Ryan, provokes established house museums to take more risks in search of greater relevance. In the age of crowdsourcing, selfies, social media and the DIY ethos, the “Park Charms” (as the Fairmount Park houses are known) are pushed to be inventive, to engage new audiences in new ways, and to transcend old models of stewardship and interpretation.Īnarchist’s Guide to Historic House Museums (Left Coast Press, 2016), by Franklin D. Now, like all cultural institutions and historic sites today, the houses of Fairmount Park face a rapidly changing environment in terms of expectations from visitors about how they experience museums and their collections. They were acquired, one by one, by the City of Philadelphia in the 19th century in a farsighted and strategic effort to protect its precious water supply and expand its public parklands.Īs the city has changed dramatically around the park edges, the houses stand resolute, preserved by the combined efforts of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) and a host of allied not-for-profits, who have faithfully protected, restored and interpreted them to present day residents and visitors. The origin story of Fairmount Park begins with a series of remarkable estates dotting the banks of the Schuylkill River.
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