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!

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Purchase Tickets

$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.

Free admission. Reservations recommended: 267.502.2990 or info@glencairnmuseum.org.

Join other Glencairn Museum Members to explore religion and healing practices of three seemingly very different cultures: Pennsylvania Dutch, Ancient Egyptian, and Medieval Christian. Patrick Donmoyer, curator of the Powwowing in Pennsylvania: Healing Rituals of the Dutch Country exhibition, will give an introduction to the exhibition and will offer comments and insights into healing practices of the Pennsylvania Dutch. Visit the Egyptian gallery with Museum Educator Diane vanZyverden for an exploration of how Ancient Egyptians incorporated amulets and statuettes in their healing rituals thousands of years ago. Museum Educator Leah Smith will invite you to see, smell, touch, and taste a variety of herbs used by Medieval Christians to cure and prevent illnesses. Make your own herbal pouch to take home.

Coffee, tea, and light refreshments will be available throughout the morning. A casual lunch in the tower for four people will be raffled off as a door prize (must be present to win).

To see the Jerusalem 1000–1400: Every People Under Heaven exhibition.

$65 per person.
Reservations required by Friday, November 4. Call 267.502.2990.

$50/person. Meals not included.

Reservations required by Friday, March 25. Contact Peter Childs at 267.502.2970 or peter.childs@glencairnmuseum.org.

Join Glencairn Museum for a charter bus trip to the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum in Washington D.C., for the exhibit Primordial Landscapes: Iceland Revealed. This exhibit includes the work of award-winning photographer and cinematographer Feo Pitcairn and poet Ari Trausti Guðmundsson and reveals a land of fire, ice, hardy life and natural beauty. Experience the remote beauty of Iceland, a land sculpted by the elements and forged by active geologic activity. Meet with Feo Pitcairn and a Smithsonian geologist at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum for an in-depth discussion that will focus on Iceland, and the creation of Pitcairn’s exhibit. There will be free time upon arrival at the Museum for lunch. The discussion will start at 1:00 pm and at the conclusion there will be additional free time for self-guided exploration of the extensive collections of the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum.