Special Exhibition Opens on May 4 with Talk and Reception
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 recent acquisitions,
and how they contribute to a broader understanding of Moravian history and culture.
Nazareth, PA—The Moravian Historical Society announces the opening of a new special exhibition, New to Us: Recent Additions to the Collection, on Sunday, May 4, 2025.
New to Us: Recent Additions to the Collection highlights recent 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 features a large collection of mid-century handmade miniatures of Pennsylvania furniture, created by one of the Moravian Historical Society’s former curators, Eschor B. Clewell. Visitors will also see a quilt made by the ordained women of the Moravian Church Northern Province to honor Bishop Kay Ward, the first woman Bishop in the history of the Moravian Church.
The public is invited to attend the opening reception on Sunday, May 4, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. McLeod will speak about the exhibition at 3:00 pm. New to Us: Recent Additions to the Collection will be on view from May 4, 2024, through January 18, 2026.
Founded in 1857, the Moravian Historical Society (MHS) preserves, interprets, and celebrates the rich culture of the Moravians. MHS maintains the 1740–1743 Whitefield House and the 1740 Gray Cottage, the oldest surviving Moravian structure in North America. Recognized widely for its significant collection, the museum offers permanent and changing exhibitions, educational programs, guided tours, and public activities.
The Moravian Historical Society’s Museum is open daily from 1:00 to 4:00 pm and is located at 214 East Center Street, Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
This exhibition is supported, in part, with funding from the Hotel Tax Grant Program through the County of Northampton Department of Community & Economic Development.
For more information, visit www.moravianhistory.org
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Information provided to TVL by:
Moravian Historical Society
