There Is No Such Thing as Too Many Historic House Museums
- By: Amanda Roper
- July 9, 2024
If you believe there are too many historic house museums, then you have never truly experienced the power of one. As leaders in the preservation field dangerously attempt to paint small, local house museums as irrelevant relics of the past, they fail to appreciate the potential these places possess to foster community, educate learners of all ages, and encourage people to consider different perspectives.
Growing up as a child who moved around every few years, one thing I always found in the new town where I lived was a historic house museum. In some places, it was the only type of museum. Visiting these sites taught me so much about the history and the community that I was now a part of. They made me feel like I was participating in something bigger, like I belonged in this new town because I better understood where it came from and what it valued. They felt like home.
Historic house museums have the power to create community by bringing people together to care for something that matters, continuing a tradition of preserving a communally important place in the face of time and its ravages. These homes convey the unique stories of a location and its inhabitants. What keeps them relevant is how each new generation of stewards and visitors respond to the houses and the stories they tell. Historic house museums do not have to be static. They are exceptionally suited to provide much-needed and timely educational experiences during a period when our nation has become polarized by its history.
Some of the most impactful learning takes place outside the classroom for children and adults alike. Early childhood programs at house museums offer many young visitors their first encounter with a historic building. They introduce children to the concept of change over time through the relatable example of home. And multi-generational community events held in these spaces build positive memories so the next generation will have reasons to care about historic preservation.
While the ways in which history is taught in the classroom have become increasingly politicized and censored, house museums offer students alternative ways to learn about the past and develop critical thinking skills. Students experience a place where history happened, and encounter original objects and primary source documents while learning the process of historical inquiry. For adults, museums offer a trusted source of information and an inexpensive way to further their education. House museums host lectures and special tours that provide historical context for how the past shapes the present. Local museums also serve as spaces to discuss how communities commemorate their shared history in an environment that brings people of different backgrounds together and challenges them to consider new perspectives.
In 2017, I worked at a former Lee family home in Virginia during the events in Charlottsville that shook the nation. In the wake of this and other subsequent moments of racial reckoning, locals were eager to learn about the history of where they lived and the buildings and monuments preserved in their community. In-depth tours of the house which explored its diverse history were filled with people from different backgrounds and experiences, united by a desire to discuss the past with others who cared. These tours inspired open and thought-provoking conversations in which community members shared their perspectives on what should be preserved for future generations and how interpretation evolves and expands to better reflect our current understanding and values. It provided an opportunity to explore these challenging topics face to face, in a place that made sense. Historic house museums are vital community spaces that are open to all, providing connection and dialogue in an era of isolation and division.
Within a few years, the once sleepy Lee family house museum was revitalized. Through expanded interpretation and innovative programming, the museum significantly increased its engagement with and support from the surrounding community. While the house might have been saved for its association with old white men, today it represents so much more. Historic homes tell the stories of enslaved and free craftspeople, of women and children and domestic workers and immigrants. They hold the stories of America.
Historic house museums have always been and continue to be about people and the ways we connect with each other, in the past and present. So many of these small museums are labors of love, kept standing by people who are often not professionals and yet devote their time, talents, and energy to do the work of preservation and education. These community members are joined by many dedicated professionals who pour their knowledge and skills into these historic sites, not for the money or prestige, but because they believe in the power of these places.
In my career, I have worked at all types of museums, both large and small, government and private. The small, local historic house museums are where I have had the most meaningful conversations with the public and met the people most passionate about learning from and preserving the past. Historic house museums are where I have most deeply felt a part of my community. As a former director of an underfunded house museum, I am acutely aware of the many challenges they face, but I know their worth outweighs their problems.
There is no such thing as too many historic house museums. The issue lies in museum and preservation leaders failing to value these places and lacking the vision to nurture and expand the impact that they already have in their communities. So many of these historic homes opened their doors in the lead-up to America’s bicentennial celebrations. My hope is that as America reflects on 250 years, we will stop advocating for selling these sites and removing them from the public trust and reinvest in them with our time, our financial support, and our passion. Historic house museums are worth saving.