The Venango Museum will reopen for the 2026 season on April 7. The museum will welcome visitors back for another year of local history, new exhibits, and special events in downtown Oil City.

This season, the museum is introducing a brand-new exhibit, Before the Boom, which explores what the Upper Allegheny region was like before the oil industry transformed it. The exhibit highlights Indigenous communities, early travel routes such as the Venango Path, and how people encountered natural petroleum long before the first commercial well.

The museum will also debut a newly redesigned and expanded version of its Oil Boom Spectacular! exhibit, which looks at the entertainment, spectacle, and everyday amusements that sprang up during the oil boom, from traveling shows and theaters to the lively culture of boomtown life.

The museum will also continue its Silent Film Series, featuring classic silent films accompanied live on the restored 1928 Wurlitzer theater organ. These events begin in May and bring talented organists and musicians from around the country to Oil City for a unique moviegoing experience.

The Venango Museum is open April through December. For hours, upcoming events, and tickets, visit venangomuseum.org.

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s April 2026 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.