past workshops
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Session 1: 10:00–11:30 am
Session 2: 1:30–3:00 pm
$15 per person (students/adults/seniors)
10% Discount for Basic, Gold, and Patron Museum membership levels
$2 admission for up to 4 people ACCESS Philly/Museums for All cardholders
Ages 5 and up. No experience necessary.
Space is limited; advanced ticket purchase required.
Join us for a delightful family-friendly felting workshop where creativity meets Christmas cheer! Under the guidance of skilled felting instructor, Eva Mergen, participants will create beautiful Nativity-themed felted art pieces. All materials are provided, and no prior experience is necessary. Perfect for all ages, this workshop is a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit!
Access to Glencairn’s first floor World Nativities exhibition and seek & find interactive are included in the $15 fee.
Sunday, November 10
10:00 am– 3:00 pm
Attendee age limit: 16+
$65 per person (with morning refreshments and lunch included)
$45 per person (with only morning refreshments included)
10% discount for Glencairn Museum members
Registration is required by Tuesday, November 5
Join our unique dual-site workshop at Ryerss Museum and Library and Glencairn Museum! Discover the power of objects as we explore ancient artifacts and works of art and learn their fascinating stories with expert guides. Connect with others, make new friends over lunch, and engage in a hands-on art-making activity and lively discussions to deepen your understanding of power and spirituality across cultures. Leave enriched with newfound knowledge and a sense of connection to the divine woven throughout human history.
Note: Your workshop ticket includes self-guided access to the Ryerss Museum and Library galleries and Glencairn Museum’s first floor including the temporary exhibition Cardboard Chronicles: The Biblical Art of Rudolph Bostic.
Saturday, April 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2024
12:00–3:00 pm
$300 per person, includes materials fee of $100 per person
10% discount for members
Registration required by Wednesday, April 3, 2024
We are back for round two of stained-glass fabrication! Led by instructor Elizabeth DaCrema, this four-week intensive workshop builds on the fundamentals of stained-glass fabrication and invites students to bring their own ideas and designs to life. This workshop is designed for returning students or students with prior stained-glass fabrication experience. Students will be asked to create and share a design cartoon ahead of time and have a short discussion prior to the first class to evaluate their ideas with the instructor.
Saturday and Sunday, March 23 and 24, 2024
Weekend Two:
Session 4: Saturday, March 23 | SOLD OUT | 9:00 am–12:00 pm (beginner chicken egg)
Session 5: Saturday, March 23 | SOLD OUT | 1:00–4:00 pm (beginner chicken egg)
Session 6: Sunday, March 24 | 1:00–4:00 pm (advanced goose egg)
$45 per person
10% Discount for Patron, Gold, and Basic Museum membership levels
Attendee age limit: 16+
Our incredibly popular Pysanky Ukrainian Egg Painting workshops are back! Join us for a morning or afternoon of artistic exploration as our skilled instructor, Wendy Hallstrom, leads you through the historic and intricate process of creating beautiful eggs in the Ukrainian Easter tradition. Access to the first floor of the Museum, including the exhibition, Easter Eggs: Symbols of Rebirth and Renewal, and an interactive activity is included in the workshop admission fee. Both beginner (chicken egg) and advanced (goose egg) classes are available, so don’t wait to book your spot!
Saturday and Sunday, March 16 and 17, 2024
Weekend One:
Session 1: Saturday, March 16 | 9:00 am–12:00 pm (beginner chicken egg)
Session 2: Saturday, March 16 | 1:00–4:00 pm (beginner chicken egg)
Session 3: Sunday, March 17 | 1:00–4:00 pm (beginner chicken egg)
$45 per person
10% Discount for Patron, Gold, and Basic Museum membership levels
Attendee age limit: 16+
Our incredibly popular Pysanky Ukrainian Egg Painting workshops are back! Join us for a morning or afternoon of artistic exploration as our skilled instructor, Wendy Hallstrom, leads you through the historic and intricate process of creating beautiful eggs in the Ukrainian Easter tradition. Access to the first floor of the Museum, including the exhibition, Easter Eggs: Symbols of Rebirth and Renewal, and an interactive activity is included in the workshop admission fee. Both beginner (chicken egg) and advanced (goose egg) classes are available, so don’t wait to book your spot!
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Session 1: 10:00–11:30 am
Session 2: 1:30–3:00 pm
$15 per person
10% Discount for Patron, Gold, and Basic Museum membership levels
This workshop is geared towards children ages 5 and older and their grownups.
Join us for this family-friendly experience to discover the art of egg scratching and decoration! Tap into your creativity as you learn to carefully etch intricate designs onto eggshells, creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces. With expert guidance and all the materials provided, this workshop provides a fun experience to spend time together for families of all ages. With the option of attending either a morning or afternoon session, this promises to be a fantastic opportunity to create some lasting family memories!
Access to Glencairn’s first floor, the Easter Eggs: Symbols of Rebirth and Renewal exhibition, and an interactive activity are included in the $15 fee.
Saturday, December 9, 2023
1:00–4:00 pm
$45 per person
10% discount for members
Ages 18 and up. No experience necessary. Space is limited; advanced ticket purchase required.
THIS WORKSHOP HAS SOLD OUT. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, CLICK HERE. We will contact you if a spot becomes available.
Embark on a magical Christmas journey led by artists Karen Loccisano and R. Michael Palan. Create your own Christmas Gnome inspired by Scandinavian folklore, and discover the Nordic mythology surrounding these endearing creatures. This workshop was inspired by a 1923 Swedish tomtelandskap (tomtar scene) gifted to the Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn family.
Access to the World Nativities exhibition is included in the workshop fee.
Join our popular 4-week metalworking workshop led by instructor Liz Jackson in collaboration with Bryn Athyn College. Learn the art of using a forge and anvil to create practical and stylish everyday items from iron. Beginners and experienced metalworkers alike are welcome, with advanced projects available for those with prior experience.
Saturday, March 11, 18, 25, and Saturday, April 1, 2023
Location: Doering Center | Bryn Athyn College | Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
1:00–4:00 pm
$300 per person
Members receive a 10% discount
Participants should be aged 16+
THIS WORKSHOP HAS SOLD OUT. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, CLICK HERE. We will contact you if a spot becomes available.
This four-week, intensive workshop, led by instructor Elizabeth DaCrema, focuses on the fundamentals of stained-glass fabrication, including: how to pattern a stained-glass design, cut colored glass, and build a small panel with lead and solder. Students will learn all the traditional methods and techniques needed to fabricate a stained-glass panel of their own from start to finish. This workshop is designed for beginners, but all levels are welcome.
Closed toe shoes are required. Participants must follow all safety precautions to avoid serious injury, as glass cutting and assembly can be dangerous and physically demanding. This workshop will not include glass painting or designing.
Saturdays in September: 3, 10, 17, 24
Location: Bryn Athyn College | Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
12:00–5:00 pm
$225 per person
Members receive a 10% discount
Iron has a long history of uses. There are many examples of using iron around the home, from coat hooks and kitchenware to gates and railings. This workshop will teach you the basics of using a forge and anvil to make functional everyday items. Whether you prefer practical or something with a bit more flair, you will have the chance to make forged objects with your own hands.
Join us for a 4-week metalworking workshop led by instructor Liz Jackson, in collaboration with Bryn Athyn College.
Saturday, April 9, 2022
9:00 am–12:00 pm
$45 per person
Basic, Gold and Patron Membership Levels receive a 10% discount.
Ages 16 and up. Basic yoga experience necessary.
Registration required by Wednesday, April 6.
Join Michelle Synnestvedt for this multi-layered yoga workshop designed to thread you back to your essential self. During this morning retreat Michelle will guide you through a journey supported by the East Indian oral tradition, using East Indian mythology, yoga poses, meditation, and chanting.
Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3, 2022
9:00 am –12:00 pm, and 1:00–4:00 pm
Weekend Two:
Session 4: Saturday April 2 | 9:00am–12:00pm (beginner) | SOLD OUT
Session 5: Saturday April 2 | 1:00–4:00pm (beginner) | SOLD OUT
Session 6: Sunday, April 3 | 1:00–4:00pm (beginner) | NEW ADDITION
Registration required by Wednesday, March 30.
$45 per person. Ages 16 and up.
Basic, Gold, and Patron Membership Levels receive a 10% discount.
For beginner classes, no experience necessary.
Previous pysanky experience and own tools required for advanced classes.
Pysanky are the beautiful and elaborate Easter eggs found in Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian traditions. Learning this centuries-old technique for decorating Easter eggs is easier than you might think! Using a stylus called a kistka, we will write with melted beeswax onto the shell of a raw egg, and then dip it into vibrant dyes. Two different eggs will be completed in the workshop. Join us to make your own little heirloom—it’s a lot of fun, and the results will impress your family and friends!
Saturday and Sunday, March 26 and 27, 2022
9:00 am –12:00 pm, and 1:00–4:00 pm
Weekend One:
Session 1: Saturday March 26 | 9:00am–12:00pm (beginner) | SOLD OUT
Session 2: Saturday March 26 | 1:00–4:00pm (beginner) | SOLD OUT
Session 3: Sunday March 27 | 1:00–4:00pm (advanced; chicken egg)
Registration required by Wednesday, March 23.
$45 per person. Ages 16 and up.
Basic, Gold, and Patron Membership Levels receive a 10% discount.
For beginner classes, no experience necessary.
Previous pysanky experience and own tools required for advanced classes.
Pysanky are the beautiful and elaborate Easter eggs found in Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian traditions. Learning this centuries-old technique for decorating Easter eggs is easier than you might think! Using a stylus called a kistka, we will write with melted beeswax onto the shell of a raw egg, and then dip it into vibrant dyes. Two different eggs will be completed in the workshop. Join us to make your own little heirloom—it’s a lot of fun, and the results will impress your family and friends!
Saturday, March 5, 2022
9:00 am–5:00 pm EST
Registration is $125 and includes lunch and refreshments.
Registration is required by Monday, February 28. Financial assistance is available.
Glencairn Museum and Elif M. Gökçiğdem, Ph.D. invite you to join us in person for this exciting, hands-on workshop in the inspiring setting of Glencairn Museum’s spacious Great Hall.
Dr. Gökçiğdem (author and founder of ONE - Organization of Networks for Empathy) will offer group instruction on theory, program development, and practical application following the Designing for Empathy™ framework. Using objects from the Glencairn Museum collection, workshop participants will develop empathy-building skills through group discussions, prototyping exercises, and facilitator feedback.
This in-person experience is a follow-up to the first Designing for Empathy™ workshop held virtually in April 2021. The content of this second workshop is complete and stands alone. Previous workshop experience is not required. Workshop participants will receive links to resources and recordings to enhance their knowledge on empathy-building through museums and join a growing network of empathy-builders, where year-round work, cross-departmental, and institutional collaboration is encouraged.
TICKETS FOR THIS WORKSHOP ARE SOLD OUT.
Saturdays in February: 5, 12, 19, 26, 2022
12:30–4:30 pm
Registration: $200 per person
Materials fee: $45; $50 to use true animal vellum. (In addition to the registration fee.)
Basic, Gold, and Patron Museum Members receive a 10% discount on the registration fee, please call 267.502.2600 or email info@glencairnmuseum.org to let Visitors Services know that you will be attending and register by mailing your check to the address listed below. The discounted registration fee will be $180.
Ages 18 and up. Registration is required by Saturday, January 29.
$150 deposit is due to reserve a spot. Balance is due on the first day of class. Deposits are non-refundable except in the case of teacher cancellation.
To register, please send a check for the deposit amount directly to the instructor:
Susan Kelly vonMedicus
661 Church Road
Flourtown, PA 19031
For questions, please email eikon68@aol.com, or contact Amy Glenn, Educational Programs Manager at Glencairn Museum by calling 267.502.2962 or emailing amy.glenn@glencairnmuseum.org.
In this workshop based on the 16th-Century Spanish Hymnal located in the Glencairn Museum library, you will learn the Humanist script and the Filigree style of late medieval manuscript illumination and design your own project. Make a page with a favorite hymn, a birth, or a baptism announcement.
December 4
1:00–4:00 pm
SPACES FOR THIS WORKSHOP HAVE SOLD OUT.
$40 per person, members receive a 10% discount
Ages 18 and up. No experience necessary. Space is limited; reservations strongly recommended.
Join artists Karen Loccisano and R. Michael Palan as they celebrate this Christmas season by creating an original, Victorian-inspired, layered paper, Angel Shadowbox (7.5" H x 4.5" W). They will use die-cut layered paper, lace, beads, cotton, and more to create a little piece of Christmas magic!
About the instructors:
Karen Loccisano and R. Michael Palan have 20 years of experience designing mass-market Christmas ornaments and decor for the Kurt S. Adler Company in New York City. The husband-and-wife team have also created elaborate, original Nativities, which they have exhibited at Glencairn Museum for many years during the Christmas season.
Saturday, October 2 and Sunday, October 3, 2021
1:00 to 4:00 pm
$75 per person. Ages 16 and up. No experience required.
Supplies: Participants are responsible for bringing their own supplies (see supply list).
Glencairn Museum will provide easels and chairs for participants.
Location: The Retreat (just below Glencairn), is located down an unpaved gravel road. After checking in with Visitor Services at Glencairn Museum’s main entrance, a shuttle will be available from the main entrance for those who do not wish to walk to the site (approximately a 5 minute walk).
Learn how to paint confidently outdoors in this 2-day workshop. Guided by accomplished landscape artist Gillian Bedford, explore painting water, trees, and fields in the idyllic setting of the Glencairn Retreat grounds (cloister if there is rain). Day one uses abstract, lyrical, or realistic styles to learn and practice techniques on watercolor paper or canvas. Day two uses a 16" x 20" canvas for a landscape painting full of life and fresh brushstrokes. To begin the workshop, Gillian will introduce the work of George Inness, a significant 19th-century American landscape painter. Influenced by the old masters, he began his career as a realistic landscape artist. After reading the theology of Emanuel Swedenborg, Inness’ landscapes began to reflect philosophical and spiritual concepts. There will be a chance to view an original example of his work currently displayed in Glencairn Museum.
WORKSHOP POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING 2022. MORE DETAILS AVAILABLE SOON.
Saturday, September 18, 2021
9:00 am to 12:00 pm (Doors open at 8:45)
$45 per person. Ages 16 and up. Basic yoga experience required.
Register by Wednesday, September 15.
Join Michelle Synnestvedt for this multi-layered yoga workshop designed to thread participants back to the essential self. During this morning retreat Michelle will guide a journey supported by the East Indian oral tradition, using East Indian mythology, yoga poses, meditation and chanting.
Please dress comfortably, bring a yoga mat, yoga block and strap, and a blanket or towel. Also suggested: a journal and pen. There will be a break and light refreshments.
Thursday, April 15, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Join us as we listen to keynote speaker Elif M. Gökçiğdem (founder, Empathy-Building Through Museums Initiative), with expert panel guests Makeba Clay (Philips Collection) and Senior Research Scientist Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, Ph.D (Yale University) discuss the importance of fostering empathy through intentional program and exhibition design. Hear about the inspiring new ways in which museums and other institutions are enhancing desired impacts for audiences and institutional culture change around the world. Philip Himberg (MacDowell) will then engage participants in his informative and enjoyable “Creative Tensions“ exercise, demonstrating what empathy-building can look and feel like.
This event has been cancelled.
Saturday, March 28
9:00 am - 12:00 pm (session 4); 1:00 - 4:00 pm (session 5)
Sunday, March 29, 2020
1:00 -4:00 pm (session 6)
$45 per person. Ages 16 and up. No experience necessary. Materials included.
Registration required by March 25 for March 28 and 29 sessions.
Pysanky are the beautiful, elaborate, Easter eggs found in Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian traditions. Learning this centuries-old technique for decorating Easter eggs is easier than you might think. Using a stylus called a kistka, we will write with melted beeswax onto the shell of a raw egg, then dip it into vibrant dyes. Two different eggs will be completed in the workshop. Join us to make your own little heirloom - it’s a lot of fun, and the results will impress your family and friends!
This event has been cancelled.
Saturday, March 21
9:00 am - 12:00 pm (session 1); 1:00 - 4:00 pm (session 2)
Sunday, March 22, 2020
1:00 -4:00 pm (session 3)
$45 per person. Ages 16 and up. No experience necessary. Materials included.
Registration required by March 18 for March 21 and 22 sessions.
Pysanky are the beautiful, elaborate, Easter eggs found in Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian traditions. Learning this centuries-old technique for decorating Easter eggs is easier than you might think. Using a stylus called a kistka, we will write with melted beeswax onto the shell of a raw egg, then dip it into vibrant dyes. Two different eggs will be completed in the workshop. Join us to make your own little heirloom - it’s a lot of fun, and the results will impress your family and friends!
Saturday, March 7, 2020
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
PLEASE NOTE: As of Tuesday, March 3, this workshop is SOLD OUT.
$40 per person. Ages 16 and up. No experience necessary. Materials included. Registration required by Wednesday, February 26 (for the February 29 date). Click the Book Your Tour button to sign up.
Registration required by Wednesday, March 4 (for the March 7 date). Click the Book Your Tour button to sign up.
Participants will have exclusive access to and a customized tour of our Sacred Adornment: Jewelry as Belief in Ancient Egypt exhibition as well as jewelry displayed in our Egyptian, Greek, and Roman Galleries. This will be followed by a make-your-own beading workshop focusing on the symbolism of beads throughout history. There will be a marketplace offering items for purchase including special beads from Africa.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
9:00 am -1:00 pm
$40 per person. Ages 16 and up. No experience necessary. Materials included. Registration required by Wednesday, February 26 (for the February 29 date). Click the Book Your Tour button to sign up.
Registration required by Wednesday, March 4 (for the March 7 date). Click the Book Your Tour button to sign up.
Participants will have exclusive access to and a customized tour of our Sacred Adornment: Jewelry as Belief in Ancient Egypt exhibition as well as jewelry displayed in our Egyptian, Greek, and Roman Galleries. This will be followed by a make-your-own beading workshop focusing on the symbolism of beads throughout history. There will be a marketplace offering items for purchase including special beads from Africa.
$40 per person. Ages 18 and up. No experience necessary. Space is limited. Registration required by December 4. Call 267-502-2990 to register.
PLEASE NOTE: AS OF DECEMBER 1 THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL.
Rekindle old memories or start new traditions with the creation of this decoration based on the traditional Pennsylvania German-style Christmas Putz (a landscaped Nativity scene). This year Glencairn’s World Nativities exhibition features the historic Jennie Trein Christmas Putz from the Moravian Historical Society in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
About the instructors: Karen Loccisano and R. Michael Palan have 20 years of experience designing mass market Christmas ornaments and decor for the Kurt S. Adler Company based in New York City. The husband-and-wife team have also created elaborate, original Nativities, which they have exhibited at Glencairn Museum for several years during the Christmas season.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS WORKSHOP IS SOLD OUT. REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.
Not available Sunday, October 27, due to the Medieval Festival.
Make your own paperweight - $65
Make your own suncatcher - $35
Make your own medallion - $20
Ages 8 and up. All materials included. No experience necessary. Space is limited. Registration required. Call for available times and details, and to book your individual 30-minute session or small-group block of sessions. Call 267-502-2990 to register.
This is your chance to get hands-on experience with the art of glassblowing. Spend a one-on-one session with Master Craftsman Jason Kline making your own glass souvenir.
Friday, September 27 – Sunday, September 29
Friday 7:00 – 9:00 pm: Meditation and Workshop Introduction
Saturday 9:30 am – 4:00 pm: Mandala of Compassion Template Construction and Meaning | Meditation
Sunday 12:00 – 4:00 pm: Mandala of Compassion Template | Meditation | The Dismantling Ceremony
$225 Non-Members, $200 Members. Ages 16 and up. Space is limited. Registration required by Monday, September 23. Call 267-502-2990 to register.
Participants should bring a ruler (at least 12”), a pencil, and a compass. All other materials are included. Please bring your own lunch to enjoy at Glencairn. Small break refreshments will be provided.
The Tibetan art form of the mandala is an ancient and sacred practice intended to uplift and benefit not only every person who sees it, but also to bless the environment. Every aspect of the mandala has meaning, with no detail being arbitrary or superfluous. The colors and designs of each mandala have profound meaning originating in the ancient teachings of the Buddha and have remained unchanged over the centuries. Mandalas are used to enhance spiritual practice through imagery and meditation to overcome suffering, individually and collectively for all living things. In essence, mandalas represent enlightened qualities, and are an important form of teaching in Vajrayana Buddhism to support living beings on the path to enlightenment.
Saturday March 30: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm and 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Sunday, March 31: 1:00 - 4:00 pm
As of March 21 all three workshops are SOLD OUT. We are maintaining a waiting list.
$30/person. Ages 16 and up. Registration required by 5:00 pm Wednesday, March 27. Call 267-502-2990 or email info@glencairnmuseum.org to register.
Pysanky are the beautiful, elaborate, Easter eggs found in Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian traditions. Learning this centuries-old technique for decorating Easter eggs is easier than you might think. Using a stylus called a kistka, we will write with melted beeswax onto the shell of a raw egg, then dip it into vibrant dyes. We will complete two different eggs in the workshop, and you will keep your kistka and wax to use at home. Join us to make your own little heirloom - it’s a lot of fun, and the results will impress your family and friends!
$20/person. Ages 16 and up. No experience necessary; all materials included.
Registration has been extended to Friday, March 1. Call 267-502-2990 to register.
Elaine and Matt Vardjan teach the art of creating German paper stars (Froebel stars). The folded German star is an old paper craft that was popularized by Friedrich Froebel in the early 1800s in Germany. It is likely that Froebel did not invent the star, as it is believed to be a craft that was generally known for some time. Combinations of individual stars can be used to make other items known as “Star Craft,” including crosses, baskets, and mobiles. You can find some of the basic shapes of the Froebel star in certain barn star patterns painted on Pennsylvania buildings.
Additional session added by popular demand!
$35/person. Ages 16 and up. No experience necessary; all materials included.
Registration required. Call 267-502-2990 or email info@glencairnmuseum.org to register.
Custom tour featuring rarely seen ancient Egyptian jewelry from our vault, followed by a make-your-own beading workshop focusing on the symbolism of beads throughout history, with an emphasis on symbols that come from nature.
$35/person. Ages 16 and up. No experience necessary; all materials included.
Registration required by Monday, February 11. Call 267-502-2990 or email info@glencairnmuseum.org to register.
The session on February 16 is SOLD OUT. A second session has been added on Saturday, February 23, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Call 267-502-2990 to register today.
Custom tour featuring rarely seen ancient Egyptian jewelry from our vault, followed by a make-your-own beading workshop focusing on the symbolism of beads throughout history, with an emphasis on symbols that come from nature.