From the Executive Director

Over the past year, PHMC has been working on its new strategic plan. We have been thinking about what we are and what we need to be — for the Pennsylvanians we serve and as champions of history. Our mission is to discover, protect and share Pennsylvania’s past. We hope to inspire others to value and use our shared history in ways that are meaningful to them. In short, we see a future where Pennsylvanians and others find history relevant to their lives. Our strategic plan is built around four ideas about the kind of history we provide.

Meaningful and Inclusive History
Our work is ultimately about people. Although we are stewards of Pennsylvania’s natural and cultural history, it is not enough to preserve historic sites, artifacts and documents. We must ensure that what we preserve and share reflects the history of all Pennsylvanians and is meaningful to them. We will be working with communities and partners on enhancing offerings on topics with contemporary relevance and sharing history in engaging, innovative and relatable ways.

Accessible History
We serve all Pennsylvanians by preserving their history. For people to be able to use history for their purposes, they must be able to find, access and retrieve it. In addition to increasing the diversity represented in PHMC’s collections — including its sites, facilities, collections, exhibits and data — we will be working to make sure that our sites and
our content are accessible, both physically and virtually.

Participatory History
We do not accomplish our work alone. We partner and collaborate with communities and organizations across the state to preserve, share and promote Pennsylvania history. Our goal is to be a connector and a resource, supporting strategic initiatives and partnerships.

Public History
We are a public service agency, and our focus will remain on the public and on service. We strive to provide value to the commonwealth’s people in return for their financial investment in us. Service to Pennsylvanians — current and future — is at the heart of everything we do.

We have many initiatives underway and new ones we will be undertaking to support these goals. History is compelling. It is relevant. It belongs to all Pennsylvanians. It is our job to enable others to see history that way as well.

Andrea Lowery
Executive Director, PHMC