The museum is the only one in Pennsylvania dedicated to decorative arts.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (February 14, 2024) – Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS) today announced that Marché Maison, its french cottage inspired design and decor shop, has relocated from the Goundie House to the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts. The Kemerer Museum is the only museum of decorative arts in Pennsylvania and one of 15 decorative arts museums in the United States.

“Relocating Marché Maison to the Kemerer Museum gift shop feels like a natural step because so much of the collection and experience is about creating a sense of home and celebrating how form and function come together,” said Michelle Olson, owner of Marché Maison. “Items that are useful in your home can also be beautiful and make your place feel special.”

The Kemerer Museum reflects the passionate expression of its founder, local collector Annie S. Kemerer, and her love of beautiful objects. Born in 1865 just south of Bethlehem, Annie and her family enjoyed surrounding themselves with stunning furniture, paintings and decorative art. This museum speaks to the changes in style and design over three centuries.

“Marché Maison’s move into the Kemerer Museum gift shop not only aligns with the museum’s mission to highlight the changes in style and design over three centuries, but it also gives people a tangible way to engage with the relevance of the decorative arts and allows them to take a piece of it home,” said HBMS’s Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Brett Peters.

In addition to regular Kemerer Museum operating hours, Marché Maison will have dedicated shop hours: Wednesday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed on Tuesday.

In 2023, Marche Maison hosted the first “April in Paris” spring shopping event. HBMS has partnered with Marché Maison in 2024 to expand the shopping experience. In preparation for the event, Olson will travel to Paris this spring to purchase vintage products and pieces from various local flea markets. This year’s “April in Paris” is on April 28, 2024, and is open to the public. For more information on the Kemerer Museum, click here.

 

ABOUT HISTORIC BETHLEHEM MUSEUMS & SITES

Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites 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, America’s first municipal water pumping system, and one of the world’s greatest industrial companies. Historic Bethlehem is located in eastern Pennsylvania, only a 1-hour drive from Philadelphia to the North and 2 hours west of New York City. Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and part of Historic Moravian Bethlehem, which is a National Historic Landmark District and candidate for possible nomination to the World Heritage List. For more information, visit historicbethlehem.org

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