Historic Ephrata Cloister
Ephrata, PA · 30 minutes from Reading · Under $20 a person
Plan the day
Historic Ephrata Cloister is a preserved 18th-century religious community in Ephrata, PA, established in 1732 and run by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. It is a National Historic Landmark.
The community left behind its own architecture, music, publications and art, and a guided tour of about an hour and 15 minutes walks through it, with nine more buildings open on your own. Plan at least an hour and a half. In the fall it hosts Apple Dumpling Days, a Day of Music and a Candlelight Open House with the Ephrata Cloister Chorus singing in the 1741 Saal.
Before you go
Tour times vary with staffing and are posted on the homepage; groups of 10 or more register in advance. Free parking, a wheelchair to borrow, seating throughout, picnic tables, and a museum store you can enter without a ticket. Personal photos are fine, no flash inside and no tripods in buildings.
Coming up
Apple Dumpling Days October 9 (9 AM to 3 PM) and October 10 (9 AM to 1 PM), $6 a dumpling, no ticket needed; Day of Music October 11, 1 to 3 PM, $10 adults; Candlelight Open House November 14, 5 to 8 PM, with candlelit paths, craftspeople and the Ephrata Cloister Chorus in the 1741 Saal, tickets at the door or online.
Checked October 8, 2026 on the official site. Hours, prices and seasons change, so confirm there before a long drive. Historic Ephrata Cloister also has a listing on BerksConnect.
