A Saint’s Story

Elizabeth Ann Seton Comes to Life

In New Museum and Exhibits at her Shrine

By Gina Gallucci-White

Photography By Turner Photography Studio

EMMITSBURG—As the first person born in what would become the United States to be named a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, Elizabeth Ann Seton led a remarkable life. 

A wife and mother of five that moved to Emmitsburg in 1809, she founded the first community for religious women in the country as well as St. Joseph’s Academy and Free School which focused on Catholic girls’ education. Dying at 46 years old, her remains are entombed in the shrine that bears her name.

Her legacy has been celebrated for more than two centuries here. The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton receives about 60,000 visitors a year from all over the world. To better share her story to new generations, the shrine recently opened a remodeled museum and visitor center.  

The previous museum/visitor center was constructed in the 1980s and located inside the basilica’s lower level, which led to some challenges navigating to the worship area. With four-decade-old exhibits, there was a desire to freshen up Seton’s story. The shrine had also received many Seton artifacts that had not been widely shared with the public before. “We just felt that her story deserved a whole new presentation about her life,” says Rob Judge, the shrine’s executive director. 

Shrine officials decided to renovate and repurpose 19,000 square feet of space at the front end of the basilica. “It is an integrated, one-level experience for the visitor where you learn about [Seton’s] life and you move into the basilica where she is entombed.” Judge says.

 Planning, design and fundraising efforts took three years for the $4 million project, with construction taking place from December 2022 until last September.  

The museum features donated items and others on loan from religious congregations that have ties to Seton. “Those groups worked on this project with us and believed in the vision and as they saw that vision, they realized they had things in their own archives and collections that would help tell this story,” Judge says. 

The artifacts include a christening gown worn by Seton’s daughter, Catherine, miniature portrait paintings of Seton and her husband, William, and a black habit hat she wore. Judge notes the pieces humanize Seton and help people to see her as a real person.

The space also features several interactive exhibits. One displays the locations where Seton’s sisters served all around the country and world. Utilizing a touch screen, visitors can spin the globe and click on dots that pop up to learn about specific missions. “It both communicates the immensity of the sisters’ work but it allows you to [zoom] in and see specifically how they served and when they served,” Judge says. 

Another interactive exhibit shows Seton’s writings, including letters and notes in the margins of prayer books. Visitors can click on books to open and see the pages, with the writings presented in an accessible and readable manner.  

While the main museum tells Seton’s life story in three galleries—seeker, servant and saint—the special exhibit galleries explore other meaningful parts of her life and legacy. One exhibit currently being shown focuses on the needlework completed at the academy Seton founded. 

The shrine’s mission is to educate visitors in their own spiritual journey. “We do that by telling about [Seton’s] life,” Judge says. “Our hope with the historical museum here is people know a little bit more about her—what she did, what she overcame, what was important to her in her life so they can know her a little bit better.”