gallery for the Centennial Exhibition. You will also see the Centennial model, which provides a vivid sense of the scale and layout of the original Fair. Next, we'll walk to the Ohio House, the only remaining state building from the World's Fair and now the home of the Fairmount Park Conservancy. After a meticulous renovation, the historic Ohio House in West Fairmount Park has been restored and returned to the public sphere as the new headquarters for the Center for Parks. The Gothic Revival-style structure, originally built from Ohio sandstone for the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition, is the only remaining state building from that historic World’s Fair. For decades, the house stood shuttered and neglected. A recipient of a 2025 Preservation Achievement Award, Ohio House’s recent renovation balanced preserving the building’s historic integrity, including restoring its three porches and original brickwork. The surrounding grounds were also reimagined, transforming the lawn into a demonstration meadow with native plants and creating a more welcoming space for park visitors and community events. 

This tour is a perfect blend of history and discovery stemming from the Centennial of 1876, and a look into the future with the recent renovations of the Ohio House and its new tenant. To top off your trip, you'll get to enjoy a treat of sweet popcorn and root beer, two popular foods that were first introduced to the public at the Fair.

Thank you to our friends at Fairmount Park Conservancy, the Please Touch Museum for sharing these incredible spaces, and to Lori Salganicoff and the Fairmount Park Conservancy team for leading the tour

Meet at the top of the steps of the Please Touch Museum in front of the entrance doors at 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA 19131. 

Know before you go:

  - Street parking is available in front of the Please Touch Museum or in their parking lot. A parking voucher will be provided if parking in the lot to exit. 
  - Bus Routes 40, 43, and 64 stop within walking distance of the Museum.
  - This tour will end at the Ohio House at 4700 States Dr, Philadelphia, PA 19131. (About a half mile from the Please Touch Museum). Be careful of traffic when walking back!
  - Please email [email protected] if you have questions about accessibility.

Preservation Alliance walking tours utilize an audio system that transmits from a headset worn by the guide to earpieces worn by tour attendees. The equipment is thoroughly sanitized before and after each use. Tour attendees can also plug in their personal headsets or earbuds that use a standard headphone jack (Not compatible with Bluetooth or Apple earphones).