Virtual Tours


Are you looking for virtual programming for your group? Would you like to learn more about Glencairn Museum but are unable to visit?

The Museum offers virtual tours on a variety of interesting topics. These live, docent-led, interactive Zoom programs include beautiful photographs of the collection and archival photographs from the time when Glencairn was a home.

Questions are welcome during the presentations! All tours are available by appointment. Please contact tours@glencairnmuseum.org to book.

Sacred Adornment: Jewelry as Belief in Ancient Egypt

Humans throughout history and across cultures have worn jewelry and other adornments as a way to make themselves more attractive, identify social status, protect themselves from harm, and show connection to a group. This virtual tour focuses on a variety of decorative objects worn by the ancient Egyptians and what they reveal about religious beliefs. The presentation will include images of Egyptian necklaces, rings, and pendants in the Glencairn Museum collection. At the end of the presentation, participants are encouraged to share descriptions of their own personal adornments and what they hope to communicate by wearing them.

Available by appointment, please contact tours@glencairnmuseum.org to book.

The Craftsmanship of Glencairn

Around every corner, visitors to Glencairn Museum encounter stunning examples of early 20th-century craftsmanship. Glencairn contains original works of art created using the raw materials of metal, glass, stone, and wood. Over one hundred artists, architects, and laborers contributed to the construction and decoration of Glencairn, which took more than a decade to complete. Without the efforts of all of them working together, the Pitcairn's remarkable castle-like home could not have become a reality. The Craftsmanship of Glencairn virtual tour uses 360-video as well as contemporary and archival photographs to tell the story of Raymond Pitcairn’s inspiration and motivation, the design and creation process, and the symbolism that fills each work of art with meaning.

Available by appointment, please contact tours@glencairnmuseum.org to book.

Glencairn as a Home

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Your home is your castle?” Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn turned this phrase into a reality. The Pitcairn family lived in an actual castle in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, from 1939 until 1979. Today, the building serves as a museum of religious art, showcasing collections from Medieval Europe, Ancient Egypt, Classical Greece and Rome, and other cultures.  

Glencairn as a Home presents rarely-seen archival photographs and video that will take participants on a virtual journey back through the decades. Learn why Raymond Pitcairn built Glencairn and how this castle-like home was brought to life by celebrations, political gatherings, school dances, concerts, and VIP visitors hosted by the family. Virtual attendee participation is encouraged around the question, “What choices do you make regarding how your surroundings reflect what is important to you?”

Available by appointment, please contact tours@glencairnmuseum.org to book.

View of Glencairn’s Great Hall, with a seating area, stained-glass windows, book shelves, and more, from the East balcony.

Introduction to Glencairn

High on a hill in the picturesque borough of Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, stands a unique and, for some, a mysterious local landmark. Glencairn, a 20th-century medieval-style castle, was built to serve as the home of the Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn family (they had nine children). Today, Glencairn Museum is known internationally for its religious art collection, including works from Medieval Europe, Ancient Egypt, Classical Greece and Rome, and other cultures. 

Introduction to Glencairn offers attendees a virtual tour of the Museum while the building is closed to the public for major infrastructure upgrades. Be introduced to the history of the Pitcairn family and the town of Bryn Athyn through beautiful contemporary and archival photographs. Learn about the construction of Glencairn, why the building became a museum, and how the art collections tell the story of religion through the ages.

Available by appointment, please contact tours@glencairnmuseum.org to book.

THINGS TO KNOW

  • An access link will be sent to registrants prior to the presentation.

  • If you do not see an email with this link, please check your Junk and Spam folders for an email from tours@glencairnmuseum.org.

  • $5 per registered device.

  • All membership levels are free.

  • In addition to the available dates listed, all virtual tours are available by appointment with no minimum attendance required. Please contact tours@glencairnmuseum.org to book.