LancasterHistory and the Stevens & Smith Center to host First Friday Pay-What-You-Can Open House featuring local artist Keisha Finnie 

Community invited to Pay-What-They-Can and explore the museum, and meet Lancaster-based artist  

LANCASTER, PA – On Friday, June 5, join the Stevens & Smith Center for its June First Friday Pay-What-You-Can Open House! The Center invites the community to explore its 16 galleries, where visitors will learn about the struggle for freedom and quality in America. This month, visitors will meet local artist and featured muralist, Keisha Finnie. Her work is on display in the Center's Second Founding Gallery, which explores the struggle for equality and the fight for civil rights in America from the 19th century to the present day. Join us for an up-close look at the mural as Keisha discusses her artistic process and journey. She will also be selling merchandise, which includes t-shirts, stickers, pottery, switch plates, and hats.

"At LancasterHistory, a foundational belief we hold is that local history should be accessible to everyone," says Erin Sell, Director of Development. "To practice this, we're opening the Stevens & Smith Center on First Fridays as a pay-what-you-can experience, inviting our community to explore the stories, people, and ideas that have shaped Lancaster and our broader nation. This month, visitors can meet and experience the work of Keisha Finnie, the talented mural artist featured in our Second Founding Gallery. We are thrilled to have her join us!" 

Keisha Finnie is a prominent Lancaster-based artist and advocate who uses her vibrant art to explore her artistic and personal evolution as a woman of color, emphasizing personal experiences and observations. Her work has been featured in local magazines: Blk Voices, Susquehanna Style, and Fine Living. Her work can be viewed on many different scales, from canvas, musical instruments, restaurants, hospitals, to large-scale murals around Lancaster. 

 Information & Registration  

June First Friday at the Stevens & Smith Center is Pay-What-You-Can and is open to the public; no registration or reservation is required. Donations are also welcome. The event takes place from 5pm-7pm at the Stevens & Smith Center, 13-15 East Vine Street.

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About LancasterHistory

LancasterHistory is a community-based, not-for-profit organization established to educate the public on the history of Lancaster County and its place in the history of Pennsylvania and the United States, to advance the missions of regional historical organizations, and to promote the acquisition, preservation, and interpretation of resources representing the history of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania within the broader context of state and national history, including the homes of 15th US President James Buchanan and Congressman Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith.

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