Celebrate 'Holiday Magic at Brandywine' beginning October 31
Chadds Ford, PA, October 21, 2020—The wonder of the holiday season starts early at the Brandywine River Museum of Art this year! Beginning on October 31, 2020, visitors can enjoy “Holiday Magic at Brandywine” with the opening of the Brandywine Railroad—a holiday favorite since 1972. On view through January 10, 2021, this year’s seasonal offerings will also include the return of artist and composer Ann Wyeth McCoy’s dollhouse, which features six rooms filled with three-dozen dolls and hundreds of miniature objects that will delight visitors of all ages.
While slightly modified this year to provide a safe and socially distant experience, the Brandywine Railroad display will still have plenty of model trains, miniature details and the engaging elements that everyone loves—including interactive components operated by hands-free foot pedals. The iconic O-gauge display will feature trains running on a thousand feet of track through a small village, a drive-in movie theater and even a carnival. This year the Brandywine will also introduce two model train sets with layouts once owned by Nicky and Jamie Wyeth—sons of the renowned American artist, Andrew Wyeth.
Nicky Wyeth’s standard gauge train display features historic “tinplate” Lionel trains from the 1920s and 30s traveling around colorful buildings and scenery, including a large bridge modeled after New York’s Hell Gate Bridge. The 8 x 12 foot display was also recently enhanced with modern reproductions of a 1940s monorail. Artist Jamie Wyeth’s N-gauge train display was originally co-owned by Wyeth and his friend and fellow toy collector, artist Andy Warhol. Included in the 4 x 6 foot landscape are foothills of a mountain, train tunnels with a bridge crossing a lake, and even a diminutive industrial town with a main street packed with businesses and rowhouses, a steel mill, and a large metal warehouse featuring an oversized reproduction of Wyeth’s own famous painting, Portrait of Pig.
Beginning November 27, the Brandywine’s whimsical Critter ornaments—handcrafted by volunteers at home this year—will also be back to decorate the towering trees in the Museum’s three-story atrium. Thousands of these unique treasures will be available for purchase during the Annual Holiday Critter Sale from December 2-6, 2020. Safety precautions, including face mask requirements and capacity limits, will be in place for all in-person shopping. New this year, a selection of some of the Brandywine’s most popular Critter creations are also available for purchase online and can be shipped across the country. The online Critter shop can be found at www.brandywine.org/critters.
To ensure the safety, security and quality of the visitor experience, the Brandywine has implemented a variety of new COVID-19 procedures, including face mask requirements, timed ticketing and capacity limits. All guests will need to reserve timed tickets prior to visiting the Brandywine River Museum of Art; advance reservations are recommended. More information on these safety procedures and timed ticketing can be found at www.brandywine.org/now-open
Support for “Holiday Magic at Brandywine” is generously provided by The Davenport Family Foundation Fund for Exhibitions, Herr Foods Inc., and The Frelinghuysen Foundation.
About the Brandywine River Museum of Art:
The Brandywine River Museum of Art features an outstanding collection of American art housed in a 19th-century mill building with a dramatic steel and glass addition overlooking the banks of the Brandywine. The Museum is located on Route 1 in Chadds Ford, PA. Admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors ages 65 and over, $6 for students and children ages 6 and up; free for children 5 and younger and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art members. The Museum is open Wednesday–Monday (closed Tuesdays); current hours of operation can be found at brandywine.org/hours or by calling 610.388.2700. Guided tours of the Andrew Wyeth Studio, N. C. Wyeth House & Studio, and the Kuerner Farm—all National Historic Landmarks—are currently closed due to COVID-19 safety precautions. They will reopen for tours in April 2021. The Museum is one of the two programs of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
About the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art:
The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art preserves and promotes the natural and cultural connections between the area’s beautiful landscape, historic sites, and important artists. The Conservancy protects the lands throughout the Brandywine Valley, developing new conservation approaches and assuring access to majestic open spaces and dependable water supplies for generations to come. The Museum of Art presents and collects historic and contemporary works of American art, engaging and exciting visitors of all ages through an array of exhibitions and programs. The Brandywine unites the inspiring experiences of art and nature, enhancing the quality of life in its community and among its diverse audiences.
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