Glencairn Museum
Stephen Morley, Director
T
his year, 2012-2013, marked the 135th anniversary of the Academy of the New Church’s
Museum and the 31st anniversary of Glencairn
Museum. The Museum continued to enthusiastically embrace the challenge to extend the reach
of its mission. Last year 15,000 people visited the
Museum for a school program, public tour, or special event, an increase of more than 1,000 over the
previous year.
Hundreds of visitors explored the rooms where
hand-made representations of the Christmas story
were shown, the majority new to Glencairn’s collection. They found the infant Lord created in
wood, burlap, wool, clay, metal, glass and stone.
There were delightful variations in facial expression, scale and cultural detail. Perhaps the magic
of the familiar story, a spiritual kind of magic,
lifted their minds and hearts above these materials and forms and transported them to far flung
countries, villages and homes and into the minds
and hearts and lives of the people who created
each of these scenes with their own hands. Carefully researched labels identified the names of
these women and men when known, their faith
traditions and cultural practices. The success of
this exhibition was expressed in this way by one
of our visitors: “I believe it is important to share
the joy of Christmas with all denominations and
Glencairn Museum is the perfect place to do so.”
A favorite nativity was the santons, or little
saints, from the Charlevoix region of Quebec,
acquired from the craftsman, Bernard Boivin.
Following a tradition that dates back to 13th century France, Boivin created his charming figures
in clay, molded, fired and then painted. Many of
the characters are dressed as Charlevoix villagers
including Joseph who wears high boots, a fur hat
and a heavy coat tied at the waist. The 18th century
mill and steepled church are modeled after nearby
buildings.
Also of note were a unique pair of representations, one by a mother and the other by her daughter. In the 1936, Bernice Stroh Sandstrom made
a fabric nativity scene while she was expecting
her first child, Mary. Many years later she made
Fourth Annual Nativity Festival
An important part of the Museum’s mission is to
build understanding among people of all beliefs
through an appreciation of our common spiritual
history and values. The story of the birth of Christ
and His message of peace on earth, good will to
all, is one we share with hundreds of millions of
people world-wide. This message was communicated in many ways during the seven weeks of
the 2012 Christmas season at Glencairn, which included an exhibition of nativities, a preview party
for the exhibition, our first Christmas tours, the