Variety of little gifts to choose from that are unique. A nice reprieve from the big box options.
Traveling Troop
Variety of little gifts to choose from that are unique. A nice reprieve from the big box options.
Matthew U.
This was a pleasant surprise while I visited the area. I had time to kill and needed to find something to do. I looked up what was in the area to fill that void and this popped up. At first I was skeptical as I was not sure what this was and where it was. I guess you can say that this is technically part of the Pitt campus they have here, but it is still confusing. It was confusing to get here, and then to figure out if/where you can park without being in violation of some law. Just pull into the lot and be on your way. As long as you are going to one of the three that are included here, you will be fine. When I walked inside, I did not know where to go. The museum is off to your left, but secured to the point that you cannot enter on your own. To the right you have the café/gift shop area. Right in front of you is what appears to be an information desk with many things on the counter. I, not sure what to do, and after trying the door to the museum, made my way into the café and asked for some direction. I was told to ring the bell at the information desk. When I went back out to the desk I found the bell with a fairly small note stating to ring it for the museum. Once I did that I was let into the museum and told which direction this flows and some information on what it was I was about to see. Once inside the museum it can be a bit overwhelming. Especially if you do not know what the museum is about. But you ease into it by reading all the information in front of you and go with the flow. First, I had no idea who Marilyn Horne was. Once you delve into this museum, you know who Marilyn Horne is. She is a world renown opera singer that came from this area. Starting in Bradford and then heading out to the West Coast to pursue music. She has sang at some of the most well-known opera houses throughout the world. As you walk through the museum (which doesn't take long as it is small) you basically walk through her life. Both on the professional level and personal level. You see her grow as a person and performer. You can scope out some of her costumes from shows she was in. You can read over how she has met some interesting people. You can sit down in the theater area where you watch a short documentary with commentary from Ms. Horne herself. I really liked that portion. You sit in the viewing area and they dim the lights to let you know the show is about to start. I think that was a nice, subtle touch. This is one museum that you can do in less than one day and really take it all in. Best of all, it is another free museum to get into!
Marie M.
Bright and clean lovely coffee shop located inside the Marilyn Horne Museum & Exhibit Center. Has many of the things a full scale Starbucks does (pastries, sandwiches, and cookies), along with a very pleasant lady working at the counter. I stopped in for a flat white and she was pleasant and the coffee was delicious.
Joyfully His
Variety of little gifts to choose from that are unique. A nice reprieve from the big box options.
Tara K.
HIDDEN ARTS & CULTURAL GEM ALERT!! :-D :-D :-D My husband and I were in Bradford PA for a quiet weekend getaway, and initially headed here to relax in the cafe. We figured that since it is a Starbucks, they'd have WiFi for some laptop work. When we arrived, we were immediately sidetracked by all of the other things in this wonderfully renovated space! Which are all FREE! The Marilyn Horne Museum and Cafe is located on the first floor of one of the UPitt buildings. The museum is free admission. Marilyn Horne is an opera icon who originally hails from Bradford PA. I personally know very little about opera, and was entirely unfamiliar with here music or contributions to the field. But the museum did an excellent job of enlightening me on her illustrious career in a very interesting and entertaining way. The museum is small, essentially one loop of exhibits, with a theater towards the middle that plays a documentary about Marilyn's life. But if you take your time going through it, you can easily spend an hour or more here. The museum exhibits are bright and easy to read. Many have multimedia elements, like video and audio recordings. There are also a couple interactive exhibits and games. I liked the tips on how to get the most of your own opera voice. We didn't belt it out, but I'm sure it would have been okay if we did. Opera in all forms is celebrated here. ;-) In addition to the museum, the first floor also includes the Starbucks café, and a lovely gift shop. The gift shop is well organized, with all of the attention to detail that any major museum gift shop would have. We picked up a CD of Marilyn's most known recordings. Neither my husband nor I are typically opera listeners, but we are all-around music lovers. (Well, except country, of course, hehe). Marilyn's accomplished life so wonderfully curated in the museum had us wanting to hear more, and share her music with our kids at home. We also had the opportunity to chat with the museum director for a while, Matthew. He was beyond knowledgeable about Marilyn, about some general Bradford PA history, and about the building itself that the museum is in. He encouraged us to explore some of the building's authentic charms. I hoofed it up to the fifth floor to poke around the original ballroom space, which is slated for revitalization. The hope is it will someday be used as a grand performance space. The potential is definitely there, so once it gets to that point, I'm in! The original parquet floors and art-deco chandeliers are stunning. It will be a sight to behold once it is all restored and functional again. Let me close with saying again that I know nothing about opera. I am not an opera fan. I've never been to an opera. But I love learning about regional history and arts contributions. And I love when someone's passion for sharing knowledge is so vibrant, and accessible, and well done, no matter what the actual content of that knowledge may be, that you can't help but be swept up by that love of sharing learning, too. The Marilyn Horne Museum is just that. You don't have to love opera to take something away from this space. Bravo to the makers of this lovely contribution to this community. I look forward to visiting again with our kids! :-D
Christina C.
Pros: Good location, mostly friendly employees, clean, nice gift shop Cons: pastries (lack of selection, sometimes stale, sometimes not labeled, have to ask for pricing etc.) & silence (love coffeehouse music but here no music at all), no wifi!
Taylor Tarahteeff
The Marilyn Horne Museum Store is a pleasant surprise! The store offers unique items not just associated with Marilyn Horne, but games, books, soaps, imported gifts, ornaments, and more! Like any good museum store there is a wide array of artistic, historical, and explorative items on offer that serve to educate and entertain. Specifically the line of Bradford PA gold filagree ornaments are stunning, and the fun artistic-print umbrellas are both beautiful and affordable. Really suitable for all ages, you can find kids books, novels, puzzles, greeting cards, bookmarks etc. Of course there’s lovely Marilyn Horne exclusives as well, including mugs, tee shirts, magnets, and more!Great place to find interesting gifts, or things you didn’t know you needed!
Mary R.
Lied online and said they were open. I drove 2 1/2 hours to visit. Then was turned away by a very nasty mouthed man. Never go to this town. People are horrible there.
Hannah K.
I had no idea who Marilyn Horne was, but in a hunt for some local museums after visiting the Zippo/Case museum, this place popped up on our radar! (We actually picked up a tourism pamphlet from the Zippo museum - have you ever actually visited any of the places you pick up pamphlets for?) For you out-of-towners like me, Marilyn Horne was a famous opera singer who grew up in Bradford. Though her family moved to California when she was younger, and she eventually traveled to Germany to pursue her singing, it's clear she's left an influential mark on Bradford, and certainly deserves to be recognized for it! Inside of the museum, you'll find tons of information about Marilyn's life through videos, audio clips, and gorgeous imagery! There are a ton of replica costumes of hers on display here. My favorite facts about her that I learned here: - She won 4 grammy awards! - During her carreer, she waited to debut at the Metropolitan Opera because she "wanted to be the headliner" #RoleModel - She was a part of an interracial marriage, and had a daughter! Honestly I left here feeling that Marilyn Horne was way ahead of her time - a successful woman with a fantastic career, not being overshadowed in her line of work. The museum is free to visit. There is a small cafe on the first floor of the building, that doubles as a gift shop for the museum. The cafe is basically a pop-up Starbucks, so they have all the drinks you can get at any other bux! I honestly loved coming here, learning all about who Marilyn Horne was - and would absolutely recommend this spot as something to check out that might be a hidden gem!
Only place in downtown Bradford to get Starbucks blended coffees combined with a museum shop!
Tim A
Marilyn was born in Bradford and has commited heirlooms from her career to the facility Not to be missed if in the Bradford PA area
Miles Max D.
The Marilyn Horne Museum and Gift Shop are some of the best attractions in Bradford! The service is fantastic, the museums is extremely nice and interactive, and cafe/gift shop prices are very reasonable. Definitely worth stopping by if you're in town or in surrounding areas.
Emily Harsen
So incredibly impressed and excited to see such a wonderful museum in Bradford
Variety of little gifts to choose from that are unique. A nice reprieve from the big box options.
Variety of little gifts to choose from that are unique. A nice reprieve from the big box options.
This was a pleasant surprise while I visited the area. I had time to kill and needed to find something to do. I looked up what was in the area to fill that void and this popped up. At first I was skeptical as I was not sure what this was and where it was. I guess you can say that this is technically part of the Pitt campus they have here, but it is still confusing. It was confusing to get here, and then to figure out if/where you can park without being in violation of some law. Just pull into the lot and be on your way. As long as you are going to one of the three that are included here, you will be fine. When I walked inside, I did not know where to go. The museum is off to your left, but secured to the point that you cannot enter on your own. To the right you have the café/gift shop area. Right in front of you is what appears to be an information desk with many things on the counter. I, not sure what to do, and after trying the door to the museum, made my way into the café and asked for some direction. I was told to ring the bell at the information desk. When I went back out to the desk I found the bell with a fairly small note stating to ring it for the museum. Once I did that I was let into the museum and told which direction this flows and some information on what it was I was about to see. Once inside the museum it can be a bit overwhelming. Especially if you do not know what the museum is about. But you ease into it by reading all the information in front of you and go with the flow. First, I had no idea who Marilyn Horne was. Once you delve into this museum, you know who Marilyn Horne is. She is a world renown opera singer that came from this area. Starting in Bradford and then heading out to the West Coast to pursue music. She has sang at some of the most well-known opera houses throughout the world. As you walk through the museum (which doesn't take long as it is small) you basically walk through her life. Both on the professional level and personal level. You see her grow as a person and performer. You can scope out some of her costumes from shows she was in. You can read over how she has met some interesting people. You can sit down in the theater area where you watch a short documentary with commentary from Ms. Horne herself. I really liked that portion. You sit in the viewing area and they dim the lights to let you know the show is about to start. I think that was a nice, subtle touch. This is one museum that you can do in less than one day and really take it all in. Best of all, it is another free museum to get into!
Bright and clean lovely coffee shop located inside the Marilyn Horne Museum & Exhibit Center. Has many of the things a full scale Starbucks does (pastries, sandwiches, and cookies), along with a very pleasant lady working at the counter. I stopped in for a flat white and she was pleasant and the coffee was delicious.
Variety of little gifts to choose from that are unique. A nice reprieve from the big box options.
HIDDEN ARTS & CULTURAL GEM ALERT!! :-D :-D :-D My husband and I were in Bradford PA for a quiet weekend getaway, and initially headed here to relax in the cafe. We figured that since it is a Starbucks, they'd have WiFi for some laptop work. When we arrived, we were immediately sidetracked by all of the other things in this wonderfully renovated space! Which are all FREE! The Marilyn Horne Museum and Cafe is located on the first floor of one of the UPitt buildings. The museum is free admission. Marilyn Horne is an opera icon who originally hails from Bradford PA. I personally know very little about opera, and was entirely unfamiliar with here music or contributions to the field. But the museum did an excellent job of enlightening me on her illustrious career in a very interesting and entertaining way. The museum is small, essentially one loop of exhibits, with a theater towards the middle that plays a documentary about Marilyn's life. But if you take your time going through it, you can easily spend an hour or more here. The museum exhibits are bright and easy to read. Many have multimedia elements, like video and audio recordings. There are also a couple interactive exhibits and games. I liked the tips on how to get the most of your own opera voice. We didn't belt it out, but I'm sure it would have been okay if we did. Opera in all forms is celebrated here. ;-) In addition to the museum, the first floor also includes the Starbucks café, and a lovely gift shop. The gift shop is well organized, with all of the attention to detail that any major museum gift shop would have. We picked up a CD of Marilyn's most known recordings. Neither my husband nor I are typically opera listeners, but we are all-around music lovers. (Well, except country, of course, hehe). Marilyn's accomplished life so wonderfully curated in the museum had us wanting to hear more, and share her music with our kids at home. We also had the opportunity to chat with the museum director for a while, Matthew. He was beyond knowledgeable about Marilyn, about some general Bradford PA history, and about the building itself that the museum is in. He encouraged us to explore some of the building's authentic charms. I hoofed it up to the fifth floor to poke around the original ballroom space, which is slated for revitalization. The hope is it will someday be used as a grand performance space. The potential is definitely there, so once it gets to that point, I'm in! The original parquet floors and art-deco chandeliers are stunning. It will be a sight to behold once it is all restored and functional again. Let me close with saying again that I know nothing about opera. I am not an opera fan. I've never been to an opera. But I love learning about regional history and arts contributions. And I love when someone's passion for sharing knowledge is so vibrant, and accessible, and well done, no matter what the actual content of that knowledge may be, that you can't help but be swept up by that love of sharing learning, too. The Marilyn Horne Museum is just that. You don't have to love opera to take something away from this space. Bravo to the makers of this lovely contribution to this community. I look forward to visiting again with our kids! :-D
Pros: Good location, mostly friendly employees, clean, nice gift shop Cons: pastries (lack of selection, sometimes stale, sometimes not labeled, have to ask for pricing etc.) & silence (love coffeehouse music but here no music at all), no wifi!
The Marilyn Horne Museum Store is a pleasant surprise! The store offers unique items not just associated with Marilyn Horne, but games, books, soaps, imported gifts, ornaments, and more! Like any good museum store there is a wide array of artistic, historical, and explorative items on offer that serve to educate and entertain. Specifically the line of Bradford PA gold filagree ornaments are stunning, and the fun artistic-print umbrellas are both beautiful and affordable. Really suitable for all ages, you can find kids books, novels, puzzles, greeting cards, bookmarks etc. Of course there’s lovely Marilyn Horne exclusives as well, including mugs, tee shirts, magnets, and more!Great place to find interesting gifts, or things you didn’t know you needed!
Lied online and said they were open. I drove 2 1/2 hours to visit. Then was turned away by a very nasty mouthed man. Never go to this town. People are horrible there.
I had no idea who Marilyn Horne was, but in a hunt for some local museums after visiting the Zippo/Case museum, this place popped up on our radar! (We actually picked up a tourism pamphlet from the Zippo museum - have you ever actually visited any of the places you pick up pamphlets for?) For you out-of-towners like me, Marilyn Horne was a famous opera singer who grew up in Bradford. Though her family moved to California when she was younger, and she eventually traveled to Germany to pursue her singing, it's clear she's left an influential mark on Bradford, and certainly deserves to be recognized for it! Inside of the museum, you'll find tons of information about Marilyn's life through videos, audio clips, and gorgeous imagery! There are a ton of replica costumes of hers on display here. My favorite facts about her that I learned here: - She won 4 grammy awards! - During her carreer, she waited to debut at the Metropolitan Opera because she "wanted to be the headliner" #RoleModel - She was a part of an interracial marriage, and had a daughter! Honestly I left here feeling that Marilyn Horne was way ahead of her time - a successful woman with a fantastic career, not being overshadowed in her line of work. The museum is free to visit. There is a small cafe on the first floor of the building, that doubles as a gift shop for the museum. The cafe is basically a pop-up Starbucks, so they have all the drinks you can get at any other bux! I honestly loved coming here, learning all about who Marilyn Horne was - and would absolutely recommend this spot as something to check out that might be a hidden gem!
Restaurantji Recommends
Only place in downtown Bradford to get Starbucks blended coffees combined with a museum shop!
Marilyn was born in Bradford and has commited heirlooms from her career to the facility Not to be missed if in the Bradford PA area
The Marilyn Horne Museum and Gift Shop are some of the best attractions in Bradford! The service is fantastic, the museums is extremely nice and interactive, and cafe/gift shop prices are very reasonable. Definitely worth stopping by if you're in town or in surrounding areas.
So incredibly impressed and excited to see such a wonderful museum in Bradford