Friday, November 27, 2026–Sunday, January 3, 2027
Open daily from 12:00–4:30 pm
Tuesday, January 5, 2027–Sunday, January 24, 2027
Tuesday–Sunday open from 1:00–4:30 pm
Closed Mondays in January
$5 per person, included with a guided tour/event attendance
Free for all Museum membership levels and children 4 and under
Glencairn Museum’s annual World Nativities exhibition presents dozens of three-dimensional Nativity scenes collected from around the world. For many Christians, the Nativity scene is a meaningful expression of religious faith, providing a compelling visual focus during the Christmas season. World Nativities shows how artists adapt the Nativity scene to represent their own spiritual, intellectual, cultural, and regional environments. Settings for many of the Nativities have been created by Bryn Athyn artist Kathleen Glenn Pitcairn.
Friday, November 27, 2026–Sunday, January 3, 2027
Monday–Friday at 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, and 3:00 pm
Saturday–Sunday at 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, and 2:30 pm
$15 Adult
$12 Seniors and Students
Free for all Museum membership levels and children 4 and under
Visit our Special Rates page for discounted ticket options.
For forty years (1940s to 1970s), the Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn family celebrated Christmas at Glencairn with a concert, a large three-part Nativity scene, a decorated tree that reached beyond the second-floor balcony, and a Christmas day meal. This 60-minute guided holiday tour visits five different floors, including the Tower and Bedroom suite. Your guide will take you on a journey back through time to explore how the Pitcairn family celebrated Christmas in their 20th-century castle. At the conclusion of the tour, visitors can enjoy self-guided access to the World Nativities exhibition.
Saturday, November 28, 2026
10:00 am–12:00 pm
Free for all Glencairn Museum membership levels
Registration deadline: Sunday, November 15, 2026
Celebrate the opening of Christmas at Glencairn and the World Nativities exhibition with a festive morning at the castle. This exclusive event for Glencairn Museum members offers a first look at dozens of intricately crafted, three-dimensional Nativity scenes from around the world, displayed throughout the beautifully decorated first floor of the Museum.
Enjoy light refreshments and beverages and a special presentation by Christopher Malone, curator at Historic Trappe and the Center for Pennsylvania German Studies. Malone will give insights on the Moravian star and other Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas traditions.
Following the program, guests are invited to mingle with Glencairn Museum staff and preview highlights from this year’s Christmas in the Castle tour.
Friday, December 11, 2026
Tuesday, December 15, 2026
Thursday, December 17, 2026
9:45 am–12:00 pm
$8 per person, children 4 and under free
Advanced registration is required by 11:59 pm the day prior to each session.
Glencairn Museum welcomes homeschool families to its annual Christmas Homeschool Mornings. The morning includes a Christmas in the Castle tour, along with self-guided activities on the first floor.
Saturday, December 12, 2026
12:00–3:30 pm
$75 per person (includes a $10 fee for materials, glazing, and firing)
10% discount for Basic, Gold, and Patron level Glencairn Museum members
Ages 16+
Advanced registration is required by Wednesday, December 2, 2026.
Create one-of-a-kind ceramic ornaments inspired by the beauty of Glencairn Museum. In this hands-on workshop, you will design, carve, and press your own ornaments.
Begin by exploring Glencairn’s stunning spaces for inspiration, then transfer your design to a dry plaster block and carefully carve your mold. Each participant will be able to press six ornaments from their mold. The ornaments will then be glazed and fired by the instructor and ready for pickup before Christmas.
All tools and materials are provided. A design template and instructions will be emailed to participants in advance, giving you plenty of time to plan your design—or you can create your design at the workshop after gathering inspiration at the Museum. No prior ceramic experience is necessary.
Tuesday, December 15, 2026
Thursday, December 17, 2026
9:45 am–12:00 pm
$8 per person, children 4 and under free
Advanced registration is required by 11:59 pm the day prior to each session.
Glencairn Museum welcomes homeschool families to its annual Christmas Homeschool Mornings. The morning includes a Christmas in the Castle tour, along with self-guided activities on the first floor.
Thursday, December 17, 2026
9:45 am–12:00 pm
$8 per person, children 4 and under free
Advanced registration is required by 11:59 pm the day prior to each session.
Glencairn Museum welcomes homeschool families to its annual Christmas Homeschool Mornings. The morning includes a Christmas in the Castle tour, along with self-guided activities on the first floor.
Saturday, February 20 and 27, 2027
2:30–4:30 pm
$125 per person (includes $15 materials fee)
10% discount for Glencairn Museum members
Ages 16+
Registration required by Monday, February 15
Join us for a two-day, hands-on workshop exploring the art of paper marbling and bookbinding. Create your own hand-marbled paper, then use it to decorate a small, hand-stitched book (approximately 4 × 6 inches). Choose from a variety of colors and patterns, and feel free to bring decorative paper from home to make your book uniquely yours. No prior experience or special skills are required. Access to Glencairn’s first floor is included in the workshop fee.
Saturday and Sunday, March 6 and 7, 2027
Weekend One
Session 1: Saturday, March 6 | 9:00 am–12:00 pm
Session 2: Saturday, March 6 | 1:00–4:00 pm
Session 3: Sunday, March 7 | 1:00–4:00 pm
$50 (including materials)
10% discount for Patron, Gold, and Basic Glencairn Museum membership levels
Registration Deadline:
For March 6 and 7, registration deadline is Wednesday, March 3
For March 13 and 14, registration deadline is Wednesday, March 10
Ages 16+
Join us for a morning or afternoon of artistic exploration as instructor Wendy Hallstrom introduces participants to the historic and intricate process of creating pysanky, decorative eggs made in the Ukrainian Easter tradition. Participants of all experience levels are welcome, including beginners. Access to the Museum’s first floor, including “A Museum for the Academy”: The First 100 Years exhibition and interactive activities, is included in the workshop admission fee.
