Plan Your Visit
Experience our Working Museum
More than just a factory, Bucyrus Copper Kettle Works is a remarkable blend of workshop and time capsule—where 19th-century techniques endure. Apart from the addition of electricity and a few belt-driven machines installed before the 1920s, the shop remains much as it was more than 150 years ago.
Visit the shop's working factory and learn about the intricate processes involved in making handcrafted copper kettles.
• Watch skilled craftsmen at work: See the rich tradition of coppersmiths planishing copper and blacksmiths shaping handles on the forge.
• See tools in their original setting: Explore the shop's collection of old tools and original patterns
• Hands-On Experience: Participate in a unique experience at the shop by hammering your own souvenir coin.
See below for details on scheduling and planning your visit!
Schedule Your Tour
Tours are available by reservation only, as we are a working museum. Please contact us at least 24 hours in advance to schedule your visit
Contact us to Book Your Tour
(567) 490-4240
tours@bckwmuseum.org
Location
119 S Walnut St
Bucyrus, OH 44820
Parking
Car parking is available in the city lot west of the shop. Large buses can park in the nearby & adjacent lots.
Continuing the Legacy of High Quality Heirloom Craftsmanship
For 141 years, D. Picking & Co. remained in the Picking family. In 2015, it was purchased by veteran coppersmith Steve Schifer and renamed Bucyrus Copper Kettle Works. In 2020, Schifer sold the business to James Patrick, who now operates the heritage manufacturing shop on South Walnut Street. He also produces larger-scale and custom work at a more modern facility on River Street.
In 2024, the historic building, tools, and historic artifacts were sold to the Bucyrus Copper Kettle Works Museum, Inc. a non-profit organization (a 501c3).
Our Mission
The Bucyrus Copper Kettle Works Museum Inc. will preserve the legacy of D.Picking and Co. and the current Bucyrus Copper Kettle Works. The museum aims to share the rich history of the company and artifacts, while demonstrating the process of hand-hammering an assortment of copper products in its original setting.
Our mission is to educate the public about the historical significance, artistry, and innovation of copper kettle manufacturing, from its origins in 1874 to its enduring impact on our local and industrial heritage. Through exhibits, demonstrations, and community engagement, we aim to honor the early traditions of D. Picking and Co. and to inspire appreciation for artisanal skills.
Help support our mission
The BCKW Museum, Inc. is dedicated to maintaining and preserving the building that is more than 150 years old and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to seeking support through a variety of grants, we appreciate the generous businesses and individuals willing to donate and help preserve and maintain both the building and the artifacts contained within.
For donating, you can also include the mailing address to mail a check:
Bucyrus Copper Kettle Works Museum Inc.
119 South Walnut Street
PO Box 268
Bucyrus, Ohio 44820
A Working Museum
Witness some of the original tools being used, including belt-driven machines, motorized hammers, specialized hand-hammers, and hollowed out trees for shaping the kettles.
Some of the original patterns are still cut out by hand and in use.
While on your tour, you will explore and view the following: The Office, Packing Room, Multi-purpose Room, Polishing Room, The Forge and Belt-Driven Machines, The Acid Bath, and The Workroom where you can see the strengthening of the kettle tops with the flange machines.
An Interactive Experience
While you’re here, hammer your own souvenir coin.
Memorabilia
In addition to witnessing skilled craftsmen at work, visitors can also view memorabilia such as the 4,000-pound safe around which the entire office was built. There are also historic photos, the Picking family’s antiques, collectables, and heirlooms, as well as and Mr. Robert Picking’s cherished collection of elephant miniatures and photos that continue to delight young and old visitors alike.
Museum Store
In addition to small, decorative kettles, the museum also sells candy dishes, copper roses, shovels, spoons, skimmers, ladles, coal hods, vases, wastebaskets and ornaments.
