The Boone Farm barn and its surrounding 32 acres in Middletown Township once empty for over 50 years, are now being renovated to become the future site of the African American Museum of Bucks County, writes Keshler Thibert for Hidden City Philadelphia.  

In 2020, county commissioners voted to lease the property to the museum for just $1 a year for the next 29 years, leaving the museum’s only surviving founder, Linda Salley, thrilled. 

The museum, founded in 2014, has operated as a mobile exhibition, with a volunteer staff providing educational programming to local schools and community centers.  

With a fixed location, the museum can offer more to Bucks County residents. The renovation has faced COVID-related delays and funding shortages, with $2 million still needed to complete the work despite $3 million already contributed by the county. 

The museum aims to open in 2025, continuing its mobile services in the meantime. The Boone Farm site will feature permanent and rotating exhibits, highlighting local Black history.  

Stories include African soldiers with George Washington and local Underground Railroad sites. The museum’s educational programming remains popular year-round, especially during Black History Month and Juneteenth. 

Read more about the African American Museum of Bucks County in the Hidden City of Philadelphia.  

Building Our Dream at Boone Farm – A Permanent Home for the AAMBC