Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum

Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum is a natural paradise located on a beautiful stretch of the Delaware River in Bensalem, PA.

Andalusia is a great place to spend a day exploring history and nature. Andalusia is a National Historic Landmark on the banks of the Delaware River, just 13 miles north of Philadelphia, featuring spectacular gardens and native woodlands. Plan your visit at www.andalusiapa.org.

06/08/2026

We're excited to be featured in Visit Bucks County's beautiful new ad campaign! Check it out:

Owen Biddle (1737-1799) was a clockmaker, scientist, and merchant before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War; an intel...
06/06/2026

Owen Biddle (1737-1799) was a clockmaker, scientist, and merchant before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War; an intellectual drawn to the study of astronomy and technology, he was an active member of the Junto and the American Philosophical Society. During the war, Owen served as a Committee of Safety member and contributed to many initiatives to defend Philadelphia from the British. One of these initiatives was the development of new defensive technology called the "chevaux de frise," which were massive timber boxes with protruding iron-tipped spikes that hid just below the surface of the water, threatening to pierce enemy ship's hulls. The chevaux de frise project was a perfect fit for Owen’s interest in innovation and science, and he participated in many phases of designing and installing the chevaux in the Delaware River between 1775 and 1777. Owen also worked closely with his brother Clement, Commissary General of Forage, as a Forage Agent and Assistant Commissary, to help locate food for the army's horses and wagons to transport the army's supplies.

Despite his enthusiastic response to the Revolutionary movement, Owen ultimately renounced his wartime actions at a Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia in 1783: “And it is with sincere concern that I have to lament… [becoming] instrumental in some measure to a series of public Calamities and private Distress, the unavoidable Consequences of War….” At the end of his life, Owen became an advocate for education and helped to found the Westtown School, a Quaker school located in West Chester.

06/04/2026

Come explore the vast grounds of Andalusia this month. June is a magical time to visit ✨

This Sunday, June 7, visit Glen Foerd for a conversation with four artists of 'Radical Americana.⁠' Sophie Glenn and Jo...
06/02/2026

This Sunday, June 7, visit Glen Foerd for a conversation with four artists of 'Radical Americana.⁠' Sophie Glenn and Jody Graff have work on view at Andalusia through November, while Caitlin McCormack and Jessica Eldredge are showing at Glen Foerd in exhibitions that open this weekend.

At this free event, all four artists will be joined by Andalusia Executive Director John Vick and Glen Foerd Arts & Culture Program Officer Isabel Brown for a panel conversation about their process, inspiration, and research into historic collections.
⁠
Radical Americana is a series of exhibitions organized by The Clay Studio and a consortium of arts and cultural institutions in the Philadelphia area. Each celebrates how artists today are continuing the city’s robust legacy as a center for art, skill, and civic engagement.

Register for free here: https://glenfoerd.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/component/events/event/293

As we continue to spotlight the different Biddle family members featured in our 'Revolutionary Family' exhibition, this ...
05/29/2026

As we continue to spotlight the different Biddle family members featured in our 'Revolutionary Family' exhibition, this week we take a look at James Biddle (1731-1797), who was the oldest of his nine siblings.

James and his brother Edward pursued law and supported their mother Mary Scull Biddle in the wake of their father William III’s financial ruin and subsequent death in 1756. James was also a financial supporter of his younger brother Nicholas as Nicholas pursued a career in the Navy; many of Nicholas’s letters in the letterbook are to James, as he sought to keep in touch with not only a beloved brother but also a mentor.

During the Revolutionary War, James served as a Committee of Safety member and a Justice of the Peace, swearing in river boat pilots who were aware of the secret locations of the chevaux de frise in the Delaware River in order to guide friendly ships to Philadelphia's harbor safely. In 1775 and 1776, James took part in a variety of crucial projects for the Committee of Safety, serving as a member of the "Fire Raft" sub-committee and spearheading the initiative to complete the fortifications at Fort Mifflin and Fort Billingsport. After the war, he was appointed a judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Philadelphia.

Photo: Portrait of James Biddle, by Albert Rosenthal after St. Memin (Courtesy of William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan Library Digital Collections)

05/29/2026

Now’s the time to visit Andalusia 🌹

Walk among the roses this Saturday at Andalusia 🌹 Join us from 10am to 5pm for a full day of programming, including tour...
05/28/2026

Walk among the roses this Saturday at Andalusia 🌹 Join us from 10am to 5pm for a full day of programming, including tours of our stunning Rose Garden, free with admission of any kind.

Click through these photos for all of the events taking place throughout the day. Get tickets here: https://events.ticketleap.com/events/andalusiapa

Our Historic Walled Garden is bursting with vibrant blooms: roses, foxgloves, and more. 🌹
05/27/2026

Our Historic Walled Garden is bursting with vibrant blooms: roses, foxgloves, and more. 🌹

Cheers to a bubbly tour of Andalusia 🥂 Join Horticulturist Kristin Biddle on a Champagne Garden Tour next Saturday, May ...
05/24/2026

Cheers to a bubbly tour of Andalusia 🥂 Join Horticulturist Kristin Biddle on a Champagne Garden Tour next Saturday, May 30 at 4:30pm. Begin on the grand porch of the Big House, overlooking the Delaware River, where you’ll enjoy a glass of champagne and light refreshments. You’ll then embark on a guided tour of our formal gardens, returning you to the Big House for a chance to relax or stroll along the River Walk. Limited tickets are available! 🍾

Get tickets: https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/andalusiapa/champagne-garden-tour

In honor of Memorial Day, this week we are featuring Captain Nicholas Biddle, who was a Captain in the first Continental...
05/22/2026

In honor of Memorial Day, this week we are featuring Captain Nicholas Biddle, who was a Captain in the first Continental Navy fleet in 1776. Nicholas had a dream of entering the Royal Navy, and did so in 1771. That experience provided the crucial training that would establish him as a frontrunner for leadership positions within the new Continental Navy, and the only captain of that fleet to hail from Philadelphia. Unfortunately, Nicholas’s career was short-lived; in March 1778, his ship, the Randolph, exploded in an engagement with the 64-gun HMS Yarmouth. Nicholas is recognized as one of America’s first naval heroes, as his courageous conduct during that fateful engagement was preserved by the Randolph's three survivors, who provided accounts of Nicholas’s courageous last moments.

Nicholas's story could not have been so well told without our partnership with the American Philosophical Society. With their help, we digitized and transcribed the unique Nicholas Biddle Letterbook, held in Andalusia's archives, making its contents available online through The Revolutionary City portal. This book of manuscripts spans Nicholas’s career from 1771 to 1778 and includes letters with siblings and colleagues, crew lists, a prize agreement, and his last will and testament. It paints a compelling picture of Nicholas’s witty personality, his rapport with family members, and the responsibilities and challenges he faced as the captain of a large crew.

View these documents and more at therevolutionarycity.org, of the American Philosophical Society.

[Slide 1]: Portrait of Captain Nicholas Biddle by Albert Rosenthal.
[Slide 2]: A Glorious Defeat, Early 20th century, Artist unknown, after George Gibbs (1870–1942), Lithograph.
[Slide 3]: Title page of The Letters of Captain Nicholas Biddle.

Address

1237 State Road
Bensalem, PA
19020

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 3pm
Tuesday 10am - 3pm
Friday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

(215) 245-5479

Website

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