Nestled within the lush expanse of The Arboretum at Penn State, the new Palmer Museum of Art blends art, architecture, and nature and is a must-see for visitors to Happy Valley. This state-of-the-art facility, designed by Allied Works and complemented by the landscape architecture of Reed Hilderbrand, invites visitors on a journey that seamlessly blends the indoor and outdoor space into one unique experience.

Here in Happy Valley, we have a rich arts community with creations waiting to be discovered. Local opportunities abound in Centre County to view both historic pieces and modern creations while receiving inspiration for your very own works of art. Whether you enjoy walking beside a building mural, taking a garden stroll with marble statues, or gallery hopping with local art at your fingertips (without making fingerprints, right?), something is inspiring about spending a weekend taking in the arts.

By day, James Tierney is an educational consultant, math tutor, and communication coach. By night, he’s a member of the Happy Valley comedy and experiential event scenes. It’s safe to say that he spends most of his waking hours practicing improvisational techniques.

Art enthusiasts often marvel at everything from brushstrokes on a wall mural to thread patterns in an intricate quilt, and rarely does it stop there. The desire to create is universal, whether with words, brushes, hands, or lens. Thankfully, Happy Valley has several outlets for you to do just that.

This summer, there are plenty of opportunities to drop in and get to know the new Palmer Museum of Art. Explore the new building with a Palmer guide and enjoy an introduction to the newly reinstalled permanent collection, along with a brief introduction to two special exhibitions.

Maker spaces and make-and-take venues throughout Happy Valley offer a great opportunity for travelers to express their creative side while visiting the region. The Rivet, a 5,000-square-foot community workshop just outside of downtown State College lets visitors explore a wide variety of mediums and “Make Anything.”

Visitors to Happy Valley should get excited about all the small-venue live music available, in addition to the big shows at the Bryce Jordan Center or in Beaver Stadium. Travelers might be surprised to know that the live music scene here is bigger than meets the eye, with great local and visiting acts at venues in many #HappyValleyPA communities.

When Eagle Iron Works stopped producing pig iron in 1921, it had been the longest-operating cold-blast charcoal ironworks in Pennsylvania. During its 112-year run, which included one year of work after smelting ceased, the works smelted and forged iron throughout a period of massive change in Centre County and the United States, surviving long after the iron and steel industries had evolved.

The Centre County Historical Society is pleased to partner with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and William Marcum, local historian and research authority on the Poe Valley CCC Camp, to invite the public to attend a day-long program about the Civilian Conservation Corps this Sunday, July 28 from 10 am to 4 pm.