GROUP TOURS OF HISTORIC ROCK FORD’S
GENERAL EDWARD HAND MANSION &
THE JOHN J. SNYDER, JR. GALLERY OF EARLY LANCASTER COUNTY DECORATIVE ARTS
Historic Rock Ford welcomes bus tours, groups, and other organizations who wish to reserve a group tour. For school-student tours, please see our Programs section.
To qualify for the group tour rates, a minimum of 15 visitors is requested.
Reserved group tours may be booked at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm on Tuesdays through Sundays (3 pm Saturday tours may only be scheduled if there are no rentals that day). Group tours must be booked a minimum of three weeks in advance of the tour date. Please contact the Historic Rock Ford office approximately one week prior to your visit to confirm the final number of visitors and to provide credit card information for payment. We arrange our tour guides based upon this final number.
Your group tour includes a visit to the Snyder Gallery. Please note that the Snyder Gallery is open from 10 am to 4 pm (Tuesday-Friday and Sunday, and until at 2 pm on Saturday).
Please review the following important information:
If your group Is scheduled for 3 pm, your group should visit the Snyder Gallery prior to your scheduled mansion tour.
If your group is scheduled for the 11 am or 1 pm tour, your visit to Snyder Gallery may be done either before or after your scheduled mansion tour as determined by your group leader.
Visitors will need to walk to the Snyder Gallery from the Mansion. The driveway and parking by the Snyder Gallery are not accessible to buses.
There are several handicapped parking spaces available for cars at the Snyder Gallery.
The pathways on the grounds are covered in gravel. Visitors access the Hand Mansion by a brick walkway.
The restrooms in the Welcome Center to the Snyder Gallery are available for use by your group. However, there are only two one-person restrooms. If your group is larger, please consider a restroom stop at a service plaza or other area containing larger facilities. The Mansion does not have public restrooms.
One group leader and one bus driver receive complimentary admission for groups over 20.
Please note: The first floor of the Mansion and Snyder Gallery are wheelchair accessible.
GROUP TOUR OPTIONS
Both Group Tour options include a visit to the John J. Snyder, Jr. Gallery of Early Lancaster County Decorative Arts located on the second floor of the Rock Ford Barn. Entrance to the Snyder Gallery is through the Ann B. Barshinger Welcome Center.
OPTION #1: Self-Guided Mansion Tour including brochures
Admission Fee: $10 per person.
This tour option is for groups of 20 or more visitors.
A tour guide will board your coach or address your group on the piazza (porch) of the Mansion and give a 10-15 minute introduction on General Edward Hand and the history of Historic Rock Ford. Your group will then have approximately 45 minutes for a self-guided tour of the Mansion. Our guides will be stationed on each floor to answer any questions and the Museum Shop will be open on the lower level.
OPTION #2: Guided Mansion Tour
Admission Fee: $12 per person.
This tour option is for groups of up to 30 visitors. For groups over 30 members, please see option #1: Self-Guided.
A tour guide will give our regular guided tour of the Mansion presenting more comprehensive information on General Edward Hand and the history of Historic Rock Ford. This tour is approximately 50 minutes and your group will have the opportunity to browse in the Museum Shop at the end of the tour. Due to space considerations in the Mansion rooms, if a group has more than 15 guests, you will have to divide into two separate groups, with one group beginning the tour on the first floor and the other group will begin on the second floor.
To schedule a group tour, please contact office@historicrockford.org or call 717-392-7223 (Monday through Friday) or fill out the form below.
