Saturday, April 5–Sunday, November 16, 2025
Available Tuesday–Sunday 1:00–4:30 pm
$5.00 per person, included with a guided tour/event attendance
Free for all Museum membership levels and children 4 and under

“A house without a rushnyk is not a home.” — Ukrainian proverb

The word rushnyk derives from ruka, meaning “hand.” While it can refer to an ordinary towel, the ceremonial rushnyk is distinct in its ornamentation and cultural significance. In almost any Ukrainian home, the family icons—and more recently, family photographs—would be draped with rushnyky, offering protection to the family, home, and village. These cloths appear in all family rituals: infants are wrapped in them at birth, and they play a central role in betrothal and wedding ceremonies. Remarkably, despite the turmoil of the 20th and 21st centuries, the rushnyk continues to be an integral part of Ukrainian culture.

Glencairn Museum is proud to host this traveling exhibition from the Icon Museum and Study Center in Clinton, Massachusetts. The exhibition features rushnyky and related artifacts from the collection of Franklin Sciacca.