Neshaminy Mall is dead. Long live its historical dioramas

Neshaminy Mall will close forever on Halloween. What will happen to the animatronic historical dioramas that entertained generations of children while their mothers shopped at Strawbridge's?

The dioramas are about 5 feet high, 6 feet across and weigh about 300 pounds each. Originally there were seven, depicting seven historic moments in the Philadelphia area, such as William Penn signing a treaty with the Lenni Lenape, the Battle of Germantown and Gen. George Washington crossing the Delaware River.

The papier-mâché figures are animated with hidden motors and gears, but they have not worked in decades.

The Bensalem historical society is working with Bensalem Township to pull out all seven dioramas, restore them to working condition and find new homes for them.

The first to be removed from the mall was a scene of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Franklin’s pen sweeps across the page as members of the Continental Congress watch while shifting in their seats. The restored and operational diorama has been in the lobby of Bensalem’s municipal building for almost two years.

A second restored diorama has just been installed at the Mercer Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, showing Washington preparing to cross the Delaware River on Christmas Eve, 1776.