Celebrity Guest Curators Celebrate The Shaker Legacy

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Jun 1st 2010 at 9:00PM

The Hancock Shaker Village, a living history museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts celebrates 50 years as a museum this year. The site served as a Shaker community from 1790 to 1960 and is now a National Historic Landmark with acres of farm and woods as well as housing a collection of original Shaker furniture, art, objects, tools, textiles and other artifacts. The Village has 18 significant historic buildings including the Round Stone Barn as well as a modern Visitor Center. As you wander through the village you can view pieces of Shaker design, check out demonstrations of Shaker craft, visit the gardens and learn about the Shaker way of life.

To celebrate 50 years the museum asked celebrities and other influential types to serve as guest curators answering the question: "If you could pick any Shaker creation that for you, best illustrates the Shakers' enduring influence, what would it be and why?" Guest curators include designer Michael Graves, television host Al Roker, furniture maker Thomas Moser, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and filmmaker Ken Burns. The exhibit runs now through October 31.Tickets are $17 for adults.

[via ArtFix Daily]

Tags: hancock shaker village, museum, museum exhibit, museum exhibition, museums, shaker, shakers