Holiday activities at Carnegie Museum of Art

November 9, 1:59 PMPittsburgh Museum ExaminerCaroline Ydstie

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Christmas Tree at CMU ChemE Party

Caroline Ydstie

The Carnegie Museum of Art is celebrating the upcoming holidays with a variety of special programs. All following activities are included in the price of admission, unless it's otherwise indicated. During the holiday season, the Hall of Architecture at the Carnegie Museum of Art is decked with delightful seasonal displays and hosts special musical events. The Neapolitan presepio has enchanted generations of visitors, while weekend concerts and towering holiday trees adorned with handmade ornaments create a festive atmosphere.

Neapolitan Presepio: Hall of Architecture
November 27, 2009–January 10, 2010
A visit to Carnegie Museum of Art’s Neapolitan presepio, one of the finest Nativity scenes of its kind, has been a Pittsburgh holiday tradition since 1957. Handcrafted by artisans between 1700 and 1830, the presepio teems with lifelike figures and colorful details that re-create the Nativity within a vibrant panorama of 18th-century Italian village life. More than 100 superbly modeled human and angelic figures, along with animals, accessories, and architectural elements, cover a 250-square-foot area and create a memorable depiction of the Nativity as seen through the eyes of Neapolitan artisans and collectors.

Guided Tours of the Neapolitan Presepio
December 4, 2009–January 10, 2010
Tuesdays–Sundays, noon–12:30PM
Take in the museum’s glorious Nativity scene, featuring hundreds of handcrafted figures in an 18th-century Neapolitan palazzo setting.

Holiday Tree Display: Useful Beauty—Celebrating the Decorative Arts
December 4, 2009–January 10, 2010
Hall of Architecture
Five 20-foot individual Colorado spruce trees will line the Hall of Architecture, each individually adorned with themes that celebrate the decorative arts, in honor of the reopening of the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Galleries. An additional 10-foot tree will be located at the Carriage Drive Entrance.

Holiday Tree Preview Party
Thursday, December 3, 5:30PM–8:00PM
Hall of Architecture
Admission is $60 individual ($70 at the door). A $500 sponsor ticket admits a party of 10. Call (412)622-3325 to purchase tickets or visit online to purchase Holiday Tree Preview Party Tickets. The holiday tree display, sponsored by the Women’s Committee of Carnegie Museum of Art, opens with a preview party. This year’s theme, Useful Beauty—Celebrating the Decorative Arts, honors the reopening of the Bruce Galleries and reflects the Women’s Committee’s long tradition of supporting the decorative arts collections.

Holiday Concerts are scheduled for select Saturdays and Sundays in December in the Hall of Architecture at 1:00PM.
Saturday, December 5: Brooke Annibale
Sunday, December 6: Chatham Choir
Saturday, December 12: Robert and Roberta Erickson: Solo and Duet Handbells
Sunday, December 13: Center for Young Musicians
Saturday, December 19: Joy Ike
Sunday, December 20: Frank Cappelli

The Carnegie Café, quality self-serve dining, Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10:30AM to 3:30PM. Fossil Fuels Refreshments and family-friendly food, Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10AM to 4:00PM on Sundays from noon to 4:00PM. Brown Bag Lunchroom/Vending area is open daily during museum hours.

This holiday season, Carnegie Museum of Art will observe the following changes in hours: Closed on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 26), Christmas Day (Friday, December 25), and New Year’s Day (Friday, January 1).

Carnegie Museum of Art is located at 4400 Forbes Avenue in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. For more information, call 412.622.3131.