With a permanent collection of more than 750 items, the Antiochian Heritage Museum offers visitors a fascinating look at the textiles, inlaid woodwork, metal crafts, jewelry, and religious art of the Near East. Through its exhibitions, the Museum celebrates the magnificent artistic, cultural and spiritual heritage of this region, of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and particularly its roots in and around Antioch (Syria), where in the Bible we learn that the followers of Jesus Christ were first called Christians. (Acts 11:26)
In addition to work from the permanent collection, past exhibitions have included The Drawings and Paintings of Khalil Gibran on loan from the Telfair Museum of Art in Georgia, as well as Threads of Tradition - Palestinian Traditional Costumes, from the spectacular collection of Farah and Hanan Munayyer.
A special display of liturgical items from the burial casket of Saint Raphael of Brooklyn is on permanent exhibit. Born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1860, and raised in Damascus, Syria, Saint Raphael was an early pioneer of Orthodoxy’s growth in the United States. His remains are at the Holy Resurrection Cemetery on the grounds of Antiochian Village.
| Current Exhibition (through February 2009) | |
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EAST MEETS WEST IN LIGONIER
The exhibit East Meets West was borne out of a desire to participate in Ligonier 250, a regional celebration of 250 years of local history since the founding of Fort Ligonier and the French And Indian War battle of Loyalhanna which occurred there in 1758. Exploring the background of the Antiochian Village property, just 6 miles north of Fort Ligonier – beginning with settlers who arrived here during the frontier days and leading up to the present time – led to the discovery of historical connections between Scotch-Irish Presbyterians (who first built a church on this property) and Orthodox Christians of the Middle East (who now own Antiochian Village). The story told through this exhibit spans the centuries, and crosses oceans, continents, cultures, and faiths, as it explores a series of fascinating links between East and West, rich in the heritage and legacies of two emigrant communities who have made the United States, and this region, their home.
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| Museum Hours (Expanded Summer Hours through October 31) |
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Monday through Saturday Sunday
10 am - 4:30 pm 12:00 noon - 4:30 pm
Plan your visits and tours by contacting Joyce Foster at
(724) 238-3677 ext. 402 or via email at sales@antiochianvillage.org. Lunch and/or Chapel/Icon Tours May also be arranged. Donations are welcome and appreciated.
For more information, please contact our Museum Curator via email or 724-238-3677 x410.
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.jpg "East Meets West logo")
 Symbols that SpeakIn this section of the East Meets West exhibit, the visitor is offered an opportunity to explore the meaning and Biblical basis for various symbols of the Orthodox Christian Church, through a display of religious icons, sacred vessels, colorful vestments and artifacts from the museum’s permanent collection. |
 Tortosa from the island of Ruad Original 19th century hand-colored steel engraving by William Bartlett |
 Wall on the West Side of Antioch Original 19th century steel engraving by William Bartlett |