Wikipedia

Sigal Museum

Sigal Museum
Easton, Pennsylvania
Map
LocationEaston, Pennsylvania
Coordinates40°41′19″N 75°13′14″W / 40.6886°N 75.2206°W / 40.6886; -75.2206
TypeHistory museum

The Sigal Museum is a history museum located at 342 Northampton Street in downtown Easton, Pennsylvania. It serves as the flagship facility and headquarters of the Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society (NCHGS), which also operates several historic properties, including the Jacob Nicholas House, Mixsell-Illick House, the 1753 Bachmann Publick House, and Kressler Garden.[1] The museum houses an extensive collection of artifacts and documents related to Northampton County history and organizes rotating exhibitions highlighting local heritage, such as Forged from Fire, which explored the heroism and history of firefighting in the county.[2]

History

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Founding Organization

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The museum is operated by the Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society, which was established in 1906. The society was founded by a group of local history enthusiasts who met to share their research and began collecting artifacts related to the region's history. Over more than a century, the collection has grown to include more than 60,000 items.[3][4]

Building History

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The museum's location has a rich architectural history. The site was originally patented in 1754 to Jacob Meiner and served as a family home through the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1872, Edward Abel constructed the Abel Opera House on the property, which became a prominent entertainment venue through the Victorian era and into the age of vaudeville. After a fire, the building reopened as the Embassy Theater in 1927.[5]

In 1957, Arthur P. Sigal purchased the building and extensively renovated it, removing the upper two floors and retrofitting the structure for retail use. The Sigal family operated a women's fashion store and bridal gallery on the property until December 2000.[6] The Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society acquired the property in 2003 for use as a history museum. [7]

Current Museum

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The building underwent extensive adaptive reuse by Spillman Farmer Architects, who designed a completely new contemporary exterior facade using concrete, locally quarried slate, and glass.[8] The museum opened to the public in August 2010. The building spans 31,626 square feet across three floors plus a basement.[9] The renovation received recognition including selection as a Top 5 Museum & Cultural Space by ArchDaily in 2010, a Commercial Real Estate Award from the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2011, and Building of the Week honors from American-Architects.com in 2012.[10]

Rotating Exhibitions

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The Sigal Museum maintains a regular rotation of curated exhibits in its Chrin Gallery

  • 2024 - 25 Warehouse Valley: A Changing Landscape - an exhibit comparing historic and contemporary views of the Lehigh Valley. [11]
  • 2024 - 25 “I Saw Easton the Way It Could Be:” Tim Hare. - an exhibit honoring Tim Hare (1947–2020), an artist, architect, and community advocate whose preservation work and activism helped shape modern Easton.[12]
  • 2023 - 24 Forged by Fire: The Heroism, Honor, and History of Firefighting - an exhibition which explores the history of firefighting in Northampton County.[2]
  • 2023 Through Our Lens: Urban Landscape Photography by ten Wilson Area High School Students - an exhibition featuring photographs of ten local teenagers exploring the theme of Urban Landscape. Inspired by local photographer and juror, Peter Ydeen.[13]
  • 2022 - 23 Easton Nights at the Sigal Museum - an exhibition of over 70 photographs exploring Peter Ydeen's nocturnal series entitled Easton Nights.[14]
  • 2021 - 22 Another American’s Autobiography: Selections from the Petrucci Family Foundation’s Collection of African American Arts - an exhibit collaboration with the Petrucci Family Foundation featuring over 25 pieces of art from their collection.[15]
  • 2019 - 22 Dirk Bach: Canine Illumination a collection of acrylic paintings and colored pencil drawings focuses of Mavis – illuminated by Shiva, posing on rugs, with figures from Japanese prints, African sculptures.[16]
  • 2019 Destination: Northampton County - an exhibition exploring the stories of those who left everything and everyone behind, for a shot at a new life in the Lehigh Valley.[17]
  • 2018 - 19 Sign Language: Protest, Passion, and Politics, Photographs By Ed Eckstein, 1963-2018 - an exhibit striving to capture the immediacy and timelessness of protest movements.[18]

Collections and Permanent Exhibits

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The Sigal Museum houses significant collections focusing on Northampton County history, including:[19][20]

  • 20th-century artifacts from Northampton County residents
  • African American historical artifacts[21]
  • Easton’s first pumper truck[22]
  • early settlements, agriculture and industry
  • Pre-European settlement artifacts and Native American (Lenape) materials[23]
  • Decorative arts and textiles[24]
  • Farming implements
  • Colonial and Victorian-era furniture
  • Industrial heritage artifacts[25]
  • Historical documents and photographs

The museum features three exhibition halls, a Decorative Arts Gallery, a music room displaying connections to the C. F. Martin & Company of nearby Nazareth, and visual galleries. The Charles Chrin Changing Gallery hosts rotating special exhibitions highlighting collections from NCHGS and partner organizations. The facility includes a 100-seat auditorium named the John R. Austen Auditorium.[26]

Notable permanent exhibits explore the formation of Northampton County, early settlements, the Lenape people, agriculture, conflict and wartime periods, local industry, and regional antique photographs.

Jane S. Moyer Library & Research Facility

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The museum's third floor houses the Jane S. Moyer Library and NCHGS Archives, named after the society's volunteer librarian of more than 70 years. The library provides resources for students, scholars, and genealogical researchers, including:

  • Over 6,000 volumes on county and family history
  • More than 10,000 manuscript items
  • 6,000 surname files
  • 2,000 history vertical files
  • 120,000 photographs
  • Thousands of maps, drawings, and architectural plans related to Northampton County history[27]

Other NCHGS Properties

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The Sigal Museum is one of four historic sites operated by NCHGS in Easton:[28]

Bachmann Publick House
Jacob Nicholas House
  • 1753 Bachmann Publick House also known as the Easton House – The city's oldest remaining building, containing the last remaining Northampton County colonial-era courtroom
  • Jacob Nicholas House – Named for its first resident (1807–1832), who was a wood turner and later a Durham boat captain
  • Mixsell-Illick House – A Victorian-era structure that served as NCHGS headquarters for several decades
  • Kressler Garden – A pocket park in downtown Easton

References

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  1. ^ "Sigal Museum". Discover Lehigh Valley. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  2. ^ a b Myszkowski, Brian (2023-09-21). "Sigal Museum's "Forged by Fire" exhibition honors extensive history of Northampton County firefighting". Lehigh Valley News. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  3. ^ "Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society". NCHGS. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  4. ^ "Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society". Lehigh Valley History. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  5. ^ "Embassy Theatre". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  6. ^ "Even if name is erased, Sigals will be part of Easton museum family". The Morning Call. 2007-09-10. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  7. ^ Deegan, Jim (August 2011). "Historical Treasures: The Sigal Museum". Lehigh Valley Live. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  8. ^ "Sigal Museum – Building Review". World‑Architects. 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  9. ^ "NCHGS Sigal Museum". Spillman Farmer Architects. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  10. ^ "Sigal Museum / Spillman Farmer Architects". ArchDaily. 2010-10-08. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  11. ^ Jones, Evan (2024-10-05). "New Warehouse Valley Exhibit Shows How the Lehigh Valley Has Grown". The Morning Call. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  12. ^ "Two New Exhibitions Opening at the Sigal Museum". The Valley Ledger. 2024-09-18. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  13. ^ Sarah Clark (2023-02-18). "Sigal Museum to showcase Wilson Area High School student photographers' urban landscapes". LehighValleyLive. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  14. ^ "New Exhibition at Sigal Museum in Easton, PA". WJCS 89.3 FM. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  15. ^ Ed Courier (2022-02-18). "Gallery View: For Black History Month, African‑American art exhibit at Sigal Museum". Lehigh Valley Press. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  16. ^ "Morning Call Local Events – March 27, 2020". The Morning Call. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  17. ^ Lopez, K.C. (2019-11-12). "Destination Northampton County: Stories Untold". WLV T / PBS39. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  18. ^ "Sign Language ‒ Protest, Passion, and Politics, Photographs by Ed Eckstein, 1963-2018". L’Œil de la Photographie. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  19. ^ "Lehigh Valley Insider's Guide: The most interesting museums and where to find them". The Morning Call. 2025-09-23. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
  20. ^ "Exhibits". Sigal Museum. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  21. ^ "Easton NAACP–Sigal Museum Collection". Lehigh Valley Engaged Humanities Consortium Archive. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  22. ^ "Historical Treasures: Humane fi …". LehighValleyLive. 2011-01-15. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  23. ^ Langlieb, David (2020). Backroads & Byways of Pennsylvania: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions. Countryman Press. p. 38. ISBN 9781682685891.
  24. ^ Craig Larimer (2019-09-06). "Fall Arts Preview: Must-see art exhibits, displays and galleries coming to the Lehigh Valley". The Morning Call. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  25. ^ De Marco, Pasquale. The Best of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Pasquale De Marco. p. 121.
  26. ^ "Sigal Museum – NCHGS Locations". Sigal Museum. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  27. ^ "Jane S. Moyer Library & Archives". Sigal Museum. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
  28. ^ "Sigal Museum – NCHGS Locations". Sigal Museum. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
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