Sacred Art from the Middle Ages to the Florentine Renaissance: A Pilgrimage to New York City
May 22-25, 2015

Join GladdeningLight for a sacred art excursion to the city of New York bathed in the warmth of spring. Among the many planned activities, a highlight will be a private showing of twenty-three masterworks of early Italian renaissance sculpture from Florence’s duomo cathedral at the Museum of Biblical Art , that The New York Times, calls “a beautiful, soul-stirring exhibition.”

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Additionally, the group will take in a world of medieval art and spirituality with a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Cloisters Museum & Gardens along the Hudson River. There will be a brunch overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park at restaurant Robert in the Museum of Arts & Design building, private dinner in the Bass Room at the Metropolitan Museum, a Saturday luncheon, and Atlantic Theater tickets to Guards at the Taj.

Travel & Accommodations

The three days & nights will take place over the Memorial Day weekend, May 22-25, 2015.

Hotel Wales

Hotel Lobby

The boutique Hotel Wales on tony Madison Avenue between 92nd and 93rd Streets will serve as our headquarters.  It sits atop the Carnegie Hill neighborhood in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Surrounded by quaint French and Italian restaurants, the area retains its village feel from a hundred years past and is within walking distance to the city’s museum & cultural institutions.

Next door to the Wales is Sarabeth’s, a heralded bakery and breakfast spot that offers hotel room service.

The Hotel Wales is convenient to Central Park, myriad restaurants and the city’s museums. Here are surrounding sites in the neighborhood, Hotel Wales NYC.

Dr. Ena Heller

The GladdeningLight pilgrimage to New York will be led by the former director of the Museum of Biblical Art and current director of the Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College, Dr. Ena Heller.

Photos from the Pilgrimage

Reservations

Hotel Wales in NYC, Bedroom

St. John the Evangelist by Donatello

Included: a welcome reception, three nights hotel accommodation & taxes, museum admissions, transportation to & from The Cloisters, private dining at the Metropolitan Museum, brunch at Restaurant Robert, a Saturday luncheon, tickets to the Atlantic Theater Company’s Guards at the Taj, and a farewell group breakfast at Sarabeth’s.

Not included: airfare and airport transfers, incidental food & beverage, and other transportation costs.

Contact Randall B. Robertson, [email protected] at (800) 835-7212, for further information.

This will be the only opportunity to see “Sculpture in the Age of Donatello” anywhere in America and an intimate trip for a few dozen guests anticipated to fill to capacity.

Exalt the art of the sacred from Europe to New York.

Wales Hotel NYC, Reception

Schedule of Events

Friday, May 22, 2015

Arrivals

Welcome reception, Island Restaurant next door to the Hotel Wales, 1305 Madison Avenue, light hors d’oeuvres & wine from 5:30-7 pm

Interior Courtyard at The Cloisters at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Convene in the Hotel Wales Carnegie Lounge, Mezzanine Level, 8:30 am

Depart by minibus to The Cloisters, 9:00 am

Tour of the Cloisters & Gardens, 10:00 – noon

Lunch at Serafina, 2178 Broadway at 77th, 12:45 pm

Bass Room at the Met

Minibus return to the Hotel Wales to arrive at 2:45 pm

Walk/Taxi to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to arrive at 5:00 pm

Tour of the medieval & renaissance wings, other areas of interest including China: “Through the Looking Glass” and Van Gogh’s “Irises & Roses” exhibit, 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Private dining at the Met in the Bass Room, 8:00 pm

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Museum of Biblical Art

Meet at MOBIA for private tour of “Sculpture in the Age of Donatello,” 9:00 am

Post-tour discussion, ABA lobby, 10:15 am

Walk to Robert for brunch on the ninth floor of the Museum of Arts & Design, 2 Columbus Circle, 11:00 am

Afternoon free

Guards at the Taj

Meet at the Atlantic Theater Company, Linda Gross Theater, 336 West 20th Street, Guards at the Taj, 6:45 pm

Monday, May 25, 2015

Group breakfast & discussion with playwright Rajiv Joseph on the upstairs landing at Sarabeth’s, next door to the Hotel Wales, 9:00 am

Checkout & departure (and time for nearby trips on your own to the Jewish Museum, the Guggenheim, Museum of the City of New York, Cooper Hewitt Museum and Neue Gallery)

A GladdeningLight Trip