This is the official page for Glencairn Museum in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. http://www.glencairnmuseum.org We welcome your comments.
Glencairn, built between 1928 and 1939, was the home of the Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn family for forty years. Today Glencairn serves as a museum of religious art and history. Visitors explore beliefs and practices through renowned art collections, including ancient Egyptian, ancient Greek and Roman, medieval Christian, Islamic, Asian, and American Indian. Pitcairn’s collection of medieval stain
ed glass and sculpture is considered to be one of the country's finest. Glencairn Museum is currently undergoing a comprehensive infrastructure replacement project. The next phase of the project requires that the Museum be temporarily closed to the public for approximately 18 months, beginning Saturday, April 30, 2022. Glencairn Museum Social Media Code of Conduct
Our social media presence is designed to help visitors learn about Glencairn Museum’s public programs, our building and collections, and related research. Here are a few guidelines to ensure that our online visitors have a positive experience on our page. Please stay on topic. Keep your comments relevant to the post at hand. Do not advertise or self-promote. Off-topic comments and advertisements are likely to be removed. Please be respectful. Treat others with civility, the same way you would want them to treat you. Do not post personal attacks (deliberately insulting comments directed toward a specific individual or group), racist or sexist comments, or profanity. Comments that do not meet this standard are likely to be removed. Please take responsibility for what you say by posting under your own name; we do not allow alias accounts (and neither does Facebook). Those who violate these guidelines repeatedly may be banned from our page.
Operating as usual
Check out this fun activity to reuse wrapping paper and cards based on a historic Christmas wreath made around 50 years ago and found at Glencairn! Find all the instructions and get started at www.glencairnmuseum.org/gmk-explore-more-at-home.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY TWENTY FIVE
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This life-size oil painting of the Adoration of the Shepherds by Edwin Herder, which hangs above Glencairn’s Upper Hall fireplace each Christmas season, is a re-interpretation of an original painting by Frank Snyder from the late 1930s. The Herder and Snyder paintings were both adapted from an illustration in The Christ Child, a children’s book published in 1931 by Miska and Maud Petersham, who were a husband-and-wife team of illustrators. Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn were very fond of the work of the Petershams, and commissioned small paintings from them on several occasions. They gave the Pitcairns special permission for Snyder’s large-scale adaptation of their work.
When Glencairn became a museum in the 1980s, Snyder’s original painting on canvas was found to be deteriorated beyond repair. However, thanks to generous donors, this re-interpretation was painted in 2016 by Herder, an artist who lives in Bryn Athyn. Herder has been working as an illustrator since 1975, and has done book covers for such well-known authors as Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy. Recently he has been pursuing his love of oil painting and portraiture.
Life-size oil painting of the Adoration of the Shepherds by Edwin Herder, Bryn Athyn, PA, 2016. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA.
“O magnum mysterium” was released this evening by Les Canards Chantants, Ensemble in Residence of Glencairn Museum, just in time to celebrate Christmas!
https://youtu.be/UsLHjrM_wxc
O magnum mysteriumThomas Luìs de VictoriaFeaturing nativities from the 2021 World Nativities Exhibition at Glencairn Museum in Bryn Athyn, PA.Follow Les Cana...
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY TWENTY FOUR
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“Bryn Athyn Nativity” honors the architectural legacy of Raymond Pitcairn, who supervised the design and construction of both Bryn Athyn Cathedral and Glencairn, and also his particular love for the story of the Nativity and the celebration of Christmas. Michael Joseph Stumpf and A.J. DiAntonio of Navidad Nativities created the architectural setting in wood, stone and other natural materials in their Bucks County, Pennsylvania, atelier. The Renaissance-style Nativity figures belong to the Immanuel Collection, made by Original Heide, a family workshop in the Italian Alps in the Val Gardena valley. All of the figures were hand carved in wood. The drapery of the clothing was stiffened and painted with acrylic paints.
Pitcairn’s artistic vision and attention to detail inspired the Navidad artists to create this tribute in miniature. Drawing from their favorite elements in each of the buildings, Navidad developed a design that represents their own interpretation of the historical and architectural relationship between Bryn Athyn Cathedral and Glencairn. The lavender glow surrounding the Holy Family duplicates the light in the sanctuary of the actual Cathedral, produced when the sun streams through the red and blue glass in the side windows. Glencairn’s Upper Hall is reproduced on the right-hand side of this Nativity.
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Nativity figures made from wood and fabric by Original Heide, Val Gardena, Italy, with a setting by Navidad Nativities in Bucks County, PA, in 2015. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY TWENTY THREE
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Nancy Schnarr-Bruell, an artist from Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, created this three-dimensional version of an illustration in The Christ Child, a 1931 children’s book by Maud and Miska Petersham. The Petershams, a husband-and-wife artist team, were well known in the first half of the 20th century as illustrators and authors of children’s literature.
The Petershams’ books were well regarded by Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn; Mildred gave copies of The Christ Child to over 100 families and friends in the year 1949 alone. The Pitcairns’ enthusiasm for the book was so great that in the late 1930s they commissioned artist Frank Snyder to paint a life-size interpretation of the illustration of the Adoration of the Shepherds for Glencairn, their newly-completed home in Bryn Athyn.
The three-dimensional version of the Petershams’ illustration was handcarved and sewn by Nancy Schnarr-Bruell; the backdrop was created by her husband, John Bruell. According to Schnarr-Bruell, “I love making Nativities because I love making images of the Lord. I think the Petershams in the book The Christ Child, especially in their illustration of the Adoration of the Shepherds, were able to capture a sphere of innocence that we should all strive for when we come before the Lord. I grew up with many of the Petersham books, and The Christ Child was a favorite part of my childhood Christmas tradition. Ever since I was little I’ve always wanted to ‘step inside’ the scene, and be there at the manger with the shepherds. So . . . I decided to make a three-dimensional version. I hope it will help others to experience what I’ve been experiencing in my own imagination for many years.”
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Nativity made by Nancy Schnarr-Bruell and John Bruell from wood, wool, fabric, and leather in Bryn Athyn, PA, in 2018. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY TWENTY TWO
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This diorama illustrates the biblical narrative of the Adoration of the Shepherds: “And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16).
Winfred S. Hyatt made three Nativity scenes for the Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn family during the 1920s; this scene is one of the three. Hyatt, the principal stained-glass artist and designer for Bryn Athyn Cathedral and later Glencairn, also made Nativity scenes for the Cathedral, the Harold Pitcairn family, and President and Mrs. Eisenhower. Hyatt modeled all the figures for the Pitcairn scenes, which were then cast in plaster, painted, and clothed.
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Diorama of the Adoration of the Shepherds, made by Winfred S. Hyatt around 1925. Glencairn Museum, Bryn Athyn, PA. To view a zoomable version on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY TWENTY ONE
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This scene of the Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13–23) is from a page in a 15th-century Flemish medieval prayer book known as the Book of Hours. According to Matthew, after the visit of the Wise Men, “an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him’” (2:13). Although the Bible provides very little information about this episode in the Nativity narrative, it is frequently depicted in art.
The landscape in this illustration of the Flight into Egypt is rocky, with brown ground and palm trees, so the setting may be intended to evoke travel through the desert.
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Flight into Egypt scene from a 15th-century Flemish Book of Hours. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA, 07.MS.639a.
Looking for something fun and festive to do at home? Get crafty and try making one of these holiday ornaments! Find all the instructions and get started at www.glencairnmuseum.org/gmk-explore-more-at-home.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY TWENTY
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A Venezuelan artist created this Nativity from banana leaves and other natural materials. The leaves were soaked to make them pliable enough to shape, and a clear shellac was added once they were dry. The faces have been delicately painted, and gold-colored thread has been used to decorate some of the figures.
It is common for families in Venezuela to have a nacimiento (Nativity scene) in their home during the Christmas season. Sometimes the scene is very detailed, with elaborate landscaping. The traditional gift giver is the Baby Jesus, who leaves presents for the children on Christmas Eve. Most families attend Misa de Gallo (a Catholic midnight Mass) that evening, and then go home for a special meal. Hallacas, a traditional Christmas food, is made with corn meal, a filling of beef, chicken, pork, olives, vegetables and spices—all wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Nativity made from banana leaves, wood, slate, gold thread, and other natural materials, Venezuela, 1983. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY NINETEEN
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There are 19 Pueblos in New Mexico, all of which are linked by common history, culture, and traditions. European influences brought many changes to the Pueblo Indian way of life, with most of the residents accepting Christianity as an addition to their own pre-Christian traditions. Today a number of Pueblo Indian artists make Nativities, along with other works such as the famous ceramic storyteller figures. Pueblo culture is rich with myths and stories, which are used to convey traditions and values. Both the storyteller figures and the Nativity figures have an open mouth in order to “let the stories out.”
Yolanda Toya Toledo specializes in making storytellers, Nativities, angels, and Christmas ornaments. She and her seven sisters are continuing the legacy of their mother, the renowned Jemez Pueblo potter Mary Ellen Toya, and their grandmother, Carrie Loretto of Laguna Pueblo. Using traditional Pueblo methods, Yolanda digs her clay on the Jemez Reservation, uses natural pigments, and fires her pottery outdoors.
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Nativity made from clay and natural pigments by Yolanda Toya Toledo, Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico, 2009. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY EIGHTTEEN
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This painting of the Annunciation to the Shepherds (Luke 2:8–14) is from the narrative of the Nativity of Jesus Christ, in which the angel tells the shepherds, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” According to Nishan Yardumian, the artist, this painting represents “an idea born. The angel is an idea appearing, the shepherds are the trauma of change an idea might occasion in one’s life.”
Nishan Richard Yardumian was one of 13 children born to Armenian-American classical music composer Richard Yardumian and his wife, Ruth Seckelman, who were members of The Lord’s New Church in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. As a devoted reader of 18th-century Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg, Yardumian believed that religion was a central aspect of human experience. He maintained a special interest in religious art, believing that the artist must learn to discern the spiritual from the mundane in the world around him, and seek to communicate spiritual ideas to others through his paintings.
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Annunciation to Shepherds, Nishan Yardumian (1947–1986), tempera and oil, 1977. Collection of Glencairn Museum, Bryn Athyn, PA, 06.OP.116.
Ever wondered how Christmas was celebrated at Glencairn when it was a home? One of the main parts of the season was an annual Glencairn Christmas Sing Concert, and people have been traveling to attend the Sing since 1937! Get cozy to watch this year’s Sing Concert from home, and then dive into the fun activity booklet to go along with it where you can learn more about the Sing, and about other winter holiday celebrations around the world. Check it out and get started on the Glencairn Museum Kids homepage! https://www.glencairnmuseum.org/gmk-homepage
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY SEVENTEEN
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This Nativity, made from clay by the Mamani family in Peru, depicts the figures as Shipibo-Conibo, an indigenous people along the Ucayali River in the Amazon rainforest in Peru. The Shipibo-Conibo continue to adhere to elements of their traditional belief system, especially shamanism. The intricate rectilinear patterns on their clothing and pottery, which are designed by the women of the community, are derived from the cosmological visions of the shamans.
Spanish missionaries first entered the territory of the Shipibo-Conibo in the 17th century, and since then traditional animism has blended with Christianity. The wise men in this Nativity bring gifts from the rainforest: a turtle, cacao bean pods (the raw product used to make chocolate and cocoa), and a bunch of bananas. A wild boar and a tapir have taken the place of the ox and donkey familiar from European Nativity scenes. Hilda Mamani Olivera, the key artist in the Peruvian family of potters that made this Nativity, describes their philosophy: “Our work activity comes from the family and from them we have inherited all of our knowledge of traditional pottery. We have come up with innovations, trying to rescue the most heartfelt customs of our people and representing Peru in a way that is both spiritual and testimonial.”
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Nativity sculpted from clay by the Mamani family, Peru, 2016. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
The Glencairn Christmas Sing began in 1937 when Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn offered their home, which was still under construction, as the venue for a Bryn Athyn Orchestra Christmas concert, which has continued annually since.
This year, we are thrilled to be able to share this annual tradition with a worldwide audience as an online concert.
https://youtu.be/4qMBFLDeDIs
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY SIXTEEN
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This Nativity from Madagascar has been carved from a wood with a light cream color called fanazava wood. It was purchased from a carver in the city of Antananarivo, in an open-air market that is famous for its many woodcarving workshops. Madagascar, the fourth-largest island in the world, is a nation off the southeastern coast of Africa. Formerly a French colony, the island gained independence in 1960. Approximately half of the Malagasy population practices indigenous beliefs, while most of the remaining population are Christian and Muslim.
Madagascar has a highly developed carving tradition with regional variations within the island. Especially notable are the carvings of the Zafimaniry people; in 2008 UNESCO included their “woodcrafting knowledge” on a list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity sites around the world.
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Nativity made from fanazava wood in Antananarivo, Republic of Madagascar, in 2014. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY FIFTEEN
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This terracotta relief of Mary holding the infant Jesus, made in 15th-century Italy, shows each of them wearing haloes. Jesus holds something in his left hand, perhaps a bird (the head of which has been broken off).
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Terracotta relief of Mary holding the Christ Child, made in 15th-century Italy. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA, 01.SP.01. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY FOURTEEN
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This Nativity was made in Estremoz, Portugal, in the 1940s or 1950s by Mariano da Conceição (1902–1959). Nativities have been made in Estremoz since the second half of the eighteenth century. Modeled from local clay, the figures were created in response to the personal religious needs of the people, and sold to individuals of limited means. Simple figures like these were influenced by the more sophisticated Nativity scenes produced in Italy (Naples), and by Portuguese artists trained in the Mafra School of Sculpture. The more expensive scenes were made by trained artists and could be seen at local convents and in the houses of the noble families of Estremoz.
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Nativity made by Mariano da Conceição from painted terracotta in Estremoz, Portugal, in the 1940s or 1950s. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY THIRTEEN
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This Nativity scene is from a page in a 15th-century Flemish medieval prayer book known as the Book of Hours. Mary is on the left, a small naked Christ Child is at the center, and Joseph is on the right. An angel kneels behind them. All of the figures have their hands clasped in prayer. Mary is larger than all of the other figures and the only one with a halo.
This page comes from the section of the book known as The Hours of the Virgin. These personal prayer books contained devotions appropriate for the eight canonical hours of the day, as well as other prayers and texts.
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
This Nativity scene is from a page in a 15th-century Flemish medieval prayer book known as the Book of Hours. Mary is on the left, a small naked Christ Child is at the center, and Joseph is on the right. An angel kneels behind them. All of the figures have their hands clasped in prayer. Mary is larg...
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY TWELVE
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Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state in Brazil, has extensive pampas (grassy plains). The area has a rich gaucho culture. (The Spanish term “gaucho” is somewhat equivalent to the English word “cowboy.”) This Nativity features gaucho figures, the Adoration of the Wise Men, and the Flight into Egypt. The gaucho on horseback is spinning a lariat, used to capture livestock. Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus are in the center of the main scene. Joseph is holding a container of mate, a South American herbal tea sucked from a gourd with a metal straw.
Each of the wise men is bringing a gift that is appropriate to gaucho culture. The wise man on the right side of the scene is bringing wool; the one beside him is offering mate; and the one to the left of the family is holding a wild turkey.
Gift of Alan and Mary Liz Pomeroy
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Nativity made from corn husk, wool, and other natural materials in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil in the late 1980s. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY ELEVEN
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This Romanesque wood statue presents a medieval vision of the Incarnation in the person of Jesus Christ. It features an enthroned Mary, with Jesus on her lap, in her role as the Mother of God. Mary serves as the Throne of Wisdom (Sedes Sapientiae) and Christ, as the Son of God, is Divine Wisdom incarnate. Christ’s humanity and divinity are equally apparent in this image, which is intended to express clearly and simply the profound meaning of the Incarnation.
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Wood statue made in Paris, France, in the 12th century. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA, 12.SP.02. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY TEN
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In 1933 in Spain, Jose Puig Llobera established Belenes Puig S.L., a family-owned company famous for its Nativity figures (belenes, the Spanish word for Bethlehem, can also refer to a Nativity scene). The company is still run by the family, with the third generation operating the business. The figures are handcrafted from clay molds, painted, and dressed with stiffened fabrics.
These Puig Nativity figures have been influenced by an elaborate Nativity scene created by Francisco Salzillo between 1776 and 1783 for the Murcian nobleman Jesualdo Riquelme y Fontes. Salzillo was a noted Baroque sculptor of religious figures in polychromed wood. His Nativity includes hundreds of pieces and is located in Murcia, Spain, in the museum that bears his name: Museo Salzillo.
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Nativity made from clay, fabric, and metal by Belenes Puig S.L., in Barcelona, Spain, in 2014. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
For 86 years, the Bryn Athyn community has been attending and participating in the Glencairn Christmas Sing. In this issue of Glencairn Museum News we explore the beginning and early years of this unique community tradition. The first Sing was held in 1937 when Glencairn was still under construction, and before the walls, ceiling, and floors of the Great Hall were finished. This year, because the Museum is closed to complete a significant infrastructure replacement project, the Glencairn Christmas Sing will not be held in person. Instead, it will be offered as an online program, available to a worldwide audience.
For 86 years, the Bryn Athyn community has been attending and participating in the Glencairn Christmas Sing. In this issue of Glencairn Museum News we explore the beginning and early years of this unique community tradition.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY NINE
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This lampshade panel illustrates the Presentation in the Temple, an early episode in the life of Jesus Christ. According to the biblical account, after Jesus was born Joseph and Mary traveled to Jerusalem to present their newborn child at the temple, as required by law. While they were at the temple, the Holy Spirit visited a man named Simeon and revealed to him that Jesus was the Messiah. Simeon then took Jesus into his arms, said a prayer, and blessed them (Gospel of Luke 2:25–35).
The panel is one of six scenes from the Nativity narrative decorating a Christmas-themed lampshade in Glencairn’s Chapel. The plexiglass shade was commissioned by Raymond Pitcairn between 1937 and 1940; it was designed and painted by Francis (“Frank”) Eugene Snyder (1908–1995).
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Lampshade panel illustrating the Presentation in the Temple, made in Bryn Athyn by Frank Snyder between 1937 and 1940. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA, 11.OP.02. For more about Snyder’s lampshades at Glencairn, see here.
ADVENT CALENDAR DAY EIGHT
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Christina Orthwein lives with her family in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, where she works in her home studio and teaches ceramics and photography at Bryn Athyn College. Visual inspirations for this Nativity triptych include the Gothic architecture of Glencairn, the Celtic lettering style found throughout the building, and the General Church Seal, a circular bronze plaque designed in the 1930s by Raymond Pitcairn and metalworker Parke E. Edwards.
According to Orthwein, “The inspiration for this piece comes from the sacred, cozy feeling of a family circled around the Bible for a Christmas morning worship service. That precious space is echoed in the curve of the tiles around the Bible and by the shepherds, wise men, and Mary and Joseph, all gathered around and bending toward the newborn baby Jesus. Mary is the closest to Jesus, touching Him directly, which represents her direct connection as the one who gave Him human form. Joseph is touching Mary’s hand to depict his absolute support of her and his commitment to their journey ahead. The wise men and shepherds represent a variety of ages and ethnicities to show that the Lord’s birth brings love to the entire human race.”
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Every day, from December 1 through December 25, a new work of Nativity art from the Glencairn Museum collection will appear on our website (“Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar”). To receive these in your newsfeed, follow the Museum’s social media (Facebook, Instagram).
Nativity triptych made from stoneware by Christina Orthwein, Bryn Athyn, PA, 2018. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.
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#ThrowbackThursday On January 22, 2016, Glencairn’s original Otis elevator took its final trip, after 77 years of carrying Pitcairn family members, household staff, artists, guests, and dignitaries (including President Dwight D. Eisenhower). This video is a “behind-the-scenes” mechanical record of that historic last ride. Turn on the sound to hear the intricate mechanics at work! (Although the old system had to be replaced with modern electronic components, we were able to preserve the original doors and cab.)
In 1877 John Pitcairn (Raymond’s father) and Rev. William Benade left Philadelphia for an extended tour of Europe, Egypt, and the Holy Land. In Egypt a houseboat took them from Cairo to Nubia and back again, on a journey that lasted three months. A fascination with ancient Egyptian religion shines through in Pitcairn’s travel diary. These two pages, written on January 6, 1878, contain his reflections on how and why the Great Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) was built. (He lists ten possible reasons.) Benade wrote home to Philadelphia that the objects they were collecting during their trip were to be used for teaching Egyptian mythology, and would be the beginning of a museum for the Academy of the New Church. Those objects are now part of the Glencairn Museum collection.
Glencairn Museum is currently undergoing a comprehensive infrastructure replacement project! The next phase of the project requires that the Museum be temporarily closed to the public for approximately 18 months, beginning this Saturday, April 30, 2022. We've added additional Highlights and Craftsmanship at Glencairn tours this week, so you can visit the Museum before we close. Visit our website GlencairnMuseum.org for tickets. While the building is closed, the staff will be hard at work providing alternative programming including digital and off-site programs. Stay tuned for some exciting new offerings! If you'd like additional information on the project, click the link: https://bit.ly/GlencairnProject.
After 2 years, we are excited to welcome you back to Glencairn Museum for our annual Medieval Festival! But first, brush up on some of your Medieval history with educator Leah Smith as she uses objects from the Glencairn collection to share more about pilgrimages. Can't remember what a pilgrimage is? Tune in to our social media every day this week for a lesson from Leah. And join us in person on Sunday, April 24th from 1:00pm-5:00pm for our Medieval Festival! #MedievalFestival #GlencairnMuseum #Pilgrimage
Enjoy an opportunity to create beautiful and elaborate Easter egg art in the setting of Glencairn Museum. Instructor, Wendy Hallstrom, will guide participants through the centuries-old technique that is both fun and easier thank you might think! Spaces still available in both beginner and advanced classes. For more info, and to book your ticket online, visit GlencairnMuseum.org and click the blue “Buy Your Tickets” button! #GlencairnMuseum #Workshop #Pysanky #PysankyEggs #PysankyArt #Museum #Philly #Philadelphia #PaMuseums #Art
Join us at the castle for our newest activity, our Animal Adventure! Choose an animal and search for them among the art and architecture on the first floor of the Museum. It's a great way for kids of all ages and reading levels to interact with the objects and artifacts displayed at Glencairn. Available Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 - 4:30 pm. #GlencairnMuseum #AnimalAdventure #Art #AnimalsOfGlencairn #ArtActivityForKids
Glencairn Museum will be closed to the public Saturday, January 29, due to weather. We will reopen Sunday, January 30. Happy Snow Day! ❄️
Glencairn Museum is temporarily closed, but the Glencairn Museum Kids page on our website is open for business! Enjoy a virtual tour of the World Nativities exhibition, dive deeper into your favorite period in history, or spend an afternoon crafting and coloring. Explore it all at glencairnmuseum.org/gmk-homepage.
Glencairn's halls are decked, and ready for your visit! 🎄
Join us in the castle on December 7th or 10th for our Christmas Homeschool Days! The Museum will be open to kids and families for crafting, coloring, and Christmas cheer from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Choose one of the two dates and reserve your tickets now at glencairnmuseum.org. #Christmas #ChristmasCrafts #Homeschool #HomeschoolFamilies #GlencairnMuseumKids
Autumn leaves blowing in the wind 🍁 🍂
Losang Samten continues to create this Tibetan Buddhist Sand Mandala at Glencairn this week. This particular mandala represents the practice of compassion. Here's his progress on day 2. Visit Glencairn to see this created in person today from 1:00 - 4:30 pm, and Saturday from 12:00 - 4:30 pm. The $8 admission fee (free for members) includes access to the Museum's first floor and the Family Adventure Tour. Losang will also be demonstrating on Sunday, October 24, at our Sacred Arts Festival, which runs from 1:00 - 5:00 pm. Visit GlencairnMuseum.org for more information.
Thursday, October 21 through Sunday, October 24 - Witness the step-by-step creation of a traditional Sand Mandala, an ancient art form of Tibetan Buddhism. Mandalas are drawings in sand of the world in its divine form; they represent a map by which the ordinary human mind is transformed into an enlightened mind. Watch as the Venerable Losang Samten (the first Buddhist given permission by the Dalai Lama to make Mandalas in the West) completes and then ritualistically dismantles a Mandala during our Sacred Arts Festival. $8 admission/Free for Members, Thursday, October 21 through Saturday, October 23 from 1:00 - 4:30 pm Included in the Sacred Arts Festival admission on October 24. **In addition to seeing the sand mandala created, your $8 admission (Thursday - Saturday) includes access to the Museum's First Floor and the Family Adventure Tour. Check-in with our Visitor Services desk after your first visit, leave your name, and come back anytime to see his progress for free, through 4:30pm on Saturday 10/23. Click here to purchase your tickets for Thursday, Friday, or Saturday Self-Guided Access to the First Floor https://bit.ly/2ZcNOEM
Our popular Family Adventure Tour is only available until the end of October! Explore the first floor of Glencairn Museum by choosing from a variety of paths that immerse you in medieval careers like stonemasonry and knighthood. With versions available for readers and non-readers, and adventures that take you outdoors to enjoy the beautiful fall weather, this is the perfect weekend outing for the whole family. Visit our website to book your tickets today at www.glencairnmuseum.org #Family #Museum #Adventure #Medieval #StainedGlass #GlassBlowing #MiddleAges #Tour #Mosaic #Castle #MedievalHistory #StoneSculpture #MedievalArchitecture #Manuscripts #Herbs #Cathedral #Pilgrimage #Reliquary #Fresco #Monastery #Knight #MedievalBattle #Armor #MuseumEducation
During the month of May we launched weekly episodes of our 4-part video series on the Ancient Cultures at Glencairn Museum. Now you can watch the whole mini-series and explore all four learning packets at your own pace, right from our website! Learn about the ritual of embalming in ancient Egypt, travel to ancient Rome to meet Minerva-Victoria, journey to ancient Greece to offer libations, and explore the art of Ancient Near Eastern palaces! Visit our website to get started today at www.glencairnmuseum.org/ancient-cultures-miniseries #Family #Museum #AncientEgypt #AncientGreece #AncientNearEast #AncientMesopotamia #AncientRome #AncientHistory #ReliefSculpture #Mythology #MuseumFromHome #MuseumEducation #Homeschool #Learning
Our new Family Adventure Tour is in full swing, and we can’t wait to welcome you and your family to try it out! Collect all six badges by completing each of the different paths in this choose-your-own-adventure style tour. Suitable for families and children grades 3 to 8 and up. Not ready to take on a full adventure just yet? Try Glencairn’s Adventure Seek & Find, a part of the Family Adventure Tour. Suitable for families and children grades K to 3. Whether you choose just one path, all six, or the Adventure Seek & Find, you will get up close with medieval art and objects on the first floor! Visit our website to book your tickets today at www.glencairnmuseum.org #Family #Museum #Adventure #Medieval #StainedGlass #GlassBlowing #MiddleAges #Tour #Mosaic #Castle #MedievalHistory #StoneSculpture #MedievalArchitecture #Manuscripts #Herbs #Cathedral #Pilgrimage #Reliquary #Fresco #Monastery #Knight #MedievalBattle #Armor #MuseumEducation
#MuseumMomentOfZen ⛲️
Spring has sprung and we can spy some flowers blooming in the Museum’s gardens! We also noticed some beautiful flowers and fruit trees in the medieval tapestries that hang on the Museum's walls. These tapestries show people from the Middle Ages hawking, boar hunting, and tending to sheep. What else can you spy in them? Click this link (bit.ly/39JWnc5) to try out our new Medieval Spring I-Spy activity and learn a little more about three medieval tapestries in Glencairn’s collections! Visit our website to find out how to visit the Museum’s gardens in person (bit.ly/3rd8pRn). #GlencairnMuseumKids #MuseumFromHome #Spring #Medieval #Flowers
Wondering what to do with the flowers from Valentine’s Day? Make some flower petal beads! Beads like the ones on necklaces in Glencairn's ancient Egyptian jewelry exhibition have been used for thousands of years, both for decoration and for religious purposes. Check out our new video tutorial here: (bit.ly/3atBVx2). Don’t forget to share your creations with us by tagging us @glencairnmuseum and #glencairnmuseumkids or sending us a photo to [email protected]. #glencairnmuseumkids #museumfromhome #family #kids #homeschool
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