Tuesday, December 10, 2024
7:30–9:15 pm (Doors open at 7:00 pm)
Free for Basic, Gold, and Patron Museum members
The Glencairn Christmas Sing is sold out, and our waitlist has reached capacity. If you are already on the waitlist, please know that we will reach out to you directly if a spot becomes available.
For more than eight decades, the Glencairn Christmas Sing Concert has been a cherished holiday tradition, bringing together families and friends to celebrate the season with music and joy. Whether you’re a long-time attendee or joining us for the first time, this year’s concert promises to be an unforgettable experience filled with festive spirit.
The program features performances by the “Glencairn Horns” quintet, comprised of current and former members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, alongside internationally acclaimed musicians such as violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn and pianist Jungeun Kim. Enjoy the rich, seasonal songs performed by the solo-voice ensemble Les Canards Chantants, and be uplifted by the Academy of the New Church Secondary Schools Concert Choir.
In addition to these inspiring performances, the concert will include readings from the Christmas story, opportunities for audience caroling, and spirited renditions of beloved holiday music that capture the hope and joy of the season.
Saturday, November 30, 2024
10:00 am–12:00 pm
Free for all Museum membership levels
TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT HAVE SOLD OUT.
Join us at Glencairn Museum as we launch the holiday season with the opening of the World Nativities exhibition. This exclusive event for Museum members provides a first look at the exhibition, showcasing dozens of intricately crafted, three-dimensional Nativity scenes from around the globe, all set against the stunning backdrop of Glencairn Museum’s beautifully decorated first floor.
Enjoy catered light refreshments and beverages as you hear a presentation by select artists behind this year’s Nativities. After the formal program, the talented artists will be on hand for an informal meet-and-greet, sharing insights into their creative processes and how their work reflects their spiritual, intellectual, cultural, and regional influences. As a special treat, attendees will also be among the first to preview highlights from our Christmas in the Castle tour.
Spend a day with Glencairn Museum members, staff, and friends exploring one of New York City’s finest museums, The Met Fifth Avenue.
In the morning, begin with an exclusive private tour guided by a curator from the Greek and Roman Department at The Met Fifth Avenue. The Met’s collection of Greek and Roman art includes over thirty thousand works from the Neolithic period (c. 4500 BCE) to the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity in A.D. 312, making it one of the most extensive in North America.
Enjoy lunch on your own at one of The Met’s on-site restaurants or bring your meal. Then, spend the afternoon exploring the museum at your own pace until it’s time to board the bus back to Bryn Athyn.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience The Met with Glencairn Museum!
Saturday, March 2, 2024
10:00 am–12:00 pm
Free for all Glencairn Museum membership levels
Free for all Cairnwood Estate membership levels
Free for all Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center membership levels
Registration is required by Friday, March 1
Join us for a captivating opening event for the exhibition, Easter Eggs: Symbols of Rebirth and Renewal. The exhibition is co-curated by Patrick J. Donmoyer, Director of the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University and Ed Gyllenhaal, Curator of Glencairn Museum. This exhibition takes you on a journey into the age-old traditions of European Easter Eggs and their vibrant presence in Pennsylvania today.
Donmoyer will share the behind-the-scenes story of co-curating this remarkable exhibition and shed light on the fascinating objects on exhibit. A Q&A session will follow his presentation. As a part of this exclusive experience, attendees will have the chance to engage with Museum staff over coffee, tea, and light refreshments.
After the presentation, Donmoyer will be available to members in the Upper Hall exhibition space. Museum interpreters will be on hand to share works of art depicting the Easter story as found in Glencairn’s Chapel, Medieval gallery, Great Hall, and Great Hall balcony.
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
8:00–9:30 pm (Doors open at 7:15 pm)
Free for Patron, Gold, and Basic members
An email with the link to register for “The Sing” has been sent out to all active Glencairn Museum members. If you are an active member and did not receive an email, please check your junk folder for an email from Glencairn Museum, or contact Peter Childs, Membership Coordinator, at 267.502.2970 or peter.childs@glencairnmuseum.org to have the link re-sent.
Tickets are extremely limited and only available online through the link provided to members. You will not see tickets for the Glencairn Sing available through the ticketing platform on our website.
To become a member, visit our Membership page, and you will receive the link in your confirmation email.
This year, the Glencairn Christmas Sing Concert, a holiday tradition for over 80 years, returns as an in-person event. We are thrilled to be able to host “The Sing” live for Glencairn Museum members in the Great and Upper Halls, the perfect setting for this richly festive performance.
The program includes all the traditional favorites: the “Glencairn Horns,” a quintet comprised of current and former members of the Philadelphia Orchestra; instrumentals by other world-renowned musicians; rich vocal pieces; powerful readings from the Christmas story; audience caroling; and musicians and vocalists collaborating on spirited renditions of Christmas music beloved by audiences for generations.
Saturday, November 25, 2023
10:00 am–12:00 pm
Free for all level Museum members
Registration is required by 5:00 pm Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Join other Glencairn Museum members and staff as we celebrate our first in-person, on-site event of 2023 with a World Nativities exhibition preview.
Glencairn Museum members will have exclusive access to this year’s World Nativities exhibition, which presents dozens of exquisitely crafted three-dimensional Nativity scenes collected from around the globe and displayed throughout our expansive first floor, including Glencairn’s stunning Great and Upper Halls, festively decorated for the season.
A.J. DiAntonio of Navidad Nativities in Bucks County will deliver a presentation on the process of creating The Grand Cartapesta Presepe, a unique Nativity scene consisting of over 150 12-inch papier-mâché and plaster composition (cartapesta) figures (1940s–1960s) from his private collection. Exhibited at Glencairn for the first time, this collection of Italian Nativity figures will be displayed in the Upper Hall on a specially designed platform (10’x10’) built by DiAntonio and positioned beneath a Christmas tree decorated with the Museum’s collection of vintage and antique ornaments.
Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with the curators of the World Nativities exhibition and other Glencairn staff while enjoying coffee, tea, and a continental breakfast. Perhaps jolly ol’ Saint Nick will also stop by the event to say hello to Glencairn members!
Saturday, October 21, 2023
7:00 am–6:30 pm
$70 for Glencairn Museum members
$110 for non-Glencairn Museum members (includes the price of a Basic: Individual Membership)
Registration required by 5:00 pm Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Experience New York City on an unforgettable bus trip to visit two museums that explore the richness of different cultures and their unique contributions. Immerse yourself in the art, traditions, and perspectives that make this city truly extraordinary.
Our first destination is the Tenement Museum, a site composed of actual tenement buildings located on Orchard Street in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Step back in time as you take a guided tour of the meticulously recreated homes where immigrant and migrant families lived from the 1860s to the 1980s.
We continue on to The Rubin Museum of Art, where you can enjoy lunch at a nearby neighborhood restaurant. (Glencairn staff members will provide a list of dining options to suit every budget.) Then explore The Rubin’s captivating exhibitions at your own pace with a self-guided tour.
Thursday, September 21, 2023
7:00–8:00 pm
Free
TO SEE THE RECORDING OF THIS LECTURE, CLICK HERE.
Registration required 24 hours in advance. To receive a Zoom link to the event, click here or call 267.502.2600.
Join us for an exciting virtual Zoom lecture presented by Dr. Wendy Closterman, Professor of History and Greek at Bryn Athyn College and Associate Curator at Glencairn Museum.
This lecture, titled The Life Story of a Late Antique Sarcophagus at Glencairn, is based on Dr. Wendy Closterman’s recent research on a previously unidentified sarcophagus in the Glencairn Museum collection. In this illustrated presentation, Dr. Closterman will unveil her recent discoveries about this Late Antique sarcophagus from southwest France, shedding light on its fascinating history from the 5th century CE to the present, including the context in which Raymond Pitcairn acquired it.
Thursday, May 11, 2023
7:00–8:00 pm
Free
Reservations are required by 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 11.
Join Brian Henderson, Glencairn director, and Luke Betz, historic buildings project manager, as they present a follow-up to their detailed October 2022 update on Glencairn’s Infrastructure Replacement Project.
Sunday, April 30, 2023
Location: The Lord’s New Church, 1725 Huntingdon Rd., Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
3:00–5:00 pm (doors open at 2:30)
Free for Patron and Gold Members
$15 Basic and Employee Level Museum Members
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED by Thursday, April 27, 2023. Tickets will not be available at the door.
Reserved seating for Patron Members only.
American violin soloist Elizabeth Pitcairn returns to the home of her grandfather, Raymond Pitcairn’s brother, Theo Pitcairn, to perform in partnership with the legendary 1720 Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius, which was gifted to her by Theo in her youth.
At the conclusion of this concert, the audience is invited to a reception where light refreshments will be served.
Elizabeth has appeared as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and debuted in New York at Alice Tully Hall with the New York String Orchestra. Ms. Pitcairn has since performed at Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Fisher Center, and the Kimmel Center. She is the President, CEO, and Artistic Director of the Luzerne Music Center Festival, a summer camp for gifted young musicians ages 9 to 18 in the Adirondacks of New York. She currently resides in Bucks County, PA. Ms. Pitcairn received her degree from the University of Southern California, where she studied with renowned professor Robert Lipsett. Ms. Pitcairn is on the faculty at the Colburn School of Performing Arts. The 10th Anniversary edition DVD of The Red Violin film features Ms. Pitcairn and the Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius in a special feature called “The Auction Block.”
Saturday, April 15, 2023
9:30 am–5:30 pm
$55 for Glencairn Museum members (includes lunch)
Registration is required by Sunday, March 26, 2023.
TICKETING FOR THIS TRIP HAS CLOSED. If you would like to be added to our waitlist, please click here.
This bus trip offers Glencairn Museum members the following exclusive opportunities:
A visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s exhibition, Medieval Treasures from the Glencairn Museum.
A talk in the exhibition space by curator and longtime Glencairn collaborator, Jack Hinton. Also joining Jack will be Dr. Michael Cothren, Glencairn’s consultative curator of medieval stained glass, and Glencairn Museum Director Brian Henderson.
A private lunch catered by Philadelphia restaurateur Steven Starr’s catering company, Constellation Catering. Hinton, Henderson, and members of the Glencairn staff will be available for Q&A.
A post-lunch walking tour led by Hinton and Henderson featuring works that Raymond Pitcairn gifted to the PMA or that remain on long-term loan, as well as some important pieces of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Medieval collection.
Time on your own at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Tuesday, December 13, 2022–Friday, December 16, 2022
7:30 pm
An email with the link will be sent out to all active Glencairn Museum members on Tuesday, December 13, at 3:30 pm ET. The link will be made “live” at 7:30 pm that evening. If you are an active member and did not receive an email, please check your junk folder for an email from Glencairn Museum. If you are still unable to view the video, please email info@glencairnmuseum.org, and a member of the Glencairn staff will be able to help you.
The Glencairn Christmas Sing Concert tradition dates back to 1937 when Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn opened the doors of their unfinished home to family, friends, and neighbors for a “Christmas Sing.”
Due to Glencairn Museum being closed for a significant infrastructure replacement project, this year's Glencairn Sing will not be in person. However, the annual “Sing” tradition will continue with a unique online program.
Some of the very best performances from previously recorded versions of the concert will be featured in the 2022 Glencairn Christmas Sing Online Concert program, including selections played by the incomparable “Glencairn Horns,” exquisite instrumentals, rich vocal pieces, and musicians and vocalists collaborating on spirited renditions of festive music beloved by generations of audiences.
New, never-before-seen portions of this virtual offering include powerful readings from the Christmas story, equally inspiring images of the Great and Upper Halls decorated for Christmas, Nativities and Christmas art from the Glencairn Museum collection, along with some history of the “Sing.”
Get a glimpse of recent photos of the dozens of Nativities from the Glencairn Museum collection on display in New Haven, Connecticut, at the Blessed Father McGivney Pilgrimage Center’s Christmas in the Castle exhibition. Finally, don't miss an all-new video featuring Glencairn staff sending holiday wishes from our family to yours through song.
Saturday, November 12–Sunday, November 13, 2022
7:00 am–5:15 pm
MEMBER PRICING:
$250 per person if sharing a king or 2-queen room with one other person
$100 for a third or fourth person sharing a 2-queen room
$387.50 per person for one person in a private room
NON-MEMBER PRICING:
$290 per person if sharing a king or 2-queen room with one other person (includes Basic Membership)
$140 for a third or fourth person sharing a 2-queen room (includes Basic Membership)
$427.50 per person for one person in a private room (includes Basic Membership)
Viewing Glencairn Museum’s World Nativities exhibition has been an annual holiday tradition for thousands of visitors since 2009. Continue the tradition by joining us November 12–13 in New Haven, Connecticut, to see Christmas in the Castle, an exhibition of almost 50 Nativities from the Glencairn collection at the Blessed Father McGivney Pilgrimage Center.
DUE TO UNCERTAINTY WITH THE CURRENT LABOR SITUATION AT THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART, THIS MEMBER TRIP HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL EARLY 2023.
Saturday, October 29, 2022
9:30 am–5:30 pm
$55 for Glencairn Museum members (includes lunch)
This bus trip offers Glencairn Museum members the following exclusive opportunities available only through participation in this special event:
A visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s new exhibition, Medieval Treasures from the Glencairn Museum.
A talk in the exhibition space by curator and longtime Glencairn collaborator, Jack Hinton. Also joining Jack will be Dr. Michael Cothren, Glencairn’s consultative curator of medieval stained glass.
A private lunch catered by Philadelphia restaurateur Steven Starr’s catering company Constellation Catering. Hinton, Cothren, and members of the Glencairn staff will be available for Q&A.
A post-lunch walking tour of other pieces from the Glencairn collection on long-term loan to the PMA with either Hinton or Cothren.
Time on your own at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
TO SEE A RECORDING OF THIS LECTURE ON VIMEO, CLICK HERE.
Thursday, October 13, 2022
7:00–8:00 pm
Free
Reservations are required 24 hours in advance. To receive a zoom link to the event click here.
Join Brian Henderson, Glencairn director, and Luke Betz, historic buildings project manager, as they present an update on Glencairn's Infrastructure Replacement Project.
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Location: Cairnwood Estate | 1005 Cathedral Rd. | Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
7:30 pm (doors open at 7:00)
Free for Patron and Gold Members
$15 Basic and Employee Level Museum Members
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED
Reserved seating for Patron members only
Few texts in history blur the lines between earthly and spiritual as thoughtfully as the Song of Solomon. This biblical poem, sometimes read as both a celebration of romantic love and an allegory of the love between God and the Church, was set to music countless times during the Renaissance.
Solomon’s Vineyard features Leonhard Lechner’s rarely heard German language version of Song of Solomon, Das Hohelied Salomonis, composed in 1606, which has a subtle “joy of life” mirrored in the popular music and poetry of the day. Join us for a tasting of the Song of Solomon and other works inspired by the triple muse of love, life, and good wine, curated by Leonhard Lechner and his teacher, Orlande de Lassus.
Saturday, May 14, 2022
7:00 am–6:15 pm
$55 Members (meals not included)
$75 non-Members (meals not included)
Tickets for this trip are sold out. If you would like to be put on a waiting list, please email info@glencairnmuseum.org.
Join Glencairn Museum staff, Museum Members, and friends on a day trip to New York City that promises to be memorable. Dr. Julia Perratore, Assistant Curator at The Met Cloisters (and a former intern at Glencairn), will guide the group on an exclusive tour of the Cloisters, explaining the fascinating ways in which Glencairn and the Cloisters overlap, historically and aesthetically. Participants will have time to explore The Met Cloisters and The Met Fifth Avenue on their own.
Read More
Saturday, April 16
3:00–5:00 pm
TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT ARE SOLD OUT
Join us to experience the stained-glass process from glassblowing to window assembly and painting. Watch master artists demonstrate their crafts, view stained-glass panels from the Glencairn Museum collection not currently on display to the public, and learn the stories they tell from Museum staff. Enjoy wine and cheese in the Cloister together with artists and staff to wrap up your afternoon.
Free for all membership levels.
Basic and Gold Individual members may bring one guest for an additional $20 fee.
Thursday, September 23, 2021
7:00 to 8:00 pm
Free Admission
Reservations are required 24 hours in advance. To receive a zoom link to the event, click here or call 267.502.2600.
Back by popular demand: We received such positive feedback after hosting the first “Staff Picks” event in April 2021 that we are hosting a second installment just for members this fall. Glencairn’s Director, Brian Henderson will emcee the event, which will feature a different group of Glencairn staff members presenting live 5–7-minute talks on a favorite object from the Glencairn Museum collections followed by an audience Q&A.
Annual Event Manager, Veronica Alt
Veiled Female Head, Limestone with paint, Cyprus, ca. 3rd-2nd century BCE
This larger-than-life head reveals ancient standards of beauty and how religious and cultural beliefs were present within those standards, while providing a visual clue as to how this work of Classical sculpture would have once appeared.
Membership Coordinator, Peter Childs
“European Plaster” from cast of Virgin with Child, Plaster, France, ca.1800-1920
This large plaster of the Portal of Sainte Anne from the façade of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, is among the works purchased by Raymond Pitcairn during the construction of Bryn Athyn Cathedral in the early 20th century. Consider how acquired works such as this plaster may have served as direct inspiration for the Bryn Athyn craftsmen.
Associate Curator, Wendy Closterman
Cylinder Seal, Ancient Near East, ca. 2000-1600 BCE
Ancient Near Eastern cylinder seals, like this one, were inscribed with pictorial scenes and, when rolled across wet clay, created an image that functioned like a signature, identifying the owner. As personal items that could also be worn as adornment, these small objects help to connect us with individuals from the distant past.
Collections and Exhibitions Assistant, Glenn Greer
The Visitation, France, ca. 1400s
Discover how this beautiful sculpture of Elizabeth and Mary, typical of sculpture located in medieval chapels dedicated to Elizabeth or her son John the Baptist, was recently conserved, and why conservation is a critical responsibility of museums.
Archivist, Greg Jackson
Raymond Pitcairn’s Home Portrait Graflex Camera, Rochester, NY, ca. 1915
Purchased by Raymond Pitcairn in 1916 and donated to Glencairn Museum in 2012, this camera was likely used to document the building of Bryn Athyn Cathedral as well as much of the history of the Raymond Pitcairn family up until 1935. The Bryn Athyn Historic District Archives at Glencairn Museum preserves a rich collection of glass plate negatives.
Thursday, April 29, 2021
7–8 pm
Free Admission. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance. To receive a link, click here or call 267.502.2990.
Educational Programs Manager, Amy Glenn
Egyptian Libation Bowl, Black Granite, ca. 1400-1200 BCE
This large, carved bowl was used for liquid offerings in ancient Egypt. Its imagery and hieroglyphs give us insight into the interaction between those offering a dedication and the deity being honored.
Assistant Director, Bret Bostock
“Deliver Us From Evil,” Plaster, John Flaxman, British, ca. 1805
Examine a masterpiece of sculpture by this well-known 19th-century artist, recognized for his many designs for Wedgwood china. See how the depiction of the subject matter in this dramatic piece illustrates unique concepts drawn from Flaxman’s Swedenborgian faith.
Visitor Experience Manager, Leah Smith
Nebuchadnezzar Cylinder Foundation Deposit, Terracotta, Neo-Babylonian, ca. 600 BCE
Made for the great Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, this object reveals deeper insight into the life and the thoughts of a biblical villain, expanding on the motivations behind his desire for power and conquest.
Director, Brian Henderson
Monastic Choir Stall, White Oak, Spanish, ca. 1500
Explore the rich, detailed images carved into this triple-seated monastic choir stall from the late Middle Ages. Used by monks during religious services in an abbey church, discover what its imagery can reveal about medieval Christian monastic religious beliefs and practice.
Researcher and Curator, Kirsten and Ed Gyllenhaal
Cherrywood Bible Cabinet, Frank Jeck, Bryn Athyn, ca. 1926
Raymond Pitcairn directed woodworker Frank Jeck to carve this remarkable cherrywood Bible cabinet, which was designed to be an integral part of the family’s fifth-floor chapel. The cabinet’s biblical imagery is also found on the walls and ceiling of the chapel in stone sculpture and glass mosaic.
The annual tradition of the “Glencairn Sing” continues with a special online program. This unique concert video features the “Glencairn Horns,” other instruments, vocalists, readings from the Christmas story, and musicians performing music familiar to generations of audiences.
Making this program especially festive and meaningful are glimpses of the Great and Upper Halls decorated for Christmas, as well as Nativities and Christmas art from the Museum's collection, and a depiction of long-standing Pitcairn family Christmas traditions from the time when Glencairn was their home.
Thursday, November 12
7:30 pm
Free admission. Reservations required 24 hours in advance. To receive a link, click here or call 267.502.2990.
Dr. Jennifer Houser Wegner, Associate Curator in the Egyptian Section at the Penn Museum and guest curator of Glencairn Museum’s Sacred Adornment: Jewelry as Belief in Ancient Egypt exhibition, will deliver an exclusive presentation on the subject of Glencairn’s collection of ancient Egyptian jewelry.
Thursday, October 15
7:30 pm
Free Admission. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance. To receive a link, click here or call 267.502.2990.
In this virtual presentation for Glencairn Museum members, Director Brian Henderson will illustrate how Glencairn was designed as a home whose very walls reflected Raymond and Mildred Pitcairns’ New Church (Swedenborgian) religious beliefs, and how the Museum today interprets the religious objects in the Pitcairn’s collection to share its mission with visitors and students.
Tuesday, September 15 – Sunday, September 20, 2020
FREE
Space is limited. Reservations required a minimum of 24 hours in advance, by clicking here or by calling 267.502.2990.
Glencairn Museum is debuting a new self-guided tour using our webapp glencairnmuseum.oncell.org. This new “Discover Glencairn” tour includes the exterior and cloister garden, mosaic bird room, Upper Hall, and Great Hall. Access to the Sacred Adornment exhibition is also included. This tourwill be a private experience for your household, family, and friends. Tour size is limited to no more than 10 people, and has been created to provide you with a safe and enjoyable private experience.
This event has been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.
Saturday, March 14, 2020
10:00 am - 12:30 pm
Free admission. Reservations recommended by 5:00 pm on Thursday, March 12. Registration is now open.
Dr. Jennifer Houser Wegner, Associate Curator in the Egyptian Section at the Penn Museum and guest curator of Glencairn Museum’s Sacred Adornments exhibition, will deliver an exclusive PowerPoint presentation in the exhibition space on the subject of Glencairn’s collection of ancient Egyptian jewelry. Members will also have an opportunity to see jewelry in Glencairn’s Greek and Roman collection with Museum educators, and enjoy coffee, tea, and light refreshments throughout the morning.
$80 Non-Members, $65 Members. Meals not included.
Space is limited. Registration has been extended through Thursday, September 19. Call 267-502-2990 to register.
Explore Museum of the Bible on your own after first experiencing Washington Revelations, a 6-minute virtual, immersive experience. Fly past the Lincoln Memorial, through the U.S. Capitol, and over the Washington Monument as you discover biblical imagery and verses all around Washington, D.C. Guests experience dynamic sound and movement, feeling as if they are really flying.
The 430,000-square-foot Museum of the Bible is located just three blocks from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Museum of the Bible aims to be among the most technologically advanced and engaging museums in the world. Spanning 3,500 years of history, the museum offers visitors an immersive and personalized experience with the Bible, and its ongoing impact on the world around us.
THIS TRIP HAS SOLD OUT. We are maintaining a waiting list.
Saturday, March 23, 2019
$50 per person (members); $65 per person (non-members).
Advance ticket sales begin Wednesday, January 23.
Deadline for reservations is Thursday, March 21 at 5pm.
Continental breakfast and box lunch included.
Join us for an exploration of the barn star region of Northern Berks County, an area with the highest concentration of decorated barns in Pennsylvania. With a special emphasis on the hills and dales of Albany Township and the surrounding communities, participants will discover a wide variety of traditional barn stars, also known as hex signs, and explore the folklore of this diverse and colorful artistic tradition. This bus tour will be led by Patrick J. Donmoyer, guest curator of Glencairn’s featured exhibition, Hex Signs: Sacred and Celestial Symbolism in Pennsylvania Dutch Barn Stars.
Joining us on the trip will be Eric Claypoole, the region’s foremost barn star painter. Eric will share his knowledge and expertise as a second-generation painter throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, and especially in Kempton, Berks County. With just under 100 barns painted throughout his career, Eric’s first-hand accounts and down-to-earth stories will shed light on the tradition from a creative perspective.
$60 per person for members, $70 non-members (lunch not included)
Tickets available beginning August 30. Reservations extended through Thursday, November 8, 12:00 pm. Register by calling 267.502.2990 or emailing info@glencairnmuseum.org.
Raymond Pitcairn loaned more than 70 medieval sculptures and other works of art to the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) in the 1930s. Dr. Jack Hinton, Associate Curator of European Decorative Arts and Sculpture at the PMA, will guide Glencairn Museum Members on an exclusive tour of the Pitcairn works currently on display. Then enjoy self-guided time at the PMA or other nearby museums. To learn more about the Pitcairn loans to the PMA, read all about it in a fascinating article by Dr. Jack Hinton, “Reflected Glories: Raymond Pitcairn’s Loans to the Philadelphia Museum of Art” in Glencairn Museum News.
Reservations recommended, beginning January 1, 2018.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at Glencairn’s state-of-the-art archives, and “the cages” storage area. Visit with staff about on-going storage and preservation work; see Glencairn construction plasters and museum collections not currently on public display.
$65 per member, $75 per non-member (meals not included). Registration required by 5:00 pm on Thursday, October 12. Register by calling 267.502.2990 or emailing info@glencairnmuseum.org.
Begin the day with a guided tour at the Washington National Cathedral featuring stained glass related to Glencairn’s collection, including windows by Lawrence Saint. Then explore the “Religion in Early America” exhibition at the National Museum of American History, or other Smithsonian museums on your own.
