The Fort Bedford Museum traces the story from the fort built in 1758 through other chapters of local history. A second museum in Bedford is dedicated to historic American coverlets. If you are planning a stay, you will find two distinct cultural highlights here, along with specific routes for exploring places in Bedford.
Fort History in the Museum and Around Town
The historical exhibits at the Fort Bedford Museum cover the fort’s role in the French and Indian War, the Whiskey Rebellion, and the development of the local landscape. The museum was built downtown, near the site of Fort Bedford, established in 1758. This creates a direct connection between the topics in the exhibits and the historic fort site. The subjects emphasized in the exhibits may change; if you are interested in a particular topic, check the latest exhibit details in advance.
The museum also houses more than 4,000 objects related to Bedford’s past. The collection and historical exhibits therefore offer two distinct points of interest: you can explore the presentation of war, rebellion, and the landscape, or the breadth of objects from Bedford’s past. For children, the museum offers a scavenger hunt, a craft kit for making a Native American bracelet, a hands-on measuring activity involving Conestoga wagons, and a Lincoln Log building table. Activities range from searching and crafting to measuring and building. Since activities may change, it is a good idea to check the current selection if they are important to your visit.
Historic Coverlets and an 1859 Building
The National Museum of the American Coverlet is an independent, year-round institution dedicated to historic American coverlets. It is housed in Bedford’s former school building, dating from 1859. Its focus differs considerably from that of the Fort Bedford Museum: here the emphasis is on coverlets, while the Fort Bedford Museum focuses on the history of the fort and Bedford. The two topics can therefore be distinguished by whether your interest lies more in textile history or the region’s past.
The National Museum of the American Coverlet’s annual program includes Coverlet College. The seminars feature presentations, hands-on activities, and a demonstration and discussion session. Dates and topics may change. If a seminar is a key reason for your trip, check the latest event dates and details before planning your stay around it.
Routes Through Bedford and Getting Here
The original outlines of Fort Bedford are visible in a small park behind the Anderson House at 137 E Pitt Street. Access is via the walking trail alongside the river. This lets you combine a look at the visible fort outlines with a section of trail, rather than discovering the site only through the museum exhibits.
The Shuster Way Heritage Trail currently connects Omni Bedford Springs Resort with downtown Bedford and Fort Bedford Park. Its route follows an unpaved trail as well as public roads and sidewalks. This is a different kind of route from the riverside trail leading to the fort outlines: when planning your way, keep in mind that the Shuster Way uses a variety of surfaces and public routes. Check current route conditions before setting out.
By road, Bedford can be reached via the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I-70, State Route 99 as the north–south Route 220 corridor, and I-68 from the south. Since road conditions can change, it is worth checking your route before traveling. Once there, you can choose among different highlights: fort history and local objects, historic coverlets and their annual seminar program, or routes to the visible fort outlines and through Bedford.
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