Trends, Challenges, & Opportunities

HISTORIC HOUSE MUSEUM FORUM Trends, Challenges, & Opportunities Max A. van Balgooy for the Virginia Association of Museums March 11, 2013

Are There Too Many House Museums? Richard Moe, 2002

Participation Numbers Historic Sites vs National Population National population Historic park or site 350 300 Participation in Millions 250 200 150 100 50 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

Participation Numbers Historic Sites 66 64 Participation in Millions 62 60 58 56 54 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

Participation Rates Historic Sites 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

Participation Rates Concerts, Dance, Arts, and Crafts 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% Craft fairs & festivals Historic park or site Art museums Classical music Jazz Ballet 5% 0% 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

Participation Rates Movies, Sports, and Gardening 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% Movies Gardening Sporting events Playing sports 10% 0% 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

Participation Rates Creating Music and Art 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% Weaving & sewing Photography & movies Painting & sculpture Pottery & jewelry Classical music Jazz 0% 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

Participation Rates Historic Sites 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

Participation Rates Historic Sites Virginia at 33 percent More than 40 percent Alaska Georgia New Mexico South Dakota Utah Vermont Less than 15 percent Louisiana Mississippi Oklahoma Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

Historic Site Visitors are Getting Older 2002 vs 2008 30% 2002 2008 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+ Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

Correlation between Visiting Historic Sites and Other Activities Used the Internet 90% Voted in Last Election 82% Read a Book Went to the Movies 82% 74% Yes No Volunteered 60% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

Correlation between Visiting Historic Sites and Other Activities Volunteered 60% Visited Art Museum 57% Attended Crafts Festival 54% Yes No Went to Classical Concert 24% Went to Jazz Concert 19% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

National Register of Historic Places Certifications per Year in the U. S. 100,000 90,000 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000-1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Internal Revenue Service Number of Non-Profit Organizations 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 Number of Returns (over $25,000 in receipts), Internal Revenue Service, 2013

Are There Too Many House Museums? Richard Moe, 2002

Are There Too Many Struggling House Museums?

Are There Too Many of the Same House Museums?

Is There Too Little Support for House Museums?

Change? How? When? Why?

Turning Points

1. Doing History

Thinking Historically Sam Wineburg, Stanford University Temple University Press, 2001

Thinking Historically

2. Making History Meaningful

Will they turn the page?

Travel Motivations John Crompton, 1979 Cultural Socio-Psychological Do something new and different Escape Learn something new and Exploration & Self-evaluation different Relaxation Prestige Become a kid again Strengthen family relationships Meet new people

Leisure Motivations American Demographics, 1992 Motivations 16-24 yrs. 35-44 yrs. Recuperative 9 5 7 Tenacious 6 3 6 Hands-on 8 4 3 Sociable 1 6 5 Intellectual 7 9 1 Pleasure 5 7 2 Competitive 2 1 4 Escapist 3 2 9 Ambitious 4 8 8 60+ yrs.

What they wanted San Francisco Arts and Cultural Travel Study, 2010 1. Affordable (89%) 2. Lots to see and do 3. Scenic beauty 4. Relaxing places 5. Food & dining 6. New experiences 7. Good hotels 8. Historic sites and attractions (65%) 9. New places 10. Convenient location 11. Good beaches 12. Aquaria, zoos, wild animals 13. Gardens or parks 14. Cultural events or festivals 15. Nature or science museums 16. Unique, off-the-beaten path 17. Architecturally or historically significant buildings (47%) 18. Shopping 19. Kid friendly 20. Nightlife 21. Art museums (33%)

#1. Affordable (but they re not talking about price)

#2. Lots to See and Do (but not necessarily at your site)

Making History Meaningful Significance Relationship Connection Substance Spirit Point Intent Effect Impact Lesson Moral

Trustworthiness On a scale of 1 to 10 8.4: Museums 8.0: Grandparents 7.8: Eyewitness 7.3: College professor 6.4: Books 5.0: Movies or television Roy Rosensweig and David Thelen, The Presence of the Past: Popular Uses of History in American Life (1998).

Doing History Looked at photographs Taken photographs to preserve memories Watched movies about the past Attended a reunion Visited history museum or historic site Read books about the past Hobbies related to the past Researched family history Written in a journal or diary Member of a history group 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Roy Rosensweig and David Thelen, The Presence of the Past: Popular Uses of History in American Life (1998).

Self-Identity by Age 100 80 60 40 20 Ethnicity/Race Occupation Place Religion American 0 18-34 yrs 35-49 yrs 50-64 yrs 65+ yrs National Social Capital Community Survey, Harvard Kennedy School, 2006

Self-Identity by Ethnicity/Race 100 80 60 40 20 Ethnicity/Race Occupation Place Religion American 0 Whites Non-Whites National Social Capital Community Survey, Harvard Kennedy School, 2006

3. Aspirational Vision

Why do history?

Is there Passion in this Mission? Lillian Hardin House Museum The mission of the Lillian Hardin House Museum is to: Operate the Lillian Hardin House, a National Historic Landmark and a New York City landmark, as a historic house museum; Collect, arrange, preserve, catalog, and make available to the public materials relating to the life and career of Lillian Hardin ; Serve as a reference source for information about Lillian Hardin ; and Present public programs, such as concerts and lectures, that preserve and promote the cultural legacy of Lillian Hardin.

Is there Passion in this Mission? Two Historic House Museums The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center preserves and interprets Stowe s Hartford home and the Center s historic collections, promotes vibrant discussion of her life and work, and inspires commitment to social justice and positive change. The Anne Frank House cares for the Secret Annex, the place where Anne Frank went into hiding during World War II and where she wrote her diary. It brings her life story to the attention of people all over the world to encourage them to reflect on the dangers of anti-semitism, racism and discrimination, and the importance of freedom, equal rights, and democracy.

Vision

Is there Passion in this Mission? Louis Armstrong House Museum The mission of the Louis Armstrong House Museum is to: Operate the Louis Armstrong House, a National Historic Landmark and a New York City landmark, as a historic house museum; Collect, arrange, preserve, catalog, and make available to the public materials relating to the life and career of Louis Armstrong; Serve as a reference source for information about Louis Armstrong; and Present public programs, such as concerts and lectures, that preserve and promote the cultural legacy of Louis Armstrong.

The Wisdom of Five Whys 1. Why did you stop the assembly line? 2. Why wasn t the engine delivered on time? 3. Why was the machine broken? 4. Why was the repairman not available? 5. Why wasn t someone else available if he was sick?

The Wisdom of Five Whys 1. Why is your site significant? Why should people visit? Why do you work there? Why do you care about history? 2. And why is that important? 3. And why is that important? 4. And why is that important? 5. And why is that important?

Why? Good to Great by Jim Collins Personally inspiring? Valid today and long into the future? Allow you to think expansively about possibilities and range of activities? Is it authentic? Would it be greeted with enthusiasm, ridicule, or cynicism?

Are There Too Many House Museums? Richard Moe, 2002

Participation Rates Historic Sites or Parks 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts (2008)

Turning Points 1. Doing History 2. Making History Meaningful 3. Aspirational Vision

Are There Too Few House Museums? VAM, 2020?

HISTORIC HOUSE MUSEUM FORUM Trends, Challenges, & Opportunities Max A. van Balgooy More at EngagingPlaces.net