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Massachusetts Museum Opens Permanent Greek Icon Gallery
A Massachusetts museum founded around Russian iconography is expanding its collection to give Greek sacred art a permanent home.
CLINTON, MA — The Icon Museum and Study Center in Clinton, Massachusetts, has established a permanent Greek Icon Gallery as part of an effort to expand its presentation of Eastern Christian sacred art beyond its original focus on Russian iconography.
Opened on October 16, 2025, the gallery examines the development of Greek icon painting following the fall of Constantinople in 1453. It features works from the museum’s permanent collection, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the private collection of Emmanuel and Argie Tiliakos. The exhibition explores how Cretan iconographers incorporated Western artistic influences while preserving Byzantine spiritual traditions.
The institution originated with engineer Gordon B. Lankton, who began collecting icons after purchasing an image of St. Nicholas during a 1989 business trip to Moscow. His collection eventually became the foundation of the Museum of Russian Icons, which opened in 2006. In October 2023, the museum adopted its current name to reflect its expanded mission.
The museum celebrated its 20th anniversary in October 2026 with an international symposium and an exhibition of rare icons from Germany. It also offers educational programs, performances, and tours for Orthodox communities, with a 10-day pilgrimage-style tour of Northern Greece scheduled for May 2027.
Previously, the UOJ reported that a historic Greek Orthodox church in Turkey was set to open as a museum.
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