Visits to Steamtown National Historic Site decreased after an admission fee was implemented in 2005/NPS

While National Park Service sites across the country plan to implement fee increases at the beginning of the year, Steamtown National Historic Site in Pennsylvania is taking a different approach by eliminating its entrance fee.

Although the $7 admission for all visitors was dropped October 1, there will still be a charge for train services and special events.

“This was really an easy decision to make. The goal in dropping our park entrance fee is to encourage more people to come and visit this great historic site,” Steamtown Superintendent Debbie Conway said. “We will continue to charge fees for train services and for special events and programs in order to recover our operating costs. If folks just want to come and enjoy an afternoon picnic at the park and stroll through the museums, they can free of charge.”

Since the park began charging entrance to all visitors 16 and older in 2005, recreational visits have averaged 86,000 annually. In the 10 years prior, 156,000 people visited per year.

After analyzing the costs associated with collecting and managing park entrance fee revenue, NPS fee coordinators and park management determined that Steamtown could increase visitation and reduce costs by not collecting admission to the site on a daily basis.

The park will continue to offer seasonal train rides for a fee. The fee for short train rides remains $5. Excursions outside the park boundaries will also continue to have a fee. Park management and staff are in the process of developing special programs in conjunction with area museums. Those new programs may charge a fee, depending on what the presentation entails.

“For example, the park will charge a fee for its annual Railfest event, but what the fee is and what it includes is yet to be determined,” Superintendent Conway said.

This spring, Sitka National Historical Park in Alaska eliminated all visitor fees.