The Jimmy Stewart Museum is a museum dedicated to American actor

James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...

(1908–1997) that is located in Stewart's hometown of

Indiana, Pennsylvania Indiana is a borough in and the county seat of Indiana County in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The population was 13,564 at the 2020 census, and since 2013 has been part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. After being a long time par ...

Overview

The museum is located in the actor's hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania on the third floor of the Indiana Public Library. The museum highlights the movie career of Stewart, including his role in the 1946 Christmas classic ''

It's a Wonderful Life ''It's a Wonderful Life'' is a 1946 American Christmas by medium#Films, Christmas Fantasy film, fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story and booklet ''The Greatest Gift'', which Philip Van Doren Stern se ...

'', as well as his service as a World War II bomber pilot. It contains numerous artifacts from Stewart's childhood, military career, and home life, as well as movie posters and memorabilia. Visitors can also view some of Stewart's movies in a replica 1930s theater. Stewart himself was originally against the establishment of the museum, citing his own modesty, but was convinced by the potential financial gain of his community. The museum opened on May 20, 1995, with the actor's daughters Kelly Stewart Harcourt and Judy Stewart in attendance. Within walking distance of the museum are several other Stewart-related sites, including his birthplace, childhood home, his family's former hardware store, and the Stewart statue on the courthouse lawn. The museum is overseen by the James M. Stewart Foundation, a nonprofit organization, which also offers several events including the Harvey Award presented on the actor's birthday in May, the "It's a Wonderful Life" festival before Thanksgiving, and a light-up night in late November. By 2013, the museum was in financial trouble due to lack of visitation and its location in rural Pennsylvania. In December of that year, however, it was reported that several donors had stepped up to make contributions. Museum Director Timothy Harley said a San Diego couple originally from western Pennsylvania began making annual $25,000 donations, matching what the Stewart family gives.

References

External links

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Jimmy Stewart Museum
Office of Tourism, State of Pennsylvania
Jimmy Stewart Museum
at Roadside America Museums in Indiana County, Pennsylvania Mass media museums in the United States Stewart, Jimmy {{Pennsylvania-museum-stub