Special Exhibition Opening

New to Us: Recent Additions to the Collection highlights acquisitions from the last decade, inviting visitors into our process of documentation and storytelling. The objects in this exhibition illustrate why we collect, revealing the stories that connect us. Whether through their makers, owners, or donors, every object has a story to tell. Curator Andy Mcleod stated, “We hope visitors will feel inspired to think about history as a continuous process that we are all engaged in, as opposed to something we’re passively observing.” The exhibition also looks at the role that the Moravian Historical Society plays in preserving cultural heritage. Even though the majority of the museum’s collection is in its 18th century objects, the process of preserving and documenting history is ongoing.  Even after 168 years of collecting, the preservation of our rich history remains as vital now as in 1857.

Works in the exhibition include the Civil War uniform worn by Brevet Brigadier General William E. Doster (1837-1919), a native of Moravian Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Doster defended the co-conspirators who had attempted to assassinate Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward on the night of Lincoln’s assassination. The exhibition also features pieces of miniature furniture handmade by Eschor Barton Clewell, a former curator at the Society. 

​The public is invited to attend the opening reception on Sunday, May 4, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Curator Andy McLeod will speak about the exhibition at 3:00 pm.

The exhibition will run from May 4, 2025 through January 18, 2026.