Bringing Schematics to Life

Historic Bethlehem announces Bethlehem by Design, the newest exhibition at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, opening on February 6, 2016 and going through May 15.

In honor of the 275^th anniversary of Bethlehem, PA, this exhibition will showcase a variety of maps, diagrams, drawings, and models that trace Bethlehem’s development as a city. Patrons are invited to examine the process of designing and planning a city with the chance to create their own cities in interactive spaces throughout the exhibition.

Write your thoughts on what makes Bethlehem a unique city on a chalkboard wall and make your own additions or changes. Plus, mark your favorite places and record cherished memories on top of a Plexiglas-covered historic map of Bethlehem!

Guests can also visit the build-your-own-city area, equipped with materials to plan a city space. In the Spotlight Artist Gallery, John Kish IV’s photographs will be on display.

These photos, specifically taken for Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, make their debut at the Bethlehem by Design exhibition and highlight the intimate architectural details of Historic Bethlehem’s sites.

Through his black and white photography, John Kish IV takes a selective look at the geometry, the human touch, and the “how and what” behind the German Colonial Style of Bethlehem’s historic sites in order to draw eyes to the common place and unnoticed.

John Kish IV is a freelance photographer located in Bethlehem making photographs of people in their environments suitable for annual reports, college admissions, trade publications, location and environmental portraits. In his personal projects, Kish is interested in using photography to explore the craft and art of the man-made world around us.

The opening reception and artist meet & greet is March 3, 2016 from 6:00 to 8:00pm at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts.

Admission to this exhibition is $15 for guests and members are free. For more information, call 1-800-360-TOUR or visit www.HistoricBethlehem.org. The Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts is located at 427 North New Street, Bethlehem.

All proceeds from this event help Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites to maintain 20 historic landmarks in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Historic Bethlehem is a not-for-profit institution that brings to life three centuries of American history. Historic Bethlehem tells the story of a small town of great influence, home to some of our nation’s earliest settlers, to America’s first municipal water pumping system, and to one of the world’s greatest industrial companies. Historic Bethlehem is located in Eastern Pennsylvania, only a 1.5 hour drive from Philadelphia to the north and 2 hours west of New York City. Historic Bethlehem is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and is distinguished as a National Historic Landmark District for Historic Moravian Bethlehem.