A Visit to the Stabin Museum in Jim Thorpe, PA

Entrance to the Stabin Museum in Jim Thrope, PA

Date of Visit: May 28, 2022

There are many sights to see and things to do in Jim Thorpe, but at the west end of Broadway, about a mile uphill from the public parking area, is an attraction that stands apart from the others.

Here is where you will find the Stabin Museum, both a gallery and workspace for artist Victor Stabin.

entrance to the Stabin Museum in Jim Thorpe, PA

Stabin was a lifelong resident of New York until the early 2000s when he moved to Jim Thorpe and created a studio in a former factory that manufactured everything from steel cables to clothing to toys.

Today it is not only the home base for Stabin’s artistry, but a community hub. Inside the museum building is Café Arielle, a bistro serving elevated meals at lunch and dinner.

The dining room of Cafe Arielle in Jim Thorpe, PA

Julie and I made a visit for lunch on a Saturday afternoon, arriving just after 12 noon when the café opened. The first to arrive, we grabbed a table for two in the middle of the dining room. On one side of us was a beautiful bar. On the other side was a step up to another seating area where you will find one of the most unique features of the building.

Mauch Chunk Creek running through the inside of the Stabin Museum in Jim Thorpe, PA

The original mill, like much of the town, was actually built on top of the Mauch Chunk Creek (Mauch Chunk is derived from a local native word for “Bear Mountain”). Inside the café, which was an addition to the original stone building, is an exposed section of the waterway where guests can sit at a counter with glass windows overlooking the running water from the creek while they dine.

Another unique aspect of dining at Café Arielle is that guests are free to wander the galleries while the food is being prepared.

Turtles series of paintings at the Stabin Museum in Jim Thorpe, PA

Stabin’s art is unique. “Eco-surrealism” is how he describes his current works. His Turtles series is the perfect encapsulation of this with paintings featuring the animals along with humans and other creatures in whimsical, fantasy-like settings.

hand railing at the Stabin Museum in Jim Thorpe, PA

The work carries into the architecture as well: there are turtles molded into the metal handrails outside the Museum.

Man posing for a picture with a cardboard cutout of a half-man half-bull

Fantasy plays a major role in much of his work, as seen by the creatures he has created. Signs throughout town feature Stabin’s mythical creations and point the way up the hill to the museum where one can snap a picture with a larger-than-life centaur offering a heart-shaped box of chocolates.

whimisically designed letters individually framed and ordered like a QWERTY keyboard

The ABC Room showcases Stabin’s Daedal Doodles. Published in 2011, Daedal Doodle is an ABC book that Stabin wrote and illustrated featuring a surrealist-inspired take on the alphabet.

While browsing the galleries, we were told that our food was ready so we returned to the dining room to enjoy lunch. By this time there were several other couples and groups in the café, and a handful of guests who arrived just to peruse the galleries and gift shop.

white plate with a salad topped with pears and chicken from Cafe Arielle in Jim Thorpe, PA

Our meal was lovely. Julie enjoyed a refreshing pear, pecan and gorgonzola salad with a house balsamic vinaigrette while I opted for the namesake Victor sandwich – a delicious panini with prosciutto, roasted red pepper, asiago cheese, lettuce and the same house balsamic.

gallery of the Stabin Museum in Jim Thorpe, PA

If the balsamic were on sale in the gift shop, we probably would have bought some to take home. As it was, we purchased a print from the Turtles series to add to our home décor.

Whether you’re looking for a great meal or just want a different kind of museum experience, we highly recommend a stop by the Stabin Museum on your next visit to Jim Thorpe.

When You Go

While you can visit just the museum, we really enjoyed the food at Cafe Arielle. It’s worth visiting for a meal.
The Museum is at the “top” of Jim Thorpe, well past the other downtown attractions. It’s a one-mile uphill walk from the municipal parking lot near the train station.
If you need to drive to the museum, there is a limited amount of off-street parking, as well as ample on-street parking removed from the downtown crowds.