Ephrata Cloister Associates

A community-based not-for-profit since 1958, the organization, in partnership with the Pennsylvania historical and museum commission, creates programs that feature the unique music, art, architecture, and spiritual practice of this pre-revolutionary community. The organization supports the Cloister chorus, founded in 1959, which offers historically informed performances of music composed in early Ephrata. Regular site programs and an artisan-rich museum store combine with a calendar of sponsored special events like winter history class, school-based community days, christmas at the Cloister, the ice cream social, and chorus concerts as a means to engage the community, invite exploration, promote local tourism, and preserve the legacy of this national historic landmark. The organization also provides visitor services and regular guided tours; raises funds; and assists in acquiring artifacts using money donated to the back to the Cloister fund.