America’s oldest experiment in utopian, communal living, the United Society of Believers (Shakers) movement was founded in the 18th century. The society reached its apogee of about 6,000 members just before the Civil War and then slowly went into decline.
Yet the Shakers have lasted longer and gained more fame than any other utopian community this country has produced. With the exhibition, we have the opportunity to look back at the origins of a unique American design aesthetic that continues to influence architects, artists, furniture makers, and product designers around the world.