Our Mission
The Icon Museum and Study Center illuminates the art of the sacred icon for a global audience. We serve as a leading center for dialogue on icons as a diverse and living tradition. We inspire learning and understanding through innovative exhibitions, programs, and scholarship.
Our Core Values
“We value every visitor and the worth of every individual.”
Gordon B. Lankton, Founder
- Inspiration – Exciting curiosity and discovery
- Diversity – Embracing all individuals, cultures, and expressions
- Accessibility – Ensuring a welcoming and inclusive environment
- Integrity – Maintaining the highest ethical standards in all we do
Vision For The Future
In 2023, growing out of our strategic planning process and with input from our museum community, we changed the name of the Museum of Russian Icons to the Icon Museum and Study Center. The new name respects our history while pointing to our vision for our future.
This museum is a truly unique place; it is the only specialized museum for icons and Eastern Christian art in the United States. We believe in the power of icons and in their universal meaning for people of all faiths, races, and political beliefs. We want our public to discover, to be educated, and to get inspired.
Our ambition is to build a leading institution that serves as a crossroads for dialogue on the world of icons and Eastern Christian art. We want to deeply engage our audiences, bringing people together in person at the Museum and digitally through our website and online programs.
We will preserve and collect Orthodox art, while diversifying and expanding our collections to include Greek icons, Veneto-Cretan icons, Ethiopian icons, and more. Simultaneously we will cherish and enhance the extensive collection of Russian icons which is at the core of our institution. We will organize attractive and meaningful permanent and temporary exhibitions because we believe that there is nothing more powerful and moving than the encounter with the original object, presented in the context of a well-told narrative.
Our Study Center will foster innovative ideas and cultural understanding through scholarly programs, lectures, conferences, and internships. We will seek partnerships with museums, academic institutions, and private collectors worldwide. While pursuing these ambitious goals, we will also work strengthen our ties with the local community, and to create a financially sustainable and respected institution.
Simon Morsink
Executive Director