{Ephrata Cloister Logo} {Lancaster County Community Foundation Logo}
Ephrata Cloister joins the Library System’s Family Museum Pass Program!
The Library System of Lancaster County is pleased to announce the addition of Ephrata Cloister, to its successful Family Museum Pass Program! The new Museum Pass was officially launched on Thursday, October 8th at 2:30 pm at Clay Elementary School in Ephrata.
Elizabeth Bertheaud, Historic Site Administrator for the Ephrata Cloister is very pleased to be a part of this museum and library program, “When I was a child, libraries meant story-time and wonderfully illustrated books to take home to read with my mother. As I got older I began to realize that history is simply a series of stories strung together which form our past, our collective heritage. Historic Ephrata Cloister is very excited to bring the story of Ephrata to local residents and their children and grandchildren through the Library System of Lancaster County's Family Museum Pass Program.”
The Museum Family Pass provides free entry into Ephrata Cloister located at 632 West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522. The Passes are available at all seventeen public libraries in Lancaster County and the Bookmobile. A Pass may be checked out on an adult library card for one week. The Family Pass to the Museum is good for up to four (4) people, one of whom must be an adult and is valid for all hours that the museum is open to the public.
The Family Museum Pass Program began in 2006 as a pilot program between the Library System and the North Museum of Natural History and Science. The success of the project expanded in 2007 to include the National Watch and Clock Museum in Columbia and in 2008 to include the Landis Valley Museum. In September 2009 the National Toy Train Museum in Strasburg joined the Family Museum Pass Program. The Museum Family Pass provides free entry to families into these participating museums. In 2007, The Family Museum Pass Project won a Best Practices Quality of Life Award from the Pennsylvania Library Association and was selected as a case study in The Future of Pennsylvania…Essays on the Role of Libraries in Education.
The Family Museum Pass Program is an on-going family friendly project is sponsored by the Eiserer-Hickey Fund of the Lancaster County Community Foundation. "The Family Museum Pass Project, supported by the Eiserer-Hickey Fund at the Community Foundation, is an exciting program that allows families to access local museums for free. By creating a partnership between local libraries and museums, it provides access to educational resources and enriches the quality of life for local families," said Shanon Solava-Reid, Vice President of Programs at the Lancaster County Community Foundation.
Special Educational Program for Students @ the Event
Children at Clay Elementary school will enjoy a program presented by Michael Showalter, Ephrata Cloister Education Director, entitled “The Little Sister”. This program will give students the chance to learn about the daily life of the brothers and sisters at the Ephrata Cloister. The brothers and sisters lived a life in the 1740s and 1750s that was quite different from our life today. In this program a student gets to wear the clothes of a brother or sister and actually go through their daily schedule for the whole class to see. From waking up at 5:00 in the morning, to eating one meal a day, to sleeping on a wooden bench with a wooden pillow, students will be fascinated by the lifestyle and routine of this historic community.
Susan L. Hauer, Library System Administrator, shares her enthusiasm for the project in saying, “We appreciate responsiveness to the shared goal of all the museums in the program and their continued support in sustaining the museum passes from year to year. Even more so we value the partnerships with improving the economic livelihood of Lancaster County residents through increased access to enriched educational resources and learning environments.”
About the Ephrata Cloister
One of America's earliest religious communities, the Ephrata Cloister was founded in 1732 by German settlers, led by Johann Beissel, who were seeking spiritual goals rather than earthly rewards. Gathered in unique European style buildings, the community consisted of celibate Brothers and Sisters, and a married congregation of families. The Ephrata cloister community did eventually come to a collapse due to weak commitment and involvement of its members after the death of Beissel. This historical site has now become a place where visitors can come and experience the past and get a glimpse of the works published, but it is important to understand that this community was once a place of singing, industry and communion.
At the zenith of the community in the 1740s and 1750s, about 300 members worked and worshiped at the Cloister. Today, the National Historic Landmark is open for tours, special programs, and on-going research opportunities. The grounds of the community are now owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and are administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Marie Kachel Bucher, the last surviving resident of the Ephrata Cloister, died on July 27, 2008, at the age of 98.
