CLINTON, MA (April 21, 2026) – On Friday, May 29, the Icon Museum and Study
Center will host a special Founder’s Day, celebrating the institution’s twentieth
anniversary with a full day of free admission and community programming.
Founder’s Day gives Clinton residents and visitors a special occasion to explore the
Icon Museum’s origins and honor its founder, Gordon Lankton, whose vision and
generosity established one of America’s most distinctive cultural institutions.

After the passing of Gordon’s wife, Janet Lankton, last year, the Icon Museum received
a significant donation from her estate. As a gesture of gratitude, the Museum’s
auditorium will be formally named in her honor during a special ceremony at 5:30 p.m.
on Founder’s Day with State Representative Meghan Kilcoyne.

The Lanktons had a profound impact on the town of Clinton and nearby communities,
supporting numerous organizations and charitable causes throughout their lives.
Gordon, an avid collector of Russian icons, donated his entire collection in 2006 to
establish the Museum of Russian Icons. Renamed the Icon Museum and Study Center
in 2023 to reflect the museum’s expanding mission and growing collection, the Museum
continues to build on the strong foundations Gordon laid two decades ago.

Reflecting the Lanktons’ spirit of generosity, the Museum will offer free admission all
day, with extended hours until 5:30 p.m. Visitors will also have the opportunity to view a
one-day-only pop-up exhibition on loan from the Clinton Historical Society, highlighting
Gordon’s contributions to the town and surrounding region.

The official evening program will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the formal dedication of the
Janet Lankton Auditorium. Janet loved music and was affectionately nicknamed “The
Singing Lady” for her beautiful harmonizing, frequent singing, and piano playing. The
dedication will be followed by a performance given by acclaimed pianist Ekaterina
Willewald, a returning Museum favorite. The events will conclude at the nearby Clinton
Historical Society, located at 210 Church Street, where visitors can enjoy refreshments
around the fireplace and view special displays of Gordon and Janet Lankton’s legacies.
Founder’s Day promises to be a joyful and memorable occasion honoring the past,
celebrating the present, and looking ahead to the future of the Icon Museum and Study
Center.

For more information, please visit the Icon Museum’s website: iconmuseum.org.

ABOUT THE ICON MUSEUM AND STUDY CENTER

The Icon Museum and Study Center holds the most comprehensive collection of icons
and Eastern Christian art in the U.S. with special galleries and collections dedicated to
Russian, Greek, Veneto-Cretan and Ethiopian icons, spanning nearly two thousand
years of art. Housed in a beautifully restored historic building in a picturesque New
England mill town, the Icon Museum features five galleries, a research library, and an
auditorium.

The Museum’s exhibitions and programs offer a compelling blend of history, spirituality,
and culture, all within a serene, contemplative space. The Study Center connects
scholars, academic institutions, and museums around the globe through lectures,
conferences, workshops, and internships.

VISIT THE MUSEUM:
Thursday – Sunday, 10 AM – 4 PM. The Museum is closed Monday – Wednesday.
Admission: Adults $15, seniors (65+) $12, Students (with ID) FREE, Children and Youth (0-17) FREE.

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