Santa will be back at the museum on December 8 for Holiday Homecoming
The George Eastman Museum will kick off the holiday season on November 4, when the annual Sweet Creations—the exquisite display of dozens of cleverly designed and deliciously decorated gingerbread houses¬—opens to the public. As one of the Greater Rochester community’s most beloved holiday traditions, the display will be on view through December 14.
Over the years, Sweet Creations has featured hundreds of memorable gingerbread designs, including houses of all sizes, famous landmarks, trains, cars, and even cameras. The imaginative and talented designers—which include bakers, chefs, caterers, schools, scout troops, and families—have inspired countless visitors to try their hands at gingerbread creations at home.
All of the gingerbread houses will be available for purchase through a silent auction, and winning bidders will be notified on the evening of December 14. Proceeds from the auction will help support future restoration projects of our National Historic Landmark property. Sweet Creations is a project of the George Eastman Museum Council and is made possible by Tasteful Connections and Tops Friendly Markets.
In addition to gingerbreads, the Eastman Museum is offering a roster of holiday films and hosting its annual Holiday Homecoming celebration with Santa, to celebrate the holidays. The historic house will as always, be elaborately decorated for the season, including tabletop tree and wreath displays.
Wreath Display & Auction
George Eastman Museum’s annual holiday wreath display and auction will be on view from November 1 through November 27. This year’s selection features more than 25 wreaths created and donated by florists, garden clubs, and businesses, available for sale via silent auction. The holiday wreath display and auction is organized by the George Eastman Museum Council and is included with museum admission.
Tabletop Tree Display & Auction
Pre-lit trees decorated in various themes by local groups and businesses will be on display throughout the historic house. The trees will be available for purchase via silent auction, with proceeds benefiting fresh flower arrangements in the historic house throughout the year. The trees will be on view November 15 through December 16. The Tabletop Tree display is included with museum admission.
Holiday Homecoming Celebration
Savor the seasonal spirit at the George Eastman Museum’s annual Holiday Homecoming celebration from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 8. The event includes holiday decorations and displays, live music, refreshments, and holiday family activities, plus a visit from Santa Clause, who will pose for special photos in the decorated Living Room (bring your camera). Included with museum admission, $3 for children ages 5–12.
Holiday & Family Films in the Dryden Theatre
The Dryden Theatre will be screening holiday and family favorites throughout the season. The series includes, Miracle on 34th Street (George Seaton, US 1947) on December 11, Home Alone (Chris Columbus, US 1990) on December 18, Holiday Inn (Mark Sandrich, US 1942) on December 20, Susan Slept Here (Frank Tashlin, US 1954) on December 22, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Peter Hunt, UK 1969) on December 23, and Moonstruck (Norman Jewison, US 1987) on December 29. For the full list of holiday and family films, visit eastman.org/dryden. Regular Dryden admission: $8 adults/$6 members/$4 children and students. Designated Dryden Kids series screenings are free for ages 17 and under.
New Year’s Eve Dinner & a Movie at the Dryden Theatre
Celebrate the New Year with a special dinner and a movie on New Year’s Eve, Saturday, December 31. Enjoy a special holiday dinner in the Eastman Museum Café before the screening of The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, US 1941). Tickets are $25 and include dinner, beverage, dessert, and admission to the screening. Seatings are available between 6 and 7 p.m., and the film begins at 8 p.m. Reservations for dinner are required, and can be made by calling (585) 271-3361 ext. 223 by Tuesday, December 27. Tickets for the screening only are available at the Dryden Theatre box office.
For More Information
For information on holiday events, call (585) 271-3361 or visit eastman.org. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, (Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day). General museum admission: $14 adults; $12 seniors (62+); $5 students; and FREE for children 12 and under. Dryden admission is $8 general admission; $6 members; $4 for students.
For press images, visit https://eastmanmuseum.box.com/v/holidays.
About the George Eastman Museum
Founded in 1947, the George Eastman Museum is the world’s oldest photography museum and one of the largest film archives in the United States, located on the National Historic Landmark estate of entrepreneur and philanthropist George Eastman, the pioneer of popular photography. Its holdings comprise more than 400,000 photographs, 28,000 motion picture films, the world’s preeminent collection of photographic and cinematographic technology, one of the leading libraries of books related to photography and cinema, and extensive holdings of documents and other objects related to George Eastman. As a research and teaching institution, the Eastman Museum has an active publishing program and, through its two joint master’s degree programs with the University of Rochester, makes critical contributions to the fields of film preservation and of photographic preservation and collection management. For more information, visit eastman.org.
