The Porch Chamber

The most recently reinstalled room at the William Paca House is the Porch Chamber, a second-story space overlooking the 2-acre terraced pleasure garden. Here visitors glimpse how the Paca family would have spent its leisure time. An English zograscope or perspective glass is the centerpiece of the room. This rare optical device was used to transform two-dimensional engravings into three-dimensional views, creating a remarkable effect to eighteenth-century eyes. In addition, visitors will discover other eighteenth-century objects, including a French gilt chatelaine and etui, a genteel woman’s “tool kit” of necessities.