London’s Benjamin Franklin House

I’m in England for the Attingham Summer School but arrived a day early to get a head start on overcoming jet lag and to visit the new “Benjamin Franklin House “–the only place in world where Franklin lived that still survives (that’s right, all his houses in the US are gone–how’s that for a preservation [...]

Cells and Sites: How Historic Sites are Using Cell Phone Tours

Cell phones have revolutionized the way people communicate, affecting many areas of life, including historic sites. A popular application of cell phone technology is now being used at several of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s historic sites. Chesterwood, Decatur House, and Woodrow Wilson House provide cell phone tours, similar to standard audio tours offered [...]

Web Sites for Historic Sites: What Visitors Want

A friend just passed along an interesting study by Kerry Bodine at Forrester Research, Inc. on “what consumers want on travel web sites”. The entire article is available for a fee at www.forrester.com but historic sites may want to review this quick overview if they are designing or modifying their Web sites:

Many consumers (33-46 [...]

Bridging the Digital Divide between Sites and School Children

Sure, kids have long been attracted to extracurricular activities like dance or sports. But researchers say digital media is bringing up a new generation who are creators of media rather than just passive consumers of it. Within these digital environments among peers, kids who create and evaluate media are deriving a sense of competence, autonomy, [...]

Tenement Museum adding Evening Tours

This year, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, a National Trust Historic Site in New York City, has seen an overwhelming growth in attendance—March 2008 was the third-busiest month in the museum’s 20 year history. So from May 1 to October 30, the Tenement Museum will stay open late on Thursdays for tours at [...]