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Community Corner

Not a Creature Was Stirring- Christmas Animals, Toys and Thomas Nast

This year’s second floor Christmas exhibit at Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, “Not a Creature Was Stirring” – Christmas Animals, Toys and Thomas Nast”, opens on December 7th. This second floor exhibit will be available to view on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday afternoons during touring hours, 1pm – 4pm, until December 22nd.  The Museum will reopen on January 2nd and the exhibit will remain on display until Thursday, January 30th. This second floor gallery exhibit features several of the Museum’s holiday-themed Thomas Nast images, as well as toys and ornaments from a century ago.  This is the sixth year antique dealers and local collectors have assembled unique treasures to create a universally charming Christmas holiday exhibit.  This year’s display features an animal theme, presented in the form of toys, animal shaped ornaments and decorations.  The exhibit has been created through generous object loans from Joe and Sharon Happle of Sign of the Tymes Antiques, Lafayette NJ , Lauren V. Rethwisch of Wooly Sheep Antiques, Robbinsville NJ, and Barbara Silverstein, a local collector and member of the museum, and was curated by F.M. Kirby Curator of Collections Ryan Hyman and Mrs. Silverstein.

The Museum’s period rooms will be decorated for the holidays in traditional style by the Garden Club of Morristown with fresh holly and boxwood, greenery and other live decorations including a historically-inspired Christmas tree throughout December.  Enjoy docent-led tours through the period rooms to learn the history of the Macculloch family and W. Parsons Todd, the philanthropist who transformed this family home into a museum with a superb collection of fine English and American decorative arts.  During tours of the gorgeous historic home visitors will view seasonal decorations as well as the Museum's collection of holiday-themed original artwork by caricaturist Thomas Nast.  Nast, a well-known political cartoonist who popularized the Democratic Donkey and the Republican Elephant, also contributed to America’s contemporary image of Santa Claus.  Visitors will find more than thirty of Thomas Nast’s original Santa and Christmas images throughout the Museum’s galleries and period rooms.  Macculloch Hall Historical Museum has the largest collection of Nast originals in the nation.

Guided tours and visits to exhibits are offered on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday afternoons during touring hours, 1pm – 4pm, from December 7th until December 22nd.  The Museum will reopen for holiday tours on January 2nd when visitors will still be able to enjoy the Assumption tree, the second floor “Not a Creature Was Stirring” Christmas exhibit, and Thomas Nast images. This will remain on view through January 30th.  The galleries and gift shop, which stocks a range of Thomas Nast and other Christmas items including cards, prints and ornaments as well as other gift items, are open until 4pm on tour days.  For more information about programs and exhibits please visit our website or Facebook page, accessible through the website.  Macculloch Hall Historical Museum preserves the history of the Macculloch-Miller families, the Morris area community, and the legacy of its founder W. Parsons Todd through its historic site, collections, exhibits, and educational and cultural programs.  The Museum is open for house and exhibit tours on Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.  The last tour leaves at 3pm. Adults $8; Seniors & Students $6; Children 6 – 12 $4. Members and children under 5 are free.  The gardens at Macculloch Hall Historical Museum are open Monday to Friday 9am - 4pm and Sundays 1pm - 4pm unless posted otherwise.  The gates are secured at all other times.  Call (973) 538-2404 ext. 10, visit our website www.maccullochhall.org or find us on Facebook.  Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, 45 Macculloch Ave., Morristown, NJ 07960.  Macculloch Hall Historical Museum received an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.  Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is a nonprofit educational affiliate of the W. Parsons Todd Foundation.
Image courtesy of Stan Freeny.

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