On Charter Day, March 9, the PHMC is offering free admission to its 26 sites throughout Pennsylvania to commemorate the Commonwealth's birthday. Throughout the ten day celebration, the State Museum in Harrisburg will exhibit the original 1681 Charter that was granted to Pennsylvania founder William Penn by King Charles II of Great Britain, and feature many free events that showcase the role that William Penn played in the development of Penn's Land. Several planned events at the State Museum include:

• Charter Chats (PHMC archivists relating the fascinating story of the Charter, the "birth certificate" of Pennsylvania)
• Family Heritage Afternoon (receive advice on preserving family documents and photographs)
• Penn Symposium - Penn's Legacy: Celebrating and Preserving the Commonwealth's Documentary Heritage
• Official Launch of ExplorePAhistory.com - March 17

For a complete listing of events and activities, please call the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission at 717-783-5100, or visit their Web site.

Western Pennsylvania - Heritage Week Events

Charter Day, March 9th: Free museum admission along Pennsylvania's Trail of History. Commemorate William Penn's charter with special events at these Western Pennsylvania locations...

• Old Economy Village, Ambridge
  Free admission to the former home of the Harmony Society, a National Historic Landmark site. Open noon to 5 p.m.
   
• Bushy Run Battlefield, Jeannette
  Learn about the decisive battle that opened western Pennsylvania to settlement during the French and Indian War. Open noon to 5 p.m. Free admission on March 9, 2003.
   
• Drake Well Museum, Titusville
  Join the fun for Colonel Drake's birthday in Titusville, PA, birthplace of the modern oil industry in America. Special activities and the 11th annual lecture will be held on March 27, starting at 6:30 p.m. Plus free admission on March 9, 2003.
   
• Fort Pitt Museum, Pittsburgh
  Enjoy free admission to this interpretive museum located in a re-created eighteenth century bastion of the famous British fort on the forks of the Ohio River in Point State Park.
   
• Somerset Historical Center, Somerset
  Free admission to Western Pennsylvania's Rural Heritage Museum that recalls the fervent pioneering spirit that settled the Pennsylvania frontier.
   
• Erie Maritime Museum, Erie
  Enjoy free admission on March 9 in celebration of the signing of the Pennsylvania Charter between William Penn and King Charles II. Programs include Medical treatment in the War of 1812 as told by Usher Parsons, Naturalist Randy Neyer discussing Presque Isle State Park, and a showing of Shackleton, starring Kenneth Branagh.