LANCASTER, PA — LancasterHistory is pleased to announce its upcoming Sneak Peek Soirée on Saturday, February 15 at the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy. The 6-9pm ticketed fundraising event is a one-of-a-kind gathering, and will be the only event of this scale and size hosted in the unique 25,000 square-foot museum space before exhibitions are installed beginning in late 2025. The Sneak Peek Soirée is a 'reimagining' of the organization's annual Valentine's Day Gala fundraising event, previously held at other locations throughout Lancaster, including Riverdale Manor, Franklin & Marshall College, and the Hamilton Club. The Stevens & Smith Center is set to open to the public in early 2026.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hold a spectacular party in the Stevens & Smith Center after construction but before historic artifacts and displays are installed," said Annie Weeks, Development and Events Manager for LancasterHistory. "The Center will never look like this again and the celebration is a great opportunity to see the Center at this stage in development while supporting history education and programs in our community."

The Sneak Peek Soirée will feature food stations and bars by Cracked Pepper Catering, desserts by Barberet, and live jazz music by 3 WEST. Attendees can explore the newly constructed spaces, recently completed by presenting sponsor Benchmark Construction, and learn more about the next steps in the museum's creation, which will include the fabrication of exhibitions and the installation of historic artifacts.

"When it opens, the Stevens & Smith Center will feature world-class exhibits, immersive experiences, and hundreds of historic artifacts that will tell the remarkable stories of Thaddeus Stevens, Lydia Hamilton Smith, and their community. The next stage in the project's development is incredibly exciting as we finally begin to see these stories come to life as exhibits are installed. In the meantime, we want to share progress with attendees, and we hope they will walk away feeling inspired and excited by what's to come," said LancasterHistory President & CEO Robin Sarratt. "So many people have supported this important initiative already; the Sneak Peak Soirée is a fun opportunity for folks to see first-hand what that support is making happen here in the community.”

LancasterHistory's Sneak Peek Soirée will take place on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy, located at the corner of South Queen and Vine Streets in downtown Lancaster City. (Entrance off of Vine Street.) Tickets are required and start at $200 per person with each additional level giving further support to LancasterHistory. Those interested in attending have until February 7 to RSVP. For more information and to purchase tickets online, please visit lancasterhistory.org/soiree.