CLINTON, MA—August 21, 2025—The Icon Museum and Study Center announced today that Elliot Mackin has been appointed as the new Associate Curator and Study Center Manager. Mackin will begin his full-time role on September 1, 2025.

Mackin joins the Icon Museum from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he served as the Hanns Swarzenski and Brigitte Horney Swarzenski Fellow in the Department of Medieval Art. He is a doctoral candidate in art history at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in Byzantine religious art. His research explores the psychology and politics of Eastern Christian art, with a particular focus on Christ’s appearance in the medieval Eastern Mediterranean.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Elliot to the team at the Icon Museum,” said Simon Morsink, Executive Director of the Museum. “He brings a unique vision, a strong academic background, and a fresh perspective on interpreting and presenting our collection. As a historian of icons and Eastern Christianity, he will play a key role in engaging diverse audiences and connecting the past with the present. In addition to his role as Associate Curator, he will also lead the continued development of the Study Center, an essential part of the Museum that extends our resources to global dialogues.”

In his new role, Mackin will manage the Museum’s special exhibitions and public programming. His work will focus on expanding opportunities for visitors to explore the beauty and history of icons and to make connections across different cultures and time periods.

“I am thrilled to join the team at the Icon Museum and Study Center,” said Mackin. “My goal is to make icons and sacred art meaningful and accessible to everyone by taking an educational approach and sharing the Museum’s incredible collection with diverse public audiences.”

Mackin brings nearly a decade of experience studying and teaching African, Byzantine, Cretan, Greek, Russian, and Venetian icons. Previously, he worked at Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens, as well as The Phillips Collection (2017-2019) and The Walters Art Museum (2017).

Originally from Billings, Montana, Elliot and his wife will be moving from New York City. Together, they are excited to be making their new home in Clinton, MA.

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. The Museum’s exhibitions and programs offer a compelling blend of history, spirituality, and culture, all within a serene, contemplative space.

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 Study Center connects scholars, academic institutions, and museums around the globe through its lecture series, 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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Image (Left to Right):
Beheading of St. John the Forerunner and Crucifixion, attributed to Georgios Klontzas, Panels from a triptych, 16th Century, Egg tempera on wood, Crete, Gift of Ruah Donnelly, in honor of her late stepfather, Richard Dearborn