Museum of Russian Icons

The Museum of Russian Icons was founded in 2006 as a nonprofit educational institution by Massachusetts art collector and industrialist Gordon B. Lankton. Including more than 1,000 Russian icons and artifacts, the collection is the largest of its kind in North America, and one of the largest private collections outside Russia. Spanning six centuries, the collection includes important historical paintings dating from the earliest periods of icon "writing" to the present.

Hours:
Tuesday through Friday 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Mondays closed.

Docent tours are available during Museum hours. The Museum is accessible to people with disabilities. Museum visitors can opt to use the complimentary audio tour about select icons featured in the collection. Audio tours are available in English, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French.

Admission:
Adults $10
Seniors (59 and over) $7
Students (with ID) $5
Children (3-17) $5
Children under 3 FREE

Please see Group Tours for Group rates.

HISTORY
In the 1960s, plastics engineer Gordon B. Lankton went to work at Nypro, an international injection molded plastics company, in Clinton, Massachusetts, and eventually became president. In 1989, on a business trip to Russia, Mr. Lankton purchased his first icon at an open-air market. His collection quickly grew, and eventually gave birth to the idea of starting a museum. Mr. Lankton chose Clinton for the location to give back to the community that had supported him.

The Museum is housed in a 150-year-old former mill building. A contemporary, aluminum-clad addition to the mill building accommodating the South Gallery, Library, and offices was completed in 2008. The adjacent 150-year-old former courthouse and police station with holding cells was acquired in 2010 and renovated to provide additional gallery space, a terrace with a green roof, a tea room, and performance facilities accommodating lectures and concerts. Three floors of galleries display the permanent collection. A dedicated gallery features special exhibitions ranging from contemporary Russian art to icons from other Orthodox cultures. It is the only museum in the USA dedicated to Russian icons, and the largest collection of icons outside of Russia.

VISION
The Museum of Russian Icons enhances relations between Russia and the United States through the medium of art, especially Russian icons.

MISSION
The Museum of Russian Icons inspires the appreciation and study of Russian culture by collecting and exhibiting icons and related objects; igniting the interest of national and international audiences; and offering interactive educational programs. The Museum serves as a leading center for research and scholarship through the Center for Icon Studies and other institutional collaborations.

©2020 Museum of Russian Icons https://www.museumofrussianicons.org/photography-policy/