Moravian Pottery & Tile Works Museum — Attraction in Doylestown Township

My partner and I love to explore pa and we came across this as top location in the area. And I marked it for another time. We wanted to take his mom on little day trip to celebrate an event and I brought this up both were skeptical about what they would see here but was game. We pulled up to the building from the side of building to park. Not at the first lot go little further and you'll find small side lot to park. And just instantly stand in the wonder of the place. Reminded me of something from old zorro film or something. The architecture was amazing. As went in we were greeted by someone by the counter and they let us look around until our tour was ready in gift shop. The gift shop is beautiful laid out with many beautiful tile work that was prices well and most made on the premises that I know of. We were than allowed to go into the start of the tour in this beautiful room with a center piece of a fire place and beautiful tools of the past all over the walls and of course title. The fire was a blazing behind us on the chilly windy day as we watched the short video. Which really helped to give lot of interesting about mercer and how far his reach was in the area. And how many attractions in that area is connected to him. I won't spoil anything but worth a watch. Than from there it was a self guided tour. With tiles telling you which way to go with arrows. Now not sure how many people will have the same experience we did but there wasn't large amount of people and we were able to just explore. And that is the real wonder of the place to just feel like your exploring. And yes there are some items are behind glass cases many things aren't. And many things are still being used by artists now on smaller scale. It made feel like I was at living history event. You could explore at your own. So it was like exploring factor back in the day. The balcony was one the highlights to stand out and look at the court yard and look up all the chimneys. There is one I tried to get a picture of that was beautifully titled. Definitely keep an eye out on it. I thought it was also neat you could go in basement to see where they stored the clay and more. It was spooky but was fun. Than as you go further you get to see different artist projects and see them in action. They were very kind and very helpful.in answering questions. Overall all I would have to say this was the high light of the day for sure. Exploring history is always fun but self guided side of the tour made you really feel like you were sneaking around to see the behind scenes in this old tile factory. And I really don't think you'll see everything on one go there so many small titles and interrogate work put in the building it's like look for Easter eggs. We went into this place not sure how it would be but would definitely suggest this to anyone that enjoys architecture, art tiles, local history, and exploring. I think you can definitely gain a prospective into mercer life by looking at this place and other attractions in area. Check it out yourself. I feel like adults would appreciate this more than young...

Decided on a whim to check out the Tile Works Festival held over the weekend of May 20-21. We have some very unusual tile in our 100-year-old house, and thought we might be able to get some intel. A $10 entry fee also snagged you access to the museum tour.

We were quite surprised at the number in attendance! Several hundred folks and dozens of vendors (we were expecting maybe a quarter of that). The vast majority of vendors were selling their handmade tiles in an immense variety of style, size, and price points.

I didn't know I was a lover of tile! Some of them are truly works of art, better suited to being framed than stuck to a wall or floor. I have a soft spot for Art Deco and Art Nouveau, so was giddy as a school girl when I heard that Nawal Motawi was in attendance. She's a delight, and her tile work is incredible.

They had a booth for the museum Tile Historians, and we got a great lead on our mystery tiles. Great group of folks there, a nice blend of friendly, knowledgeable, and quirky. We like nice, quirky people.

We finally spent some time walking through the actual museum, and while the buildings (very cool architecturally), kilns, and other assorted accoutrements were interesting, I found the history of it quite dull.

I think if it weren't for the festival, you'd have to be a serious history buff or fanatical tile aficionado to want to go there just for the museum.

At any rate, we're absolutely coming back for...

Really glad I made the trip to the Moravian Pottery & Tile Works Museum—definitely recommend visiting at least once, whether you're a local or just passing through Bucks County. There's a lot of fascinating craftsmanship here, and it’s one of those places where you get a real sense of history and art coming together. Buy tickets in advance. Not only does it make entry easier, but they can sometimes sell out, especially on weekends. Getting there can be a little tricky if you're using GPS—when you see the first castle-looking structure, keep going; the museum is just beyond that.

The visit starts in a main room where you're shown a short video about Henry Mercer and the tile-making tradition. From there, you’re free to tour the space at your own pace. In several rooms, artisans demonstrate how the tiles are made... many still using local Bucks County clay, just like in Mercer's time. You’ll see examples of Mercer’s tiles that were used in places like Fonthill Castle (his former home), and the artistry is truly impressive. I easily spent an hour and a half here just soaking it all in.

There’s also a lovely little gift shop with handmade tiles made in the museum. I was especially hoping to find a pineapple tile or bowl—would’ve been perfect for a housewarming gift; alas, no luck this time. Still, lots of beautiful designs to choose from. A charming, informative, and beautifully preserved piece of...