Tours

Historic Bethabara Park offers tours for walk-in visitors, large groups, and schools. Guided tours are available to walk-in visitors during the Visitor Center’s open hours. Please call ahead of time to make a reservation if your group size exceeds 10 people. If you are a teacher wanting to book a field trip, please visit our “Plan a Field Trip” page.

Historic Bethabara Park currently offers a tour of our 1788 Gemeinhaus, which explores the original building that served as the settlement’s church and minister’s living quarters.

Gemeinhaus Tour

Explore the restored 1788 Gemeinhaus with an experienced tour guide. Bethabara’s 18th century Gemeinhaus, meaning “meeting house” in German, is the only German colonial church with attached minister’s living quarters remaining in the United States. The Gemeinhaus was not only a church, but also a town hall, school, and minister’s residence. Tour guides walk visitors through room-by-room, using the space and objects to tell Bethabara’s story. The tour includes a 15 minute video about the history of the Moravians at Bethabara. (Tours last approximately 1 hour.)

Tour Length: Approximately 1 hour Admission Fee: $4 for adults; $1 for students and children over 3 years of age

Log House Tour

A reimagined Log House Tour is coming soon!

Tour Length: not available Admission Fee: $4 for adults; $1 for students and children over 3 years of age

Group Tours

Reservations are required for all group tours exceeding 10 people. It is preferable for reservations to be made at least one month in advance. Please contact Education Director Diana Overbey with any questions and to schedule your group tour: 336-924-8191, or dianao@cityofws.org. If your group is smaller than 10 people, you are welcome to do a walk-in tour during the Visitor Center’s open hours.

Hands on History Trades Demos

Reservations are required for all group tours exceeding 10 people. Hear the blacksmith’s hammer striking the anvil, or the sound of the draw knife as the woodworker shapes a table leg. Watch our potter turn a lump of clay into a mug or plate. Learn what treatments you might expect if you visited the doctor in the 18th century. Get a taste of what 18th century cooking was like. All of this and more is available every week through our Hands on History demonstrations.

Please check our Facebook page for a weekly schedule.

Learn More About Trades

Amenities

Historic Bethabara Park has two separate picnic areas you may reserve when you book your group tour. Neither area is sheltered, so please have alternate plans in the event of rain. Bethabara also offers a small gift shop located in our Visitor Center that includes Moravian cookies, colonial toys, and unique locally-made items. Bethabara’s grounds and trails are free to explore, if you would like to extend your visit with a self-guided look at the site.  

Site Guidelines

Many of the items located in our 1788 Gemeinhaus are over 200 years old and must be treated very carefully. In order to help us preserve them for future use, we ask that you please do not touch any artifacts or sit on the furniture. All of the items located in the 1834 Log House are replicas. In order to better enjoy your visit and engage with history, we ask that you please touch the objects and sit on the furniture. Food, drinks, gum, and backpacks are not allowed in the exhibition buildings; please make arrangements to leave them on the bus. Please silence your cell phone during guided tours.