More than 10,000 handmade "Critter" ornaments crafted for Brandywine Museum of Art's annual Holiday Critter Sale, held November 30–December 3, 2023
Chadds Ford, PA, November 20, 2023 — The Brandywine Museum of Art’s annual Holiday Critter Sale returns November 30–December 3, 2023. Each year since 1971, these distinctive ornaments have been carefully handcrafted by a dedicated group of Brandywine volunteers using all-natural and foraged materials such as teasel, pinecones, acorns, eggshells, flowers and seed pods. Critters come in all shapes and sizes from whimsical animals—like reindeer, foxes, bears and woodland creatures—to heavenly angels and stars, and cozy cottage tabletop scenes. Held offsite this year at the nearby Chadds Ford Historical Society, this year’s sale will feature more than 10,000 unique and fanciful Critter ornaments and tabletop displays to choose from.
The public sale hours run November 30 through December 2, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m., and December 3, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Brandywine members are also invited to enjoy early access during the member preview sale on November 29, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The sale will be held offsite at the Chadds Ford Historical Society, located at 1736 Creek Road, Chadds Ford, PA 19317—credit card sales only. Critter prices range from $5 to $35, with specialty items from $50 to $250. All proceeds benefit the Brandywine’s Art Education and Public Programming. Over the years, more than $1.5 million dollars has been raised from the sale.
For those who can’t make it to the in-person sale, a smaller selection of Critter ornaments and houses are also available for purchase online and can be shipped across the country by visiting www.brandywine.org/critters. Visitors to the Brandywine Museum of Art can also enjoy hundreds of Critter ornaments that adorn the towering trees inside the Museum’s atrium during the holiday season. Beginning December 4, 2023, all remaining Critter ornaments from the public sale will also be sold inside the Museum’s gift shop, while supplies last.
Also on view for the holiday season at the Brandywine Museum of Art, the Brandywine Railroad model train display features trains running on 2,000 feet of track and includes more than 1,000 pieces, such as locomotives, passenger and freight trains, and trolleys that pass through a small village, a farm, factories, a drive-in movie theater and even a carnival. For more than 50 years, this iconic O-gauge model train display has been a cherished holiday tradition for generations of Museum visitors. Several interactive components are also incorporated into the display, operated by buttons and foot pedals that allow for further engagement. The Brandywine Railroad will be on view through January 7, 2024.
Beginning November 24, 2023 through January 7, 2024, the Museum will be open seven days a week for extended holiday hours, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closing early at 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas day).
About the Brandywine Museum of Art:
The Brandywine 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 River. The Museum is located on Route 1 in Chadds Ford, PA. Current admission rates and hours of operation can be found at www.brandywine.org/hours. Guided tours of the Andrew Wyeth Studio, N. C. Wyeth House & Studio, and the Kuerner Farm—all National Historic Landmarks—are available seasonally (for an additional fee); advance reservations are recommended. For more information, call 610.388.2700 or visit brandywine.org/museum. 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 and waters throughout the Brandywine Valley and other priority conservation areas, developing sustainable approaches to emerging needs and assuring preservation of majestic open spaces and protection of natural resources 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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