Antiochian Heritage Museum - Bolivar, PA - Museum Celebrating Eastern Orthodox Christianity

The Antiochian Heritage Museum is on the grounds of the Antiochian Village Conference and Retreat Center in Bolivar, Pennsylvania. The Antiochian Village Conference and Retreat Center is under the jurisdiction of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. The Antiochian Heritage Museum celebrates the heritage of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

The Antiochian Heritage Museum features a permanent collection of over 750 items. These items provide visitors with the opportunity to see inlaid woodwork, textiles, jewelry, metal crafts, and religious art from the Near East. Using exhibitions, the museum celebrates the cultural and spiritual heritage of Eastern Orthodox Christianity and its roots around Antioch, which is also known as Syria. Christians believe that this is the area wherein the followers of Jesus Christ were first called. Revolving and standing museum exhibits focus on Orthodox Christians in the Middle East and their corresponding US communities. Visitors can see encrusted vestments, legends, and beautiful icons.

In addition to the items in the permanent collection, some of the exhibitions that have been featured at the museum include The Drawings and Paintings of Khalil Gibran, Threads of Tradition - Palestinian Traditional Costumes, and Splendor of Damascus - Textiles and Artifacts of Traditional Syria. The Drawings and Paintings of Khalil Gibran was an exhibit that was on loan from the Telfair Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia. Prior to its display at the Antiochian Heritage Museum, the collection had never been on display outside of the Telfair Museum of Art. The exhibit included 40 original art pieces by the 20th century artist Khalil Gibran.

The Splendor of Damascus collection presents Syrian dresses from the late 19th and early 20th century. The collection is unique and colorful and includes several hand-embroidered dresses, exquisite fabrics, and both city and village fashions. The exhibit includes a wedding dress from Damascus that is made from purple velvet and adorned with gold embroidery. Also included in the exhibit are scarves, antique jewelry, brass work, and wood furniture.

In addition, the museum's permanent collection includes a special display of liturgical items. These items are on permanent display and came from the burial casket of Saint Raphael of Brooklyn. Saint Raphael was an early pioneer of the growth of the Orthodoxy in the United States. He was born in 1860 in Beirut, Lebanon, and he was raised in Damascus. His remains are also on the grounds at the Holy Resurrection Cemetery.

The Antiochian Heritage Museum is open Monday through Friday from 10:00am to 4:30pm. It is open on weekends by appointment only. Group tour plans and reservations can be made by calling 724-238-3677, extension 402. Groups can plan to tour just the museum or they can plan chapel and icon tours as well. In addition, lunch can be arranged for the group with prior notice. There is no fee for admission to the museum, but donations are welcome.

Since the museum is situated on the grounds of the Antiochian Village Conference and Retreat Center, visitors can also take advantage of the services that the center has to offer, such as a camping program.

Additional information regarding the Antiochian Heritage Museum can be obtained by calling the museum curator at 724-238-3677, extension 410.