For the 13th consecutive year, the Knights of Columbus Museum is displaying artistic representations of the birth of Jesus at the center of its annual Christmas exhibition. The show, Peace on Earth: Crèches of the World, will be on view through February 19, 2018.
This art form, referred to as a Nativity scene or crèche and attributed St. Francis of Assisi in Italy during the 13th century, has become a focus for artists around in the globe. The museum's array of crèches showcases the diversity of cultures that created them and a faith history seeking to unite people across the world in concord despite global differences.
Peace on Earth: Crèches of the World features many items from the museum's own collection, including its recent acquisitions of Polish szopki, stone sculptures from Zimbabwe, and Hummel figurines. Also included are crèches on loan from Glencairn Museum (Pennsylvania), the International Marian Research Institute at the University of Dayton (Ohio), the Loyola University Museum of Art (Illinois), and Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal (Québec).
The museum will also feature its annual Christmas Tree Festival. This popular display of two dozen Christmas Trees showcases the imagination and talent of Connecticut elementary schoolchildren who create handmade ornaments and trim in their classrooms then travel to the museum to tour the Christmas exhibit and decorate a tree.
The Knights of Columbus Museum, located at 1 State Street in New Haven, is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free admission and parking. For more information or to schedule a group visit, visit kofcmuseum.org or call 203-865-0400.
