Museum book features the quirky

Countless travel guides tout popular sights and attractions. Therese Boyd's "The Best Places You've Never SeenPennsylvania's Small Museums: A Traveler's Guide" does exactly the opposite.

Boyd features some educational, some entertaining and some quirky collections in the state.

"I wrote this book so you could not only read it as a travel guide, but so you can still read and enjoy it while sitting in your living room."

With a tone that is light and respectful, Boyd touches on places Such as the Richard Allen Museum in Philadelphia. which honors one of America's first civil rights leaders, and Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum, in Orrtanna, Adams County, which contains more than 5,000 elephant-related pieces.

The book features 42 museums, including the Bob Hoffman Weightlifting Museum and Hall of Fame in York County and Kready's Country Store Museum in Lititz, Lancaster County.

The locations are as varied as the themes. The book arranges museums by region, and its scope stretches from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. The collections are housed in barns, such as Bill's Old Bike Barn in Bloomsburg, the second floor of a library, such as The New Holland Band Museum in New Holland, and a brewery, such as the D.G. Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville.

All 42 museums have one thing in common.

"Every one has a person or group of people behind the museum that feels very passionate about it; each has a heart to it," Boyd said.

Setting the criteria for the museums was difficult, she said. Boyd decided the museums had to have a collection in a fairly organized space and had to be open to the public. They did not have to be intellectual or pristine.

The next challenge was finding museums to visit. Four years ago she started with the Internet. Then she gathered and read brochures. Finally, she listened to word-of-mouth.

Her family and friends were a big help. Boyd said she tried to include them in her visiting and writing as much as possible.

I took them along to be a second set of eyes," she said.

The book includes accounts and sights from the road, such as the world's largest pothole. Boyd considered these to be essential parts to her travels. "I try to give the reader a real feel for the whole experience," she said.

Readers are responding well to the book, Boyd said.

Sales figures have been better than expected, said Tony Sanfilippo, marketing and sales manager at Penn State University Press, a nonprofit publishing company in State College that published the book. The press has already printed 2,500 copies of the book since April. It is sold nationally, for $18.95 per book.

Boyd is promoting her book and has had several signings, some of which have been held in the museums she wrote about. She was in Columbia, Lancaster County, at the First National Bank Museum, which is preserved in its original setting, and in bookstores in York and Harrisburg. Boyd is scheduled through September to tour the state and make appearances.

Nancy Tinkham, manager at B. Dalton in Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg, said the response to Boyd's June 20 appearance at the store was great. The store lined up another signing with Boyd for Dec.5.

Boyd has started working on volume two of her guide. She said she plans to include suggestions she has received from readers.

The second book will be slightly different from the first one, but she hasn't decided to what degree.

She plans to include other things to do around the museums, so visitors can make a whole day out of their travels.

WHAT'S OUT THERE

"The Best Places You've Never Seen - Pennsylvania's Small Museums: A Traveler's Guide" features five museums in Central Pennsylvania.

* The Bob Hoffman Weightlifting Museum and Hall of Fame is in York County and is owned by York Barbell Co. The museum is adjacent to the factory.

* The First National Bank Museum is in Columbia, Lancaster County, in its original building.

* Kready's Country Store Museum is in Lititz, Lancaster County. It has artifacts from the store's three original owners.

* Le Petit Museum of Musical Boxes is in Yarietta, Lancaster County, and features a wide range of antique music boxes.

* The New Holland Band Museum is in New Holland, Lancaster County. The museum has hundreds of musical instruments from 1620 to present day. It also features memorabilia from community bands throughout Eastern Pennsylvania, including the New Holland Band.