Paper Cranes: A Peace-filled Gesture
To mark the celebration of International Day of Peace on September 21, visitors to the Penn Museum were invited to fold origami “Peace Cranes.” Guests of all ages spent time transforming squares of colored paper into symbols of peace and tranquility. The Penn Museum’s participation in this Peace Day Philly program gave guests an opportunity to create something beautiful, and pause for a short while to consider the ideal of a world at peace.
The peace cranes served a second purpose. Individuals and families folded some cranes to take home; others to share. More than 75 cranes were donated to the nonprofit organization Cranes for Cancer, joining with other cranes from other volunteers, until the organization had 1,000 cranes to share. As Cranes for Cancer notes: “There is an old Japanese tradition that 1,000 origami paper cranes will bring good luck. Cranes for Cancer's mission is to provide baskets or vases of 1,000 cranes to cancer patients. The 1000 cranes bring hope and uplift spirits."
Thanks to all the Penn Museum guests who stopped by to share a little peace and a lot of hope!
###
About the Penn Museum
The Penn Museum’s mission is to be a center for inquiry and the ongoing exploration of humanity for our University of Pennsylvania, regional, national, and global communities, following ethical standards and practices.
Through conducting research, stewarding collections, creating learning opportunities, sharing stories, and creating experiences that expand access to archaeology and anthropology, the Museum builds empathy and connections across diverse cultures
The Penn Museum is open Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00 am-5:00 pm. It is open until 8:00 pm on first Wednesdays of the month. The Café is open Tuesday-Thursday, 9:00 am-3:00 pm and Friday and Saturday, 10:00 am-3:00 pm. On Sundays, the Café is open 10:30 am-2:30 pm. For information, visit penn.museum, call 215.898.4000, or follow @PennMuseum on social media.