Monthly and Private Tours
MONTHLY TOURS JANUARY THROUGH OCTOBER
Appointments are no longer necessary for our popular last-Saturday-of-the-month Organ Tours, unless your group is larger than six, but advance purchase of admissions is STRICTLY REQUIRED. Secure your admissions clicking HERE and meet your tour guide Nik Sizgorich at noon at the Eagle on the day of each regular tour.
After the noon concert is finished,
Nik with then take ticket holders on the tour.
Tickets are now dated so we have advance knowledge of how many are taking the tour. They are valid and will be honored on the date indicated. If you need to change the date of the tour after purchase, please simply e-mail us and we will give you an acknowledgment to use with your ticket indicating a change of date.
If your group is seven or larger please e-mail us in advance at execdirec@wanamakerorgan.com so we can be prepared for you. Put TOURS in the subject line since we get a lot of Spam.
Included in the tour is the Friends Museum, which includes first editions from the personal library of organ architect George Ashdown Audsley—all of his own works—placed on deposit with the Friends. The actual Leopold Stokowski 78 rpm record that inspired Virgil Fox to arrange “Come Sweet Death” may be viewed, as may the medal Dr. Audsley received at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, and a silver tray given to his father in 1838.
Other exhibits include documents signed by Rodman Wanamaker, our historic flags and banners collection, original Christmas Light Show control panels, and memorabilia pertaining to Wanamaker Organist Keith Chapman and former curators.
Tours also include the console, several pipe chambers and blowers, and the extensive Wanamaker Organ Shop where repairs take place in state-of-the-art facilities.
Also note that taking a tour entitles a participant to get issues of The Stentor, our quarterly newsletter.
Watch a video on our Wanamaker Flag Collection that is partially displayed in our museum HERE.
PRIVATE TOURS BY APPOINTMENT
PRIVATE TOURS are available by appointment, but will incur an extra charge to cover the expenses of securing a guide. We are a small organization and do not have a tour guide staff on site. Cost per person is $18 (you can use the Student Rate at our webstore to secure admissions).
The cost of securing a guide for a private tour depends on what is negotiated in advance with the guide, who is paid a fee in person and usually travels into town for the sake of giving the tour.
We attempt to accommodate last-minute requests, but please try to give us as much advance notice as possible. If you don’t hear back after a few days please get in touch again and we will try to secure another guide. Those contemplating bus groups should send an e-mail request after speaking with us on the phone, so we have a document to work with and share with potential guides. If you have any questions please call 484 / 684 7250 during office hours.
If you take a tour and someone else submits their name with the financial payment, e-mail us with your own address information as well to receive your complimentary copies of our newsletter.
E-mail us about tours and availability at execdirec@wanamakerorgan.com. Please type WANAMAKER TOURS (uppercase) in the subject line, as we get a lot of spam. You should expect a prompt reply. We sometimes have had trouble with our e-mail sent to this address, so please feel free to telephone if experiencing difficulties.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL THOSE TAKING THE TOUR ARE ORDINARILY EXPECTED TO PRINT AND BRING THEIR ADMISSIONS RECEIPT, OR BE PREPARED TO SHOW IT ON THEIR CELLPHONE SCREENS. TOUR ADMISSIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT OUR WEBSTORE.
ALSO NOTE: There are no regular monthly tours in November or December because of the Christmas Light Show.