Discover sacred arts and culture at Glencairn Museum April 24

Experience religious art in the making at Glencairn Museum, 1001 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn 19009, during its annual Sacred Arts Festival on Sunday, April 24, from 1:00 till 5:00pm. The festival features an array of demonstrations throughout the afternoon, from glassblowing and icon writing to solo-voice music and the creation of a sand mandala, that give visitors a unique view of many beautiful expressions of faith from various cultures.

This event is also a rare opportunity to experience the Museum’s vast collection of religious art and artifacts—and the castle itself—while touring its many galleries and public spaces. At their leisure, visitors are invited to explore room by room, take in the exciting view from Glencairn’s tower (recently reopened after completion of the Museum’s elevator restoration) or relax in the Castle Café.

Admission is $10 adults, $8 seniors/students with I.D., FREE for members and children 3 and under. It includes all festival demonstrations and access to the galleries and the tower as well as the Museum’s 15-minute orientation video and cell-phone audio tour of the collections.

The Castle Café is again hosted by Huntingdon Valley’s Be Well Bakery, offering Be Well’s bakery snacks, fresh gourmet coffee and hot tea.

This year’s Sacred Arts Festival includes these demonstrations:

· Glassblowing with Jason Klein
· Metal forging with Warren Holzman
· Stained glass painting with J. Kenneth Leap
· Sand mandala completion and dismantling with Losang Samten
· Icon writing with Susan Kelly vonMedicus
· Solo-voice music with Les Canards Chantants
· Stone carving with Jens Langlotz
· Mosaic making with Carol Stirton-Broad
· Replica Gutenberg-era printing press with Kirsten Gyllenhaal

Of special interest are the Tibetan Buddhist sand mandala, created over 5 days and ritually dismantled late Sunday afternoon by The Venerable Lama Losang Samten, and the glassblowing demonstration by Historical Glassworks’ Jason Klein, who is working to bring medieval skills back to life while researching the centuries’ old striated ruby red glass that Bryn Athyn artisans famously recreated in the early 20th century.

Losang Samten will be working on the mandala daily from April 20 through 24. Jason Klein will continue his demonstrations for Museum visitors in the afternoons following the festival through Friday, April 29. For information on visiting during either of these added events, please call the Museum at 267.502.2990.

Please note: During the festival, the elevator stops only at the 1st and 5th floors and the Tower. Please use the stairs while exploring Glencairn Museum’s galleries on all other floors.

No strollers or backpack-style baby carriers allowed in the Museum and no wheelchairs permitted beyond the first floor.

Photography for private use is permitted. No flash, tripods, selfie-sticks or videography.

For more information, visit www.glencairnmuseum.org or call 267.502.2990.

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Two young visitors try out stone carving tools under the watchful eye of artisan Jens Langlotz at an earlier Sacred Arts Festival at Glencairn Museum. Langlotz will demonstrate stone carving techniques at this year’s festival, 1-5pm on Sunday, April 24. (Credit: Kristin Kinsey for Glencairn Museum)

J. Kenneth Leap of Painted Window Studio and Glencairn’s stained glass artist-in-residence, demonstrates stained glass painting. Leap is one of the array of demonstrations at this year’s festival, 1-5pm on Sunday, April 24, at Glencairn Museum. (Credit: Glencairn Museum)