Donora Smog Museum, Environmental history museum in Donora, Pennsylvania, US
The Donora Smog Museum displays photographs, documents, and artifacts from the 1948 air pollution event in this industrial town. The collection includes personal accounts from residents, medical records, and images of the factories that operated at that time.
The 1948 event occurred when a temperature inversion trapped toxic gases from the metal mills over the town for several days. This disaster was later recognized as a turning point for environmental protection laws in the United States.
The museum documents the importance of metal manufacturing in Donora and shows how the factories shaped daily life and community bonds. Exhibits tell the stories of workers and their families who lived and worked in this industrial town.
The museum is located in a small building on McKean Avenue and is easy to reach by car. Visitors should check opening hours beforehand, as these may be limited and the museum can be reserved for groups.
The museum works with California University of Pennsylvania to digitalize thousands of documents and make them available to researchers worldwide. These efforts have helped the Donora story become repeatedly referenced in academic studies about environmental disasters.
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