The Zippo/Case Museum, the most visited museum in Northern Pennsylvania, will celebrate its 20th anniversary from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 15 with a family-friendly celebration on the museum grounds.
“For twenty years, the Zippo/Case Museum has been a destination for many visitors to our region, as we have built an interactive and state of the art facility that reflects the heritage of both great American brands,” said Mark Paup, President and CEO of Zippo Manufacturing Company and W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company. “We are excited to recognize the growth of Zippo Manufacturing Company and W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company, while we celebrate their successes and most importantly the 85th anniversary of Zippo Manufacturing Company.”
The Zippo/Case Museum 20th Anniversary Celebration will feature activities and excitement for both collectors and community members. Throughout the day, attendees can take a tour of the museum led by Zippo Historian Shirley Evers and Case Historian Katie Shonts-Saar. After the tour, they can have their Case knives polished and sharpened, get a sneak peek at future product releases, and participate in games, contests, and giveaways. The famous Zippo Car will be on display during the event. Case representatives will be hosting knife safety classes. Admission is free.
For collectors, special 20th Anniversary commemoratives and souvenirs will be available for purchase at the Zippo/Case Museum store, including a limited edition 20th Anniversary Armor™ Zippo lighter, and a limited edition 20th Anniversary Case knife and Zippo lighter set. A commemorative Zippo lighter and Case knife are also available now at the museum store and on Zippo.com.
“We are very excited to be featuring these commemoratives in-store at the museum during the celebration alongside new Zippo and Case products – including Zippo eyewear, fire starters and other exclusive museum collectibles,” said Kyle Kleiderlein, Zippo/Case Museum manager.
During the event, the Kids and Cancer Benefit Run organization will host a silent auction featuring rare and historical Zippo and Case products. For more information about the organization, visit KidsAndCancerBenefitRun.com.
Food vendors will be onsite with offerings such as pulled pork sandwiches, Italian sausage, nachos, hot dogs, hamburgers, local creamery ice cream, and more.
The first museum, the Zippo Family Store and Museum, opened in late 1993. Aptly named, as it featured products for sale from the Zippo family of companies at the time: Zippo, W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company and Holgate Toys.
The original museum was quite small and quickly proved inadequate to satisfy the passion of collectors and curiosity of tourists who made the trip to Bradford. In 1995, plans for a brand new and greatly expanded store and museum were initiated. The grand opening of the Zippo/Case Visitors Center took place on July 18, 1997, coinciding with the company’s 65th anniversary celebration. It was the centerpiece of the 1997 Zippo/Case International Swap Meet. More than 8,000 people from around the globe attended the three-day event, inaugurating a flow of international visitors that continues today.
The Zippo/Case Museum now hosts more than 100,000 visitors annually. Collectors and tourists travel from all around the United States and many other countries including Japan, Korea, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, and Brazil to revel in their love of these two iconic American brands.