A Road Trip Through Time at the Lincoln Highway Experience!

A Road Trip Through Time at the Lincoln Highway Experience!

Nestled along historic Route 30 near Latrobe, the Lincoln Highway Experience invites visitors to slow down, step inside, and rediscover the golden age of American road travel. More than just a collection of artifacts, this museum is a heartfelt tribute to the people, places, and stories that brought America’s first coast-to-coast highway to life.

Address: 3435 Route 30 East, Latrobe, PA 15650

Category: Museum

Duration: 1-2 hours

Directions, Hours, Admission

The museum is located at 3435 Route 30 East, Latrobe, PA 15650 and is open during April-November Tuesday – Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and December-March Thursday – Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum is closed on major holidays.

Admission costs vary from $15 for adults to $7 for children aged 6-17. Children 5 and under are free. The museum also has military, senior, and group discounts for 12 or more people available.

Admission also includes individual audio wands; a Lincoln Highway Postcard (with postage if written out here); and a piece of pie and cup of coffee or tea inside the restored 1938 Serro’s Diner.

Parking is available in front or in the rear of the museum with designated free EV vehicle charging available.

Be sure to check out their official website for the latest information.

Exterior of the Johnston House, the main entrance to the Lincoln Highway Experience.

A Drive Through History

Established in 1913, the Lincoln Highway stretched from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, paving the way, literally and metaphorically, for the American road trip. Today, the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor runs through six PA counties. This marked corridor showcases and conserves the historical, natural, and recreational stops in Westmorland, Somerset, Bedford, Fulton, Franklin, and Adams counties.

A map showcasing the Lincoln Highway.

The self-guided tour begins by receiving an audio wand. Guests make their way through the museum utilizing the audio wand to learn about each exhibit, detailing the artifacts on display.

An audio wand at exhibit #5.

A short introductory film sets the scene of the Lincoln Highway. The film lasts 10 -15 minutes and offers visitors an engaging introduction to the history and impact of America’s first transcontinental highway.

A showing of Through the Windshield, an interdictory film about the Lincoln Highway

As you wind your way through the museum, rooms highlight quirky roadside attractions that popped up to lure early motorists, while others show how businesses along the highway adapted to meet travelers’ needs. The Bedford Coffee Pot and Grand View Ship Hotel are just some of the examples showcased within the museum.

Artifacts in display from various roadside attractions.

One of the unique aspects of the museum is the interactive experience it offers. Visitors are invited to participate in a nostalgic tradition by sending a complimentary postcard from the museum. This offering includes a vintage-style postcard and postage, allowing guests to pen a personal message and have it mailed directly from the museum.

Mail a postcard home or to a family member as a souvenir!

The museum also has a room dedicated to the little ones. A Penny for Your Tots Room is a dedicated space designed specifically for young children, featuring interactive experiences for small children.

A Penny for Your Tots children’s play room

Diner Delights at Serro’s

The museum then leads to a larger, modern section featuring many items, including a 1930s Packard, a vintage gas station facade, a tourist cabin, and most notably, a restored 1930s diner.

Serro’s Diner and other large exhibits on display.

Within this area is a restored tourist cabin. This tiny accommodation was the forerunners of today’s motels and offers a peek at the no-frills but functional lodging that once dotted the Lincoln Highway. The furnishings and décor make it feel as though a traveler from the past had just stepped out.

Interior of the restored tourist cabin.

The tour ends on a high note at Serro’s Diner, a restored 1930s-era diner. Chrome stools, tiled floors, and marble counters make it feel like you’ve walked onto the set of a classic movie.

Interior of Serro’s Diner

Visitors are treated to a complimentary slice of pie and coffee or tea, a sweet and fitting tribute to the comforts of roadside Americana. A volunteer explains the history of Serro’s and life along the highway.

A slice of apple pie at Serro’s Diner

Just outside of Serro’s Diner, a small gift shop is available for guests to pick up souvenirs. Snacks, soda, Lincoln bobbleheads, and toys are available for purchase.

A small gift shop available at The Lincoln Highway Experience

A Hidden Gem Worth the Stop

The Lincoln Highway Experience delivers a rich, nostalgic, and surprisingly moving look at the early days of the road trip. It’s the kind of museum where every object has a story and every visitor leaves with one of their own.

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