The site of a religious community founded in 1732 in Ephrata, now a National Historic Landmark run by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Guided tours start with a 15-minute video, then go into the Sisters' House and the Meetinghouse, whose entrances are low and narrow with many small rooms. A tour lasts about 1 hour and 15 minutes, with seating along the way.
Know before you go. Ephrata Cloister doesn't list sensory hours or a quiet room. Here's what it does say about the tour, the buildings and planning ahead.
Hours
Wednesday to Saturday, 9 am to 4 pm; Sunday, 12 pm to 4 pm; closed Monday and Tuesday. Guided tours Wednesday to Saturday at 10 am, 11:30 am, 1 pm and 2:15 pm, and Sunday at 1 pm and 2:15 pm; tour times may vary with site events or staffing, so the Cloister recommends calling ahead for the times on your day. For a self-guided visit, arrive by 3 pm. Closed Thanksgiving and the day after (Thu Nov 26 and Fri Nov 27 2026), Christmas, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Easter and Columbus Day. Hours may change with special events.
632 West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522 (the entrance is on the left side of Main Street, Route 322 West)
“Entrances to the original buildings at Historic Ephrata Cloister are often low and narrow with many small interior spaces.” Accessibility List (ephratacloister.org)
“Guided Tours last about 1 hour and 15 minutes and offers a look at the ideas, lifestyle, and achievements of this unique early American community.”
“The distance traveled during the tour can cover up to 355 yards with breaks in movement along the way. Seating is provided along the tour path and throughout the historic site.” ephratacloister.org (Accessibility)
To talk through what your kid needs, call 717-733-6600 (or the Pennsylvania TDD relay service at 800-654-5984). The home page asks visitors who need special assistance to contact the Cloister at least 2 weeks before the visit, and the Plan a Visit page says a week's notice, if possible, helps it prepare; plan on 2 weeks to be safe.
There's no admission charge to see the Visitor Center exhibit or the Museum Store, so a short first visit to the Visitor Center is possible without a ticket.
A cell phone tour plays short recorded messages at stops around the grounds, and printed visitor guides come in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Russian.
Guided tours start with a 15-minute closed-captioned video and last about 1 hour and 15 minutes, covering up to 355 yards with breaks along the way. Seating is provided along the tour path and throughout the site.
Entrances to the old buildings are often low and narrow, with many small interior spaces; the Sisters' House doorway is 26 inches wide, and strollers aren't allowed inside it.
The Visitor Center has photographs of each room in the historic buildings, and only guided tours go inside the Sisters' House and the Meetinghouse.
Admission (guided or self-guided, same price): adults 12 to 64 $10, seniors 65 and up and AAA or other motor club members $9, youth 3 to 11 $6, under 3 free. Active-duty, National Guard and Reserve military personnel and their families get in free. Ephrata Cloister Associates and Pennsylvania Heritage Society members get in free for daily admission. The Cloister takes cash, personal checks, traveler's checks, Mastercard, Visa and Discover. Special events may have different prices. Groups of 10 or more call ahead. Through Museums for All, qualifying residents with an EBT card and ID pay $2 each; Ephrata Cloister is on the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission's list of participating sites.
Photos: personal photos are allowed on the grounds; no flash or extra lighting inside any building, no video or audio recording on the guided tour, and no tripods in the buildings.
Pets: pets (except service animals) aren't allowed inside the historic buildings and must stay on a leash. Service animals may go into the buildings. Emotional support and therapy animals may visit the site but may not be able to enter the buildings.
Getting around: picnic tables and ample free parking are on site. A paved path of small pebbles set in concrete connects the buildings, with some steps along the way. A wheelchair is free to borrow; many original doorways are narrow, and a step or two leads into some buildings. The accessible restrooms are in the Visitor Center.
Christmas at the Cloister, Monday Dec 7 and Tuesday Dec 8 2026: a Lessons and Carols evening in the 1741 Meetinghouse with the Ephrata Cloister Chorus and carols for everyone to sing, two performances each night at 6 pm and 7:30 pm, then cookies in the Visitor Center auditorium. Tickets are $10, free for ages 5 and under; advance tickets are required (none at the door), and seating is limited, first come, first served.
Lantern Tours, Dec 26 to 29 2026, 6 to 8 pm: a theatrical tour by lantern light where guides bring historical figures to life, inside and outside, about 30 to 40 minutes, up to 20 people per tour, tours every 30 minutes. Some paths may be dimly lit, and you can bring a small flashlight. Adults $15, seniors 65 and up $12, youth 3 to 17 $10, 2 and under free; tickets go on sale Dec 1 2026 and aren't refundable unless the site cancels. Tours take place inside and outside, so dress for the weather. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes early.
Call
717-733-6600Visitor Center: tour times, groups, and accommodations to discuss ahead of your visit800-654-5984Pennsylvania TDD relay service, to discuss needs ahead of your visit
Email
Ephrata1732@gmail.comEphrata Cloister: arrangements for blind, low-vision or Deaf visitors, and Lantern Tours member codes
