The Historic Ephrata Cloister will participate in the Smithsonian magazine's Museum Day, Saturday, Sept. 17. The Cloister will be open to visitors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with guided tours offered throughout the day.

Museum Day celebrates the nation's museums, zoos, aquariums, and cultural centers with free admission to participating institutions with a special required ticket. This ticket will provide general admission for the ticket holder plus one guest, and it will only be valid on Museum Day. It will not be valid for special exhibits, parking, IMAX film screenings, or any other offer. Visitors to the Historic Ephrata Cloister without the required ticket will be charged the standard admission, with separate fees set for adults, for seniors age 65 and up, and for children ages 3 to 5.

To download a Museum Day ticket, visit http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2022/. The aforementioned website also contains a list of all participating institutions throughout the country along with other important information about using the ticket.

The Historic Ephrata Cloister is the place where the town of Ephrata began in 1732. Nine of the original buildings, built between the 1740s and 1800, are preserved to tell the story of the religious community that became known for its original music, art and publishing and its significant architecture. Guided tours visit the two largest buildings on the site, the Saal (Meetinghouse), built in 1741, and the adjoining Saron (Sisters' House), built in 1743. Seven additional buildings open for self-guided tours include the printing office, physician's house, bakery, and weaver's house. The museum store offers a selection of locally made crafts, along with books, candles, art, and note cards. Historic Ephrata Cloister is a National Historic Landmark administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission with support from the Ephrata Cloister Associates.