Goehner honors Nutcracker Museum founder with Senate Resolution

LEAVENWORTH – Washington State Senator Keith Goehner visited the Nutcracker Museum on May 9 to present a special Senate resolution to its co-founder, Arlene Wagner.

“NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington state Senate honor Arlene Wagner for her appreciation for the arts, a desire to learn, dedication to collection and generosity, a willingness to teach, and contribution to society, and congratulate her on achieving 100 years of age,” the resolution read.

Wagner and her husband George opened the Nutcracker Museum in 1995, showcasing their private collections of nutcrackers. Since then, the museum has grown to hold one of the largest collections of nutcrackers in the world, featuring more than 9,000 nutcrackers from across the globe. Known as “the Nutcracker Lady,” Wagner became an authority on the topic of nutcrackers and their history, sharing her knowledge with museum visitors as well as publishing several books.

Sen. Goehner’s resolution honors Wagner’s 100th birthday, which occurred in December last year, celebrating her contributions to her community, society, and the world, by passing down knowledge and culture to future generations.

“We read it and honored her [on the Senate floor in Olympia], but I just felt like to actually show up here at the museum and honor her and kind of her home turf, it would be just very fitting to do it that way,” said Sen. Goehner.

Wagner was in eastern Germany at the time of the reading, visiting nutcracker workshops and training her successor.

“They know us in Germany, we were on television, we were in the papers. And three different nutcrackers were made especially in honor of my 100th birthday,” said Wagner.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media