Inside Hershey

The Hershey Story: Practically Perfect in Every Way

After giving The Hershey Story a few weeks to get over those opening jitters, I made my way to the museum on Thursday to see what all the time, effort and money had wrought.

To be honest, I was skeptical. I loved the charm and the history of the Hershey Museum, and I wasn't happy about the contribution of my tax dollars to build the new place.

I'm happy to report that my skepticism was misplaced. The Hershey Story offered one pleasant surprise after another.

The interiors match the impressive exterior. The architecture is nothing short of stunning. The displays are informative and beautifully sequenced. The lighting is perfect. And best of all, The Hershey Story focuses on people: the story of Milton Hershey from boyhood to chocolate mogul; the importance of community; the legacy of Mr. Hershey and the immigrants who helped him build his factory and the town around it.

Better yet, the focus on people doesn't stop with the displays. From the moment we walked through the entry doors, we were welcomed and guided by friendly people. Staff and volunteers alike took the time to smile and say hello, and then offer their help. They were happy to talk about their own experiences in Hershey, and this added immeasurably to the experience.

After two hours spent wandering through the exhibits and enjoying a dessert at Café Zooka, I had only one nit-picky complaint: they're using non-dairy based topping on those beautiful cakes?!? The Hershey's Chocolate Coffeeholic Cream Cake shown above would have been a masterpiece had the oily topping been replaced with authentic whipped cream.

Save that minor (and easily corrected!) detail, I can recommend The Hershey Story without reservation. So much so that we'll be returning this weekend to buy our family membership so we can take our kids as often as possible!

Seen Around Chocolatetown

Say hello to the new Chocolate Avenue Shuttle!

This cute little bus transports visitors from Hershey's Chocolate World to The Hershey Story. It's free and currently runs daily from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., but the schedule will vary in the spring and summer.  Not only does the shuttle feature cool graphics on the outside, it's also climate-controlled on the inside and has a 14-person capacity.

The Hershey Story: One More Sign

This morning, workers installed one of the finishing touches before The Hershey Story officially opens tomorrow:

 

 

And finally, the sign and façade of The Hershey Story as it looked on opening day: January 9, 2009.

The Hershey Story

The signs are up and it looks as though The Hershey Story will open on schedule this Friday, January 9!

The museum replaces The Hershey Museum, but it offers a whole lot more. More exhibit space, more meeting space, a chocolate lab and a new restaurant for the downtown area, Café Zooka.

Of course, this also means more to get in: admission rates begin at $10.00 per adult and $7.50 per child over the age of three. The Hershey Story will be open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is part of the M.S. Hershey Foundation.

The Hershey Museum's Last Day

The Hershey Museum closed its doors today. 

The old museum was shuttered to allow staff to transfer some of its exhibits and artifacts to the new Hershey Story museum, which is scheduled to open in January 2009.

As I walked through the old museum building today, I remembered taking my daughter there for the first time. I thought about the reception and party we hosted there a few years ago. And I wondered what would become of the building and the old Hersheypark Arena next door.

All that nostalgia was tempered by the excitement of waiting for the new Hershey Story to begin. The new museum will include more exhibits detailing the life of Milton S. Hershey, a café (a feature the old museum lacked) and the intriguing "Chocolate Lab," where visitors over the age of 4 can indulge in a more interactive chocolate-making experience. I'll look forward to seeing everything the new museum has to offer in January.