Summer 2019 Update

A lot of folks ask if our workflow slows down in the summer, but at Drexel, it seems we never stop to take a breath! This summer, the Lenfest Center is in negotiations with the City of Philadelphia and with members of the board of the Philadelphia History Museum, to enable Drexel to take on the ownership and care of the 130,000 historical object collection that belonged to the City’s Atwater Kent Museum (renamed the Philadelphia History Museum). It’s an incredibly exciting project that will begin with a complete collections evaluation and then be administered (once approved by Orphans Court) as a “distributed history collection.” That means we’ll be able to bring great stories and historical moments from Philadelphia’s past to where people are: Free Library branches, schools, museums and historic sites, and even public places like the Philadelphia Airport’s wonderful display cases. Many more of the objects in the collection will be accessible and available for study and for display than has ever been the case, and Drexel is thrilled to be a part of the solution to a challenge that so many cities’ history museums face: dwindling numbers of visitors and financial support.

Stay tuned for updates: and as the collection evaluation unfolds, check this space for intriguing photos and descriptions of fascinating historical items that have never, or rarely been seen!

We’re also delighted to be working with our partners at the Academy of Natural Sciences on their innovative new Visitor Experience Master Plan. So many ideas for increasing visitation, bringing in new and more diverse visitors, and making the Academy the place where Philadelphians want to hang out!

Finally, we are waiting for all the co-op hiring cycles to run their course, so we can announce some exciting new co-op partnerships for the fall.