Bushy Run Battlefield will temporarily close its museum while its board searches for a new manager.
Museum manager Matt Adams will leave his post Sunday after about three years at the Penn Township historical site, which commemorates the 1763 clash between the British and Native Americans during Pontiac’s War.
On Monday, the museum will close until a new manager is hired, said Bonnie Ramus, president of the Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society.
The heritage society aims to hire a new manager by April, which is the start of the historical site’s next season.
The 213-acre property’s trails and grounds will remain open from sunrise to sunset during the museum closure, Ramus said.
Until two years ago, the museum was never open during the winter months, Ramus said. Now, it’s open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
“We’ve never been in the situation where we’ve had no one,” said Ramus, who has served as the society’s president for about 15 years. “I’m the only one with a key to get everyone in and out (of the museum). I just felt it would be too much to open and close and make sure everyone was there.”
The heritage society also decided to close the museum to avoid overworking its volunteers ahead of the 2026 season, treasurer Bob DeJesus said.
“You don’t want to wear down the volunteers,” he said.
The museum doesn’t see much traffic throughout the winter, Ramus said. She does not anticipate any financial issues arising from temporarily closing the facility.
“It will give us time to regroup,” she said, “and get someone hired and in place.”
The museum also will open for Bushy Run’s next “History Speaks” lecture on Feb. 21, Charter Day event on March 8 and any scheduled rentals, Ramus said.
The lecture, slated for 1 p.m. Feb. 21, will discuss how Bushy Run is portrayed in films, DeJesus said.
Charter Day is an annual celebration of Pennsylvania’s birthday — the day in 1681 that England’s King Charles II granted a charter to William Penn, giving the state its name. It will run from noon to 3 p.m. March 8.
