Penguin Court and Thomas Road Farm comprise a stunning preserve of 1,089 acres of forests, meadows and open space; a spring-fed reservoir and pond; a 7,000 square-foot conservatory and a 3,700 square-foot greenhouse in Westmoreland County, PA. The property is owned by the Brandywine Conservancy, which is actively engaged in preserving the land and utilizing its resources for community benefit. Staff care for the grounds; grow native plants for wildlife habitat, biodiversity, restoration and education projects; and offer programming to support education, best management practices and the protection of the surrounding ecosystem.

In 2015, Richard M. Scaife bequeathed his family’s estate Penguin Court—named for the ten penguins that once roamed the property—and the Thomas Road Farm to the Brandywine Conservancy. Penguin Court is maintained as a private preserve. As such, it is only open to the public during scheduled programs for which advance registration is required. Offered seasonally, these programs can be found on the Brandywine Conservancy’s events calendar. Click here to see what's coming up next.

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Interested in supporting programs at Penguin Court? Click here to donate to Penguin Court's Education Fund.

Upcoming Penguin Court Native Plant Sales:

Penguin Court anticipates opening its annual online native plant sale in March 2027. Please watch Brandywine Conservancy's Event page or sign up to receive Penguin Court emails via the link above to receive notification of this sale.

Image 250 New Monarch Waystations in America’s Laurel Highlands To honor the nation’s 250th anniversary, Penguin Court and the Westmoreland Pollinator Partners sought to certify 250 new properties in the four counties (Camrbia, Fayette, Somerset, and Westmoreland) that comprise the Laurel Highlands as Monarch Waystations, habitats that support the iconic monarch butterfly – and other pollinators and wildlife – throughout all of its life stages. After accomplishing a similar goal in 2023 to celebrate Westmoreland County’s 250th anniversary, the groups knew this would be a well-received project, and, in 4.5 months, the 2026 goal was achieved. We thank everyone who participated and supported this project. It makes a difference! This project was financed in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program Environmental Stewardship Fund under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation administered through the Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s Laurel Highlands Mini-grant Program and in part by FirstEnergy and its Pennsylvania Green Team. Click here to learn more. Waystation Application.pdf

Become a Volunteer

Volunteer assistance is welcomed to pot up seedlings for our spring native plant sales, care for gardens on the grounds, maintain the orchard or conduct educational programs. Contact us for more information.

Education and Research

Grounds may be used for student or professional research purposes. Contact us for more information.