‘Holiday in the Trenches’ Exhibit to Open During Full Weekend of Seasonal Events at America’s National Churchill Museum
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fulton, Mo. ‒ America’s National Churchill Museum on the campus of Westminster College announced today that a unique student-created, curated and displayed exhibit will officially open on Dec. 3, with a Members Preview and holiday event to take place Dec. 2.
“Holiday in the Trenches” is open to the public and free with admission to the Museum.
The immersive display — which examines the experience of Allied soldiers during World War II — is the first of its kind created by students in Westminster’s new Museum Studies program, which the College launched this fall in cooperation with the Museum.
Dr. Nichol Allen, Westminster’s Assistant Professor of Museum Studies, explains that visitors will be intrigued by the previously untold stories of soldiers and how they coped with war.
“They will witness history from the front lines, which will be a poignant and bittersweet experience for all,” Allen says. “And learning about that experience really inspired the students, whose admiration for the Greatest Generation is visible throughout the exhibit.”
Among the items students studied and then carefully displayed are letters that reveal soldiers played games, wrote letters, listened to music and created trench art during the holidays when they were not in active combat.
“Holiday in the Trenches” runs through Jan. 6 in the Museum’s Anson Cutts Gallery. The Museum’s special exhibition “Winston Churchill: Passion for Painting” will also be on view through Dec. 31.
The Members Preview of “Holiday in the Trenches” is part of the Museum’s High Roads to the Holidays event that will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2.*
The weekend will conclude with the 39th Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4, in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, part of America’s National Churchill Museum.
Lessons and Carols is free and open to the public.
Timothy Riley, the Sandra L. and Monroe E. Trout Director and Chief Curator of the Museum, says all events taking place during the busy weekend of Dec. 2 showcase the season and honor the rich tradition of Christmastide at the Museum.
He adds the “Holiday in the Trenches” exhibit is reason to return to the Museum for those who have visited in the past.
Riley reflects, “The exhibition will show how soldiers, in most challenging circumstances, wished, above all, for peace on earth and goodwill toward all, which is something we still wish for today.”
*High Roads to the Holidays includes the opportunity to meet students who created “Holiday in the Trenches,” a gallery talk by Riley titled “1940: Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt at the White House,” carol singing, children’s activities and a reception featuring British-themed food and drink. Attendees will also be the first to see the historic Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, decorated for Christmastide. Admission to High Roads to the Holidays is free for Museum members and $20 for individuals 13 and older, which will automatically be applied to an annual membership if purchased during the event. Membership levels begin at $60. Children 12 and under are free.
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ABOUT WESTMINSTER COLLEGE: Founded in 1851 and home of Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech, Westminster College in Fulton is ranked prestigiously by U.S. News & World Report as the only National Liberal Arts College in Missouri. Westminster is listed as one of the top institutions in the country for economic mobility and return on investment, placing in the top 16 percent for graduate earnings with a more than 90 percent placement rate. Westminster also is a Forbes Best Value College that focuses on educating and inspiring students to become the world leaders of tomorrow. To find out more about Westminster, please visit the College’s website.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Sarah Backer at 573-220-9038 or Sarah.Backer@WCMO.edu.
