The BCHS was founded in 1880 by General William Watts Hart Davis with several friends, including the twenty-three year old Henry Chapman Mercer . In 1903 a site was purchased for the Historical Society in Doylestown, Pennsylvania and in 1904 the Elkins Building was erected. The organization remains housed in the Elkins Building which is now a part of The Mercer Museum. Activities such as family hands-on craft workshops, special exhibits, craft demonstrations, evening craft classes, children's summer craft camp, lectures and seminars and other special events are offered to a diverse audience to educate and entertain. The Bucks County Historical Society is supported by 40 full and part-time staff members, and over 300 volunteers.
Membership is open to individuals, families, organizations, and businesses.