Experience the making of a Tibetan Buddhist sand mandala

Glencairn Museum invites individuals and families to get up close and personal with one of the Museum’s most popular “sacred arts” artisan crafts this April: the building of a traditional Tibetan Buddhist sand mandala.

The Venerable Lama Losang Samten, a Tibetan Buddhist monk who has been demonstrating the making of a sand mandala at the Museum’s annual spring Sacred Arts Festival for several years, returns to Glencairn’s Great Hall Wednesday through Sunday, April 18-22. Donations welcome April 18-21; included in Sacred Arts Festival admission April 22. The Great Hall is open afternoons for self-guided tours of the space on these days.

Using small tubes, funnels and scrapers called chak-pur, Losang deftly sifts colored fine sand onto areas of the mandala to develop the intricate, brilliantly hued design. Working from 1 to 4:30 each day, Losang patiently builds the mandala over five days, explaining the time-consuming process to visitors. At 4:00 on April 22, Sacred Arts Festival guests may participate in the ritual dismantling of the mandala and even take home some of the colored sand.

As a reminder, Glencairn’s Sacred Arts Festival is held Sunday, April 22, from 1 to 5pm. Festival admission is $10 adults, $8 seniors/students with ID, FREE for Museum 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 inside and outside the castle.

Please note: 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.

Glencairn Museum is at 1001 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn 19009.

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