0 thomas edison national historical park

National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the Interior

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0 Thomas Edison National Historical ParkLong Range Interpretive Plan

••

Thomas Edison National Historical ParkLong Range Interpretive Plan

Prepared by:Interpretive Solutions, Inc.732 Westbourne RoadWest Chester, PA 19382

for:

Thomas Edison National Historical Park211 Main StreetWest Orange, NJ 07052

and

Harpers Ferry CenterP.O. Box 50Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

Task order T1 180070008Performed under contract number C 1180070004

September 2009

TECHNICAL INFORMATION CENTEr<National Park ServiceDENVER SERVICE CENTER

U.S. Department of the Interior NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Table of Contents

Introduction 5

Executive Summary 5

Planning for interpretation at Thomas Edison National Historical Park 6

Foundation for Planning 7

Enabling Legislation 7

Purpose of the Thomas Edison National Historical Park 7

Significance of Thomas Edison NHP 7

Mission of the National Park Service at Thomas Edison NHP 10

Management Goals for Interpretation 10

The Interpretation & Education Renaissance Action Plan 11

Servicewide Initiatives 11

Accessibility 12

Primary Interpretive Themes 12

Visitor Experience Goals 14

Issues & Influences 14

The Resource 17

The Setting 17

The Audience 18

The Interpretive Experience 19

Personnel 20

Interpretive Resources 20

Action Plan 21

The Planning Process 21

Needs in support of interpretation 21

Evaluation. 23

Implementation 25

Priorities 26

Appendix A: Detailed Description of Program Recommendations 33

Appendix B: Planning Team 43

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Introduction

Long range interpretive planning atThomas Edison National Historical Parktook place on the cusp of change at thesite. The Laboratory Complex wassoon to be reopened after six yearsof renovations, and exciting newapproaches to interpreting Edison'sscientific and business legacy werebeing implemented. The Park facedmany intriguing challenges broughtabout by the forthcoming change:new, and quite likely larger, audiencesupon reopening; a community that wasalso on the edge of change, with thedevelopment of former Edison holdings;a new approach to visitors' interpretiveexperience of the site; and changesto wayfinding and building accessunder new protocols. The LongRange Interpretive Plan (LRIP) hadto be designed to meet thesechallenges-it needed to look to thefuture by providing an interpretivestrategy that provided maximumflexibility for staff members as theyprepared to offer educational andinterpretive services during thisnew phase in the site's history.

Executive Summary

The Long Range Interpretive Plan forthe National Park Service's ThomasEdison National Historical Park:

• Is guided and inspired byEdison's own spirit of innovation

• Sets realistic, achievable goals andpriorities that are compatible withthe resources available for support

Introduction

• Follows findings and strategicrecommendations of the National ParkService's Interpretation and EducationRenaissance Action Plan ( Fall 20o6)

• Articulates the remarkablesignificance of the park:

^ its extensive collection of originalEdison material, the world'slargest related to a single inventor

o the outstanding integrity ofthe site's infrastructure

the well-rounded insights it providesinto the professional and privatelives of Edison, one of the world'sbest-known individuals in his day

the impact of Edison's West Orangeinventions on the world-especiallysound recording, motion pictures,and his ground-breaking systemof research and development

• Offers primary interpretive themesthat present a picture of Edison theman, the inventor, the businessman,father, husband, and celebrity and thatintegrate the Laboratory Complex andGlenmont Estate into a seamlesscontext for telling Edison's story

• Helps the Park cultivate newaudiences and open up new linesof communication through the useof innovative techniques

• Provides an implementation timelineto ensure an orderly approachto presenting Interpretive andEducational services over thenext five to seven years.

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Thomas Edison National Historical Park Long Range Interpretive Plan

"Muckers" at work

Planning for Interpretationat Thomas Edison NationalHistorical Park

The National Park Service (NPS) hasadopted a unified planning approachfor interpretation and education.This approach combines planning forinterpretive media, personal interpretiveservices, and education programs.The Comprehensive Interpretive Plan(CIP) is the basic planning documentfor interpretation and was formallyadopted as part of NPS guidelines in

1995. Responsibility for creating theCIP lies with each park's superintendent.

What is a ComprehensiveInterpretive Plan? The CIP processhelps parks make choices. It providesguidance to park staff: it helps themclarify their objectives, identify theiraudiences, and choose the best mixof media and personal services to useto convey park themes.

Although the CIP as defined inDirector's Order 6 is composed ofspecific elements, good planningis customized to meet each park's needsand situation. The CIP is not a recipe.Rather, it is a guide to effective, goal-driven planning. While it considerspast interpretive programming, it isprimarily a forward-looking document

that concentrates on actions needed tocreate or sustain a vigorous and effectiveinterpretive program for the future.All CIPS have three components: theLong Range Interpretive Plan (LRIP),a series of Annual Implementation Plans(AIP) and an Interpretive Database (ID).

What is a Long Range InterpretivePlan? The heart of the CIP is the LongRange Interpretive Plan (LRIP).The LRIP defines the overall vision andlong-term (5-7 year) interpretive goalsof the park. The process that developsthe LRIP defines realistic strategies andactions that work toward achievementof the interpretive goals.

The Annual Implementation Planand Interpretive Database. Thecompleted LRIP is a critical part ofthe CIP, but it does not stand alone.Actions in the LRIP are divided intoannual, achievable steps and reproducedin the Annual Implementation Plan(AIP), the second component of theCIP. Creating a series of these AlPs thatimplement the actions outlined in theLRIP simplifies the park's annualplanning process. The third componentof the CIP is the Interpretive Database(ID), an ongoing compilation ofinformation, reports, bibliographies,plans, and inventories that documentthe LRIP's progress.

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Enabling Legislation

This section presents a brief narrativeof the legislated purpose of the park.

Thomas Edison National HistoricalPark was established "to commemo-rate the outstanding achievements ofthe great American inventor, ThomasAlva Edison" (Presidential Proclama-tion 3148). The site was conveyed to theNational Park Service through a seriesof legal agreements between thegovernment and Thomas A. Edison,Inc. (later McGraw Edison Company)between 1955 and 1962. It is locatedwithin the township of West Orange inNew Jersey. Containing 21.25 acres, thepark preserves Thomas Alva Edison'slaboratory, his estate Glenmont, andcollections in perpetuity and makesthis valuable part of America'sheritage available to over 6o,ooovisitors each year for their enjoyment,understanding, and appreciation.In March 2009, the site was officiallydesignated a National Historical Park.

Purpose of the Thomas EdisonNational Historical Park

The purpose statement comprisesthe Park's "marching orders," itscharge on behalf of the public.

The purpose is to commemorate thelife and achievements of the greatAmerican inventor Thomas AlvaEdison, through the preservation ofhis research and development laboratorycomplex, his estate, and their collections,in order to inspire and educate aninternational audience.

Foundation for Planning

Significance of the Thomas EdisonNational Historical Park

Significance statements answer thesequestions: "Why should people visitThomas Edison NHP? What is specialabout the site? Why should it bepreserved?"

Collections. Thomas Edison NHPincludes the most complete collectionof original Edison-related material in theworld, including 400,000 artifacts and

5•5 million documents. It providesa resource for understanding the processof innovation, from idea to product.The collection is made even moresignificant by its presence in the originallocation in which its materials werecreated. The archives, by preservingEdison's voluminous papers, providesunique documentation of ThomasEdison, his family, experiments andbusiness practices, as well as ofscience and technology of the timeand the development and impact oftechnology in the global context.

Laboratory Complex. The LaboratoryComplex exhibits exceptional historicalintegrity (Pattern and Machine shops,Chem Lab, Library, Drafting Room,Music Room, Photo Lab, Stock Room).It provides tangible evidence of thetransition in the U.S. from a ruralagricultural economy to an urbanindustrial economy fueled by newtechnologies. Edison's achievementshere were as world-changing as the nowubiquitous computers in the workplacethat signal the transition from anindustrial economy to an information-rich, globally competitive economy.

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Precision MachineShop located in

Building 5.

The Edison Laboratory Complexprovides the only comprehensiveoverview in one place of Edison's processof inventing during the late 191h -early 20'hcenturies, from idea, to prototypes,to mass production, including extensivedocumentary support provided byartifacts and archives.

The Laboratory Complex offers insightinto Edison's management style andwork ethic: his private lab; his mainoffice in the middle of one of the firstcorporate research libraries; the bedin his library; the original furnishings;and the time clock, among others.

The Laboratory Complex madethe concept of team-based researchand development a model for otherinventors and companies, a conceptwhich remains a fundamental andstrategic element of technologicalleadership today.

Edison is the most famous inventor ofhis time, universally recognized by hiscelebrity image, signature, contributionsto the development of electrical,recorded sound and motion pictureindustries, and the global impact of histhousands of inventions.

The Glenmont Estate. The Glen-mont Estate reflects Thomas and MinaEdison's changing lifestyle and Edison'semerging prominence as an inventor,business leader and public figure.Glenmont's location influencedEdison's decision to build a researchlab in the West Orange countryside.Mina's progressive view of herselfas Glenmont's "home executive"highlights the important partnershiprole she played in supporting Edisonand helping to advance his career.

Glenmont, home of Thomas A.Edison, is significant as one of the fewsurviving private residences designedby renowned architect HenryHudson Holly, considered to bethe father of the Queen Anne-stylemovement in the United States.

The Glenmont Estate is situated inthe first planned private residentialcommunity in the United States, knownas Llewellyn Park, which was developedas "country homes for city people"in 1857, yet it remained highly influentialin American suburb planning through-out the rest of the i91''-century.

Glenmont provides important andrare examples of period decorativearts, including extensive representationof the work of period decoratingcompanies, and a significant decorativearts collection that provides a highdegree of authenticity and noteworthyrepresentation of various decorativearts movements including Victoriana,Aestheticism, Orientalism, and theHudson River School Movement.

Sound Recording. The ThomasEdison NHP phonograph collectiondocuments the evolution of Edisonrecorded sound technology from the

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invention of the phonograph in1877 to the electrical recording eraof 1929. Rare machines include theoriginal phonograph, early wax cylinderprototypes, and perhaps the world'sbest collection of acoustic-erarecording studio equipment.

The first professional music recordingstudio, in commercial operationduring the late i88os and early18gos, was located on the thirdfloor of the Edison Laboratory.

Thomas Edison NHP has one of themost significant collections of Edisonsound recordings in the world, includ-ing several of the earliest recordings inexistence, rare recordings of late 19th-and early 2oth- century personalitiesand musicians, and major holdings ofunissued test pressings, experimentalrecordings, and disc master molds.

Edison's invention of the phonograph,which was developed at the WestOrange Laboratory, evolved intoa global industry.

Glenmont, Thomasand Mina Edison'shome

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Motion Pictures. Thomas EdisonNational Historical Park, oftenconsidered the birthplace of motionpictures, is where the laboratory teaminvented the motion picture camera,built the Black Maria, and developedfundamental technology to produceand exhibit motion pictures.

Blacksmith Scene (1893), DicksonExperimental Sound Film (1894-5) andThe Kiss (1896), all made in the BlackMaria, were selected by the Library ofCongress as among the most significantmotion pictures in American History.

Machine Shop. The Laboratory'soperable machine shops exhibitexceptional historical integrity andprovide unique insight into 19th -centurymachine tool technology, workingconditions, and Edison's innovativebusiness model.


Original supplies andmaterials can still

be found inside theStock Room.

Mission of the National ParkService at Thomas EdisonNational Historical Park

The Park's mission statementarticulates in broad terms theideals that the NPS strives to achieve.

Our mission is to promote aninternational understanding andappreciation of the life andextraordinary achievements of ThomasAlva Edison by preserving, protecting,and interpreting the park's extensivehistoric artifact and archive collectionsat the Laboratory Complex andGlenmont, the Edison family estate.

Management Goals forInterpretation

These goals describe management'sintent in offering interpretive andeducational programs and services.

Thomas Edison NHP's stories areunique and exciting. They demandinnovative, cutting-edge story-tellingtechniques, technologies, andexperiences. They are important.

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The plan to interpret these storieswill reflect and communicate theirimportance.

Thomas Edison NHP will continuallystrive to achieve the highest level ofsuccess. The LRIP provides anopportunity to set realistic, achievablegoals and priorities that are compatiblewith the resources available for support.

The plan will help Thomas Edison NHPcultivate new audiences and open upnew lines of communication throughthe use of innovative techniques.

• The plan will support and encouragelifelong learning opportunities.

• Edison's spirit of innovationshould always be a guide.Like Edison, the park wants tostay on the cutting edge, alwayslooking forward to newideas and concepts.

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The Interpretation and EducationRenaissance Action Plan.The Interpretation and EducationRenaissance Action Plan (20o6)provides a renewed focus and changefor Interpretation and Education (I&E)servicewide as the NPS approachesits centennial milestone in 2o16.The Action Plan identifies five areasof focus: Engage People to MakeEnduring Connections to America'sSpecial Places, Use New Technologies,Embrace Interpretation and EducationPartners, Develop and ImplementProfessional Standards, and Createa Culture of Evaluation. Investing inthese areas will sustain I&E servicesand ensure that the public findsrelevance and meaning in theirnational parks. The NPS CentennialInitiative addresses five overarchinggoals which focus on stewardship,environmental leadership, recreationalexperience, education, and professionalexcellence to guide the NPS leading upto the iool' anniversary. The NER'sregional strategy, Connecting Peopleto Parks (2005), provides a good back-ground for specific actions that nestwithin the I&E Renaissance and theCentennial Initiative.

Servicewide Initiatives.The National Park Service's Interpreta-tion and Education Renaissance ActionPlan (Fall 2006) has put forth the follow-ing findings and strategic recommenda-tions that are intended to guide interpre-tation at all parks, service-wide.

• Develop core operating standardsand measures for delivering qualityinterpretation and education programs.Impact at Thomas Edison NHPInterpreters should expect to workwithin a framework that provides forand measures of quality performance.


• Provide staffing and operatingresources necessary to achieve programstandards. Impact at Thomas EdisonNHP Management will work to pro-vide necessary interpretive resources.

• Expand interpretation and educationpartner training and credentialingprogram. Impact at Thomas EdisonNHP.• Future partners that provideinterns and other interpretive supportservices will also work within a frame-work that provides standards for andmeasures of quality performance.

• Adopt a program of evaluation toachieve greater accountability andprogram improvement in interpre-tation and education. Impact atThomas Edison NHP: Visitor feed-back and program evaluation willbe important factors in develop-ing new interpretive programs.

• Improve interpretive media to meettwenty-first century standards.Impact at Thomas Edison NHP:The Long Range Interpretive Planwill incorporate twenty-first-centurymedia standards.

• Encourage and adopt innovationin interpretive and educationaltechnology. Impact at ThomasEdison NHP: The Long RangeInterpretive Plan will incorpo-rate innovative technologies.

• Design interpretation and educationprograms to serve all. Impact atThomas Edison NHP: The LongRange Interpretive Plan will provideprograms for new, emerging andunderserved audiences, usinguniversal design standards.

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• Enable interpretation and educationpartners to effectively support the NPSeducation mission. Impact at ThomasEdison NHP: The role of partnerswill be acknowledged in the LRIP.

• Create and support organizationalchange. Impact at Thomas EdisonNHP: Everyone will "be on board"with new methods, techniques andideas for interpreting the themes, etc.

Accessibility

Director's Order #42, "Accessibility forVisitors with Disabilities in National ParkService Programs and Services," laysout the agency's approach towardaccessibility. It says:

"It is the goal of the NPS to ensure thatall people, including the estimated 54million citizens with disabilities, havethe highest level of accessibility that isreasonable to our programs, facilitiesand services in conformance withapplicable regulations and standards.Accordingly, the NPS will seek toprovide that level in the planning,construction, and renovation of build-ings and facilities and in the provisionof programs and services to the publicand to our employees. In most instances,the applicable rules, regulations andstandards do not require access if itwould change the fundamental natureof the activity. In conforming to theappropriate standards, the level ofaccessibility will be largely determinedby the nature of the area and program,and will be consistent with theobligation to conserve park resourcesand preserve the quality of the parkexperience.... [O]ne fundamentalprinciple of this Director's Order is thatthe NPS will seek to provide the highest

level of accessibility that is reasonable,and not simply provide the minimumlevel that is required by law. Consequent-ly, managers are encouraged to exceedthe requirements for visitor accessibilitythrough innovative techniques and part-nerships whenever possibleand reasonable."

The five objectives of thisDirector's Order are to:

i. Incorporate the long range goalof providing the highest level ofaccessibility that is reasonable forpeople of all abilities in all facilities,programs, and services, instead ofproviding "separate" or "special"programs.

2. Implement this goal within the dailyoperation of the NPS, its policies,organizational relationships, andimplementation strategies;

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4.

Provide further guidance anddirection regarding the NPSinterpretation of laws and policies;

Establish a framework for theeffective implementation of actionsnecessary to achieve the highest levelof accessibility that is reasonable;and,

5. Ensure the implementation of"universal design" principleswithin the national park system.

Primary Interpretive Themes

Primary interpretive themes embodythe most important ideas or conceptscommunicated to the public about apark. They convey the significance ofthe resource, and highlight the links

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Furnishing of themaster bedroom atGlenmont

between tangible elements, intangiblemeanings, and universal concepts thatare inherent in the park's resources.The themes connect those resources tolarger processes, systems, ideas, andvalues. Themes define the core contentof the educational messages the parkoffers, and serve as the building blocksupon which interpretive services andeducational programs are based.

Theme 1: Innovation/ImpactThomas Edison's career provides acatalyst for understanding the powerof innovation, as well as an opportu-nity to evaluate the impact of technol-ogy in the world in which we live.

Theme 2: Thomas EdisonEdison's personal life as husband andfather, his professional life as inventorand businessman, and his public life,including his role as an example of theemerging phenomenon of the celebrity,includes instances both inspirational andcontroversial, and involves triumphsand failures.

Theme 3: The Process ofInvention/The WorkersEdison's concept of combining researchlaboratory and factory as well as employ-ing a talented team of scientistslinven-tors, business personnel, factory workersand artists, created a business enterprisethat turned ideas into products andmay have been his greatest invention.

Theme 4: GlenmontThe Edisons' choice of Glenmont,located in exclusive Llewellyn Park, asthe place to begin a new family, not onlydetermined the eventual location of hislast Laboratory Complex in West Orange,but also reveals Edison's rising economicand social status and the connectionbetween home life and work.

Theme 5: The ResourceA remarkably intact complex thatfeatures archives, artifacts, and buildings,all in their original settings and preservedvirtually intact since Edison's time,provide a richly textured image ofthis noted inventor and innovator.

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Visitor Experience Goals

Visitors who experience parks seeksomething of personal value andrelevance. Visitor experience goalsdescribe what physical, intellectual,sensory, and emotional experiencesshould be available to them. Theydescribe what visitors might do, feel,think, and learn, all of which includethe power to impact not just knowledge,but attitudes, behavior, and values.Visitor experience goals describeopportunities for the public to experiencethe resource in various ways. Theysuggest how interpretation may changethe way the public thinks, feels, or actsas a result of the park experience.

All visitors to Thomas EdisonNational Historical Park willhave the opportunity to:

• Learn something new

• Experience both the LaboratoryComplex and Glenmont Estate

• Interact with a ranger

• Have fun

• Walk where muckers walked

• Make a personal connection

• Connect Edison inventionsto current issues/events

• Learn how ideas evolve into inven-tions. Understand how a conceptcan grow into many inventions

• Gain appreciation for the depthand authenticity of the resources

• Understand Edison's inventionprocess and concept ofresearch and development

• Understand how inventions aresold, marketed, and survive or not

• Stand where Edison stood/enjoy thesense of place/grasp the authenticityand the fact that the site is virtuallyas it was in Edison's day

• See multiple sides of Edison:Domestic and professional

• Learn that this is the lab the light bulbbuilt, not where the light bulb was built

• Learn more about the National ParkService's role in preserving andinterpreting the site.

Issues and Influences

This section includes long-rangeservice-wide initiatives, influences andopportunities inside and outside the park,resource-based issues, and internal issuesthat affect interpretation and education.Collectively, it reflects the perspectives ofNPS upper management, Thomas EdisonNHP staff members, and the site's groupof stakeholders.

Influences and Issues beyond the NPSChildren increasingly stay indoors to playwith electronic equipment, i.e. videos,computers, etc. rather than getting out toexperience and explore the "real world."

• Demography is changing, both nation-ally and regionally: the "baby boomer"generation is entering retirement years,with possible impacts both on audienceand volunteer networks, and the ethnicand cultural background of the historic

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site's neighbors is undergoing a shift,which also has implications for audi-ences and their participation at the site.

• With the rising cost of fuel, people aretraveling less and focusing more onlocal institutions and amenities.

• Younger generations expectcommunication that is builtaround new technologies.

• Schools are finding it increasinglydifficult to take field trips due tocosts and an enhanced focus oncurriculum and accountability.

• Knowledge of history and worldcontext has decreased dramaticallyamong young people due tochanges in school curricula that focuson basic reading, writing, andmathematical skills.

• Public transportation tothe site is limited.


Influences and Issues within the NPS• The agency has recognized the need

to present park stories from multipleviewpoints, to diversify its audience,and to attract underserved audiences.

• NPS faces many challengesincluding the reduction of theworkforce serving the visitors.

• There is a need to diversify the parkworkforce to reflect America'sdiverse population.

• Advances in technology are constantlychanging the way Americanscommunicate. Parks need to stayabreast of new developments.

• Partners offer a range of opportunitiesto expand interpretation andeducational services.

Test tubes andbeakers from theEdison Complex

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Issues and Influences withinThomas Edison NHP• The site reopens to the public after

six years of renovation with new pro-grams, techniques, and strategies forinterpreting Edison and his works.

^ ^ - ` • -a .9

--- ^^ ^- - - -

Cards identifyemployee salaries

and job title.

• Programs must not only be sustainable,but must continue to grow to the nextlevel, so they will continually add valueto the interpretation of the site.

• Interpreters at the site will need toexperiment and explore new ways tohelp visitors understand the relevanceof Edison and his life work today,finding different ways of presentingthe information so it engages peoplewith a broad range of interestsand backgrounds.

• The ability of the site to market itsprograms and services must also besustainable. A communication planfor the site is under developmentthat will help attract visitors.

• The site archives contain vast untappedresources for researchers that relateto a wide range of relevant topics ofinterest to the academic community,as well as to the public; Thomas EdisonNHP will seek ways to create moreaccess to these important resources.

• Staff will need to find ways to accessnew ideas and information, notonly about Edison and the processof invention, but about interpretivemedia and other communicationmethodologies.

• The Interpretation Divisionneeds the support of otherdivisions in order to provide highquality interpretation to all visitors.

• The outstanding historical integrityof the site creates a huge interpretiveadvantage as visitors encounter anear-immersive experience that helpscommunicate Edison's greatsignificance to our lives.

• The retail items offered for sale shouldalways relate in some way to theinterpretive themes of the site.

• The six-year gap in services duringwhich the site was closed forrenovation has created a "gap" in thesite's list of contacts: school contacts,potential volunteers, and otherconnections will need to be renewed.

• Both the Edison InnovationFoundation and the Friendsof Edison provide ongoingsupport and inspiration.

Resource-based Issues• Not all the site's buildings are able

to be opened to the public due toa lack of resources (including spacefor offices and storage of artifacts).

• The site's holdings include anexceptional number of artifacts;proper care and storage ofcollections will remain as oneof the greatest challenges.

• The site should strive for acomfortable balance betweenprotecting its historical integrity,and serving the public's need forinterpretive programs and services.

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The Resource

The Setting

The Site. Thomas Edison NationalHistorical Park is located in WestOrange, New Jersey, a townshipapproximately six miles from Newark,New Jersey, and fifteen miles fromManhattan. Originally a part ofNewark, West Orange became aseparate community in 1863. Duringthe twentieth century, West Orangeevolved into a densely developedsuburb of Newark and New York.

When Edison first moved to WestOrange in i886, the township wassignificantly more rural than it is today,allowing Edison access to the acres ofland he required to build his laboratoriesand factories. Today, Edison'sindustrial campus as well as otherlocations related to his years in WestOrange rank among the commu-nity's most notable landmarks.

Approaching the site. Thomas EdisonNational Historical Park is accessiblefrom the New Jersey Turnpike, theGarden State Parkway, Interstates 78 and8o, and other branches of the interstatesystem. Public transportation to thesite is available; New Jersey Transit's BusRoute No. 21 leaves Penn Station inNewark and stops right outside theLaboratory site, and commuter busesleave Port Authority Bus Terminal inManhattan and stop within a half mileof the site. Commuter trains runbetween Manhattan, Orange, andother communities near West Orange.West Orange is not far from NewarkInternational Airport (approximatelyS5o by cab).

History. Today, Edison's brick andconcrete laboratories are well integratedinto West Orange's urban landscape.Nevertheless, these solidly builtVictorian buildings retain a sense oftheir former prominence as the core ofThomas Edison's "invention factory."For forty-four years, from 1887 to 1931,the site served as the inventor's researchand development center. Here Edisonand his "muckers" developed many ofthe devices around which modern liferevolves, such as the motion picturecamera and the nickel-iron alkalinestorage battery. They refined thephonograph and made it the center ofa worldwide business.

Before Edison began to build in WestOrange, he purchased Glenmont, anestate featuring a 29-room Queen Annemansion, located nearby in historicLlewellyn Park. When offered a choicebetween a house in New York City orthe bucolic Glenmont, Edison's secondwife Mina Miller chose the latter. Thiswas the decision that brought Edison's Edison factory

exterior

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Looking skywardstowards the Edison

Complex smokestack

family and his research and com-mercial ventures to West Orange.

After Edison died in 1931, Thomas A.Edison, Inc., continued operations inthe West Orange manufacturing build-ings but used the centerpiece laboratorybuildings primarily as storage spaces.As a result, these buildings remainedpretty much as they were at the time ofhis death. In the late 1940s the Edisonfamily and the company established afoundation to transform the laboratoriesinto a museum, and in 1948, the mainlaboratory building opened to the public.In 1956, Thomas A. Edison, Inc.,donated the historic core of the originallaboratories, including the land,buildings, and all of their contentsto the National Park Service. Today,the Laboratory Complex and Glen-mont Estate (donated to the NPS in1962) are managed as the ThomasEdison National Historical Park.

Edison's laboratories with their variedcontents require special conservation.For much of the twentieth century,

the expense of this conservation,combined with numerous other factors,prevented the laboratories fromreceiving appropriate care. As a result,Edison's laboratories graduallydeteriorated until 1992, when theNational Trust for Historic Preservationlisted the site as one of America's twelvemost endangered historic sites. Thecritical conditions at Thomas EdisonNational Historical Park lead thegovernment's Save America's Treasuresprogram and private companies such asGeneral Electric to provide funding tocarry out necessary restorations.In 2003, the National Park Service closedEdison's laboratories to carry out thiswork. The buildings were reopenedin 2009.

The Audience

Visitor Profile. Before ThomasEdison National Historical Park closed,the site attracted many national andinternational visitors. The site alsoregularly hosted New Jersey and

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New York school classes fromthe third grade and above.

Outside of these students, however,Edison attracted relatively few visitorsfrom West Orange and other nearbycommunities. This is due to a varietyof factors, including the challenge ofattracting residents in a region filledwith many other recreational andeducational opportunities.

In the ten years before the site closedfor renovations, attendance averaged50,625 per year. It is difficult todetermine projected attendance whenthe site reopens, given the excitementthe opening will create, and the factthat people have not been able to visitfor quite some time. Presumably,attendance will increase immediatelyafter opening, and for the first year willexceed prior levels, and then level off.

The Interpretive Experience

Way finding. Directions by plane,car, and public transportation to thesite are currently posted on the ThomasEdison National Historical Park website.Approaches to the park for the mostpart are satisfactorily marked on nearbymajor roads and highways and NationalPark Service signs nearer to the labo-ratories themselves. Signage could beenhanced on Interstate 28o, as wellas on secondary roads by encouragingWest Orange Township to post signsor tourist kiosks, especially in thetownship's downtown area, thatcall attention to, and direct peopletowards Thomas Edison NHP.

Access. Thomas Edison NHP isaccessible from the road but offers limit-ed parking for cars, RVs and buses across

the street from the entrance to theLaboratory Complex. Many of Edison'slaboratory buildings accommodatevisitors with disabilities. However,Glenmont is not as easily navigated bypeople with mobility impairments.

Edison's estate Glenmont is located ina nearby private community, LlewellynPark. Access is granted via privateautomobile when visitors show the passissued them at the Laboratory Com-plex at the Llewellyn Park gatehouse.

Interpretive and visitor services.At some point in the future, ThomasEdison National Historical Park plansto construct a large multi-use buildingat the far edge of the LaboratoryComplex property to create more spacefor collection storage, free up space fornew exhibits, and permit additionalrestoration of laboratory-buildinginteriors. For the time being, Building iwill serve as the visitor center. Here,visitors will encounter an informationdesk where they will pay entrance fees,interact with interpretive staff, obtainpark brochures and schedules, and getinformation about programs, includingan audio tour of the site. The buildingwill also house the site's store, whichwill sell books and other items relatedto Thomas Edison and the NationalPark Service.

The addition of an elevator in newconstruction attached to the end ofthe Building 5 of the Laboratory hasgreatly enhanced accessibility to oneof the site's most fascinating features.

Access to the Glenmont Estate is offeredby guided tour only. In addition to thehouse tour, Glenmont's visitors maytake a cellular phone tour of the estate'sgrounds, walk through the greenhouse,

The Resource

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Truck of the firstelectric railroad

locomotive builtby Edison

and at various times of the year, go intothe garage to view the antique cars.

Personnel

Interpretation Division Staff.At Thomas Edison National HistoricalPark, interpretation staff will operatevisitor centers at both the LaboratoryComplex and Glenmont Estate, as wellas provide regularly scheduled programsand tours at both locations. Whileinterpretation will be the primary dutyof Thomas Edison NHP's interpreta-tion staff, other tasks will be dividedamong staff members of all divisions.

Volunteers. Like other National ParkService sites, Thomas Edison NHPdepends upon volunteers to assist withits operations and programs. At present,the Park enjoys the services of theGarden Club of the Oranges, whichmaintains the Glenmont Greenhouse.The site also relies on summer internsfrom Seton Hall Preparatory School,provided with support from theCharles Edison Fund. With theupcoming reopening of the LaboratoryComplex, the site engaged directly withlocal community members throughprogramming and other means to

promote volunteer opportunities.Currently, site personnel are workingwith Master Gardener studentsfor the first time, expanding thecollege intern program, and steppingup recruitment tactics to build a largercommunity-based volunteer pool.

Interpretive Resources

Thomas Edison NHP maintainsextensive archives with millions ofprimary documents as well as a largenumber of secondary publicationsrelating to Thomas Edison's experi-ments and business undertakings.

The archives and library collections areused by park staff and outside research-ers alike. Collaboration with the EdisonPapers project at Rutgers Universitycontinues to improve access to Edisonmaterials. Finding aids for the libraryand archive collections will eventuallybe posted online, and research spaceis provided to accommodate smallnumbers of researchers at the site.

Thomas Edison NHP's museumcollection, among the largest in theNational Park System, contains 400,000artifacts associated with Edison'sexperimentation, business ventures,and domestic life. The Glenmontestate alone includes more than 40,000objects. Many of the pieces in thesite's collection are on display in thelaboratory buildings or at Glenmont.

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The Planning Process

Under the leadership of Chief ofInterpretation Karen Sloat-Olsen,the Long Range Interpretive Plan wasdeveloped during a process that beganwith a scoping trip on October 25, 2007.Elements of the process included work-shops facilitated by a planning consultantfirm, Interpretive Solutions, Inc.; worksessions of the Core Planning Group;and a number of follow-up phone callsthat involved Core Planning GroupMembers and the planning consultant.

A workshop addressing foundationalelements was held April 1-2,2008.A group of stakeholders joined parkstaff on the first day of the workshopto share their ideas, perspectives, andconcerns. The workshop participantsaddressed site significance andthemes, identified target audiences,and discussed issues and influencesimpacting interpretive programming.This was followed by an implement-ation workshop held October 1-3, 2008.This workshop addressed media choices,interpretive strategies, and programevaluation. Part i of the LRIP, theFoundation for Planning, circulatedto stakeholders in August Of 2008,and revised in accordance withtheir comments.

All of these workshops were facilitatedby Interpretive Solutions, Inc. Inaddition, the Core Planning Groupmet numerous times to discuss thematicapproaches, and to recommend andprioritize new programs to address thegaps. Finally, a series of teleconferencesbetween the Core Planning Group andthe planning consultant helped to

Action Plan

finalize both theme statements andpriorities and set the stage for thedrafting of the LRIP. The Team Draftof the LRIP was completed in June2009, and the plan was revised andfinalized in August of that year.

Needs in Support of Interpretation

Through the planning process, theCore Planning Group was able toidentify a number of needs and prioritiesthat would support and enhanceinterpretive services at Thomas EdisonNHP in the next five to seven years.

Wayfinding and orientationThere is a need to clearly orientvisitors to their options as they arriveon site: optimum circulation, bestroutes, possible sequence of visit,etc., as they choose a path through thepark, including the Glenmont estate:Examples include a tear-away sitemap, and calendar of events.

There is a need for orientationinformation to be shown on themonitor near the admissions desk,that would introduce the visitor tothe programs and activities availableduring their visit, cost of admissionand instruction on the use of the audiounits. There is also a need for a newgeneral orientation video to be shownin the theatre adjacent to the informationdesk. The video would introduce thepark's themes, provide basic factsabout Thomas Edison, and highlightselected features.

21


The following are needs thathave been idenified:

First impressions• Improved entrance to Glenmont,

one that does not lead visitors pastsomewhat shabby outbuildings,etc., particularly the walk from theparking lot to the potting shed.

Visitor feedback• Effective ways of soliciting visitor

feedback. For example, digital visi-tor comment cards, text feedback viacell phones, comments on website.

Access and convenience• More comfortable, shady places to

rest during tours of the LaboratoryComplex and Glenmont Estate.

• Improved lighting on some parts ofthe tour, especially in Building 5.

• "Touchable" collection forvision-impaired visitors.

• Tactile cues to the recorded audioportion of the site tour.

• Wheelchair users for Building 5should understand the prescribedroute, elevator use, and narrowpassageways. Wheelchairaccess throughout the site shouldbe tested prior to opening day.

• Alternative visitor experiences forThomas Edison's home Glenmont,which is not accessible to the physicallydisabled. Some suggestions include:relocating the existing photo albumsthat show inaccessible parts of thehouse and the installation of a livewebcam.

• Baby-changing station at Glenmont.

• Increased "open-to-the-public" daysat Glenmont in winter.

• Expanded marketing efforts toSpanish-speaking visitors to include:exterior welcoming sign in Spanish,notice of Spanish and cell phonetours, website also available inSpanish. Spanish-language toursare offered when personnel areavailable to present them; there isa need to find ways to make theprogram permanent. The Park willsoon have a Spanish-language webpage.

Audience• Provide tours that focus on

Glenmont's decorative arts.

• Develop hands-on activities and groupexperiences that are appropriate forfamilies with children of multiple ages.

• Develop programs for children whoare four through eight.

• Develop programs that addressdifferent levels/modalities of learning.

School programs• Note that several of the ideas below

were in place prior to closing. Uponreopening, the Park has a need torevisit and in some cases revise theactivity to ensure that they provideoutstanding services.

• In-class teacher workshops thataddress the logistics of visiting, classpreparation and thematic content.

• Visiting classroom trunks, Rangerin the Classroom programs, andteachers who have been specifi-

22

cally oriented to tour their classesthrough the site on their own.

• Establish distance learning facilitiesand programs for school groups.

Marketing• Reach out to new audiences, including:

- Local business owners

^ Summer, after-school andweekend camps

^ College students in need ofinternships and class projects

^ Corporations (tours; speakersfor business meetings)

^ Veterans (special exhibits/special programs)

Support for interpretation• Research and understand copyright

issues regarding the site's archivalholdings, especially sound recordingsand motion pictures.

• Research the following areas,among others:

^ Other inventors in the same areasas Edison

The ways in which Edison'smovie technology built onthe work of others

^ Table or other informationlisting and describingEdison's many companies

A good description of how thevarious properties went fromThomas/Mina Edison ownershipto the federal government

Evaluation

Program evaluation is an importanttool for measuring the effectiveness ofinterpretive services. It should neverbe viewed as a critique, but simply asan opportunity for improvement. Theneed to create a "culture of evaluation"throughout the NPS has been clearlyarticulated by NPS upper managementin the Servicewide Education andInterpretation Evaluation Strategy,as well as during an "EvaluationSummit" held in October 20o6.

Principles of an effective evaluationprogram include:

• Feedback gathered in a systematicmanner (for example,not just anecdotal)

• Evaluation must be examined forempirical evidence

• Planned evaluation

• Ongoing evaluations

• Resources provided to conductevaluations (time and people)

Action Plan

Plants grow thickin the Glenmontgreenhouse.

23


Garden chairs on thelawn of Glenmont

Evaluation can take place during anyof three project phases: front-endevaluation solicits feedback as apreliminary step in program planning;formative evaluation depends on feed-back during the program developmentprocess; and summative evaluationoccurs when a program is up and run-ning. The latter is sometimes calledremedial evaluation, which impliesthat resources will be made availableto remedy any program shortcomingsthat the evaluation process identifies.

What to evaluate. Criteria forselecting which interpretive programsand services need to be evaluatedinclude a combination ofthe following factors:

• Importance. The more impor-tant a service is, the more valuethere is in interpreting it.

• Degree of confidence. The surermanagement is that an interpretive

service is effective (or not effective),the less the need to evaluate it.

• Cost to evaluate. Lower costevaluations are more likely to beperformed than those at high cost.

• Benefits/ability to impact services.The higher the benefit and impact,the more value there is in in-terpreting the service.

Evaluation priorities. Evaluationpriorities at Thomas Edison NHP are:

• The overall visitor experience,in particular:

- The audio tour

- The graphic panels in Building 5

o The self-guided tour in Build-ing 5 (compared with ranger-guided tour or audio tour)

24

Action Plan

^ Observation of programs, leadingto enhanced coaching and trainingfor interpreters

Implementation

The planning team conducted acareful review of Thomas EdisonNHP's interpretive themes to identifyany gaps in services, and to recommendnew initiatives intended to strengthenand enhance interpretation at the parkas it reopens to the public.

The planning group identified a numberof different target audiences for thesite's interpretive services. An audienceis defined as any group for whomspecially-tailored interpretive servicesare necessary. Target audiences include:

• General audience

• Scheduled groups (arrive with specificobjective in mind: includes schools,as well as targeted, topic-based groups)

• Repeat visitors/visitors from thepark's immediate vicinity

• Resource-based (This group includesresearchers using the archives and/orcollection, as well as film crews,etc., who have specialized, narrowlydefined needs)

• Non-English speakers

• Persons with disabilities. Peoplewith hearing impairmentsare of special interest, due toEdison's own impaired hearing.

• Web-based visitors (This categoryincludes all visitors who accessinformation via digital media,including internet-enabled devices;pre- and post-visits via the internet,or those who only visit the parkvirtually, never in person.)

Programming recommendations weredeveloped by theme for the generalaudience. In addition, several programrecommendations were created totarget the Park's specialized audiences.

Exterior ofBuilding 5 at theEdison LaboratoryComplex

25


Summary of Program Recommendations by Priority (please see AppendixA for a more detailed description of programs). After the entire park is openfor a period of time, and all activities and services have been evaluated, thispriority table will be reviewed. At that time, an annual plan will be createdand the top services needed will be selected. Note that programs within eachcategory are not necessarily listed in priority order within that category.

Laundry room atGlenmont

26

Action Plan

Theme InterpretivePrograms

Exhibits, incl.rotating

Website Digital Media Print Media Accessibility

Theme 1 Object-based "Hands-on" Virtual tour of Create a space/ Create special- Podcasts:"failed area featuring site, incl Chem program to ized orientation Foreign

Innovation/ inventions" inventions Lab with show short materials (for language toursInvention: program layered info, specialty films, resource-based

Solar Energy "hot spots" including audience: Podcasts:

HIGH Program on exhibit that that provide Edison short researchers, Spanish

PRIORITY business impact would additional films film crews, etc language tourof Edison demonstrate depth on hand-heldinventions some of Cell phone tour device

the physical Archive & of Lab ComplexProgram on principles of collection- Translate siteeconomic solar energy, based online Kiosk/computer guideimpact of either in-doors exhibit on the access featuringEdison with lights light bulb: digital library of Translateinventions or outdoors patents, letters, sound archives other written

using natural prototypes, etc. materialsAfter-school sunlight. Kiosk/computerinventors club Website: access featur- Add audio

"Invention ing historical description toLunch time highlites" photographs orientation filmlecture/ podcast of Edison site/discussion series Edison's life/ Audio version

Website: Quote inventions of site brochureAlternative of the month/Energy program week and/ "Turning the Large print

or this day/ Pages"- type brochureTechnologies week in Edison software: Makeprogram: history lab notebooks Produce ASLAn overview available (American Signof the various Website: via interactive Language)technologies, Sound archive kiosks tour for useexplaining online on hand-heldthe basics device, e.g.and issues that Website: Virtual iPhoneneed to be timeline of lifeaddressed. in W. Orange Special program

in context of for peopleContinue Edison's time with cognitiveGeothermal period disabilitiesEnergy tours atGlenmont.

Electric Vehiclesprogram on theprinciples ofelectric vehicles,how Edisondeveloped thenickel-ironstorage battery,and showcas-ing the Edisonfamily electricvehicles.

27


ThemeInterpretive

ProgramsExhibits, incl.

rotatingWebsite Digital Media Print Media Accessibility

Theme 1 Edison field day Archive and Website: Edison site onfor families collection- "Where in the social network-

Innovation/ based exhibit world is ing sitesInvention: New invention on the light Edison's

gala event for bulb: patents, impact?" map- Hand-held

MEDIUM local schools letters, based program device: tour of

PRIORITY(HS, Jr. High & prototypes, etc, site-includesCollege) Website: "Fade audio and

Open storage to black:" photographsexhibits/more gradually as well asaccess to subtract Edison narrativecollections, inventions fromposs. incl. a virtual setting Kiosk featuringChem lab Edison movies

Website: down-load Edisonringtones (fromsound archives)

Website:Experiments/demonstrationsto try at home

Website: Filmclip of machine-shop inoperation (alsopresented viavideo kiosk inmachine shop)

Website: Virtualtimeline ofEdison's life

Theme 1 Special program, Website: Digitalshare ideas: access to

Innovation/ What's your idea Edison papersInvention: for an inven-

tion? How does Website: Film

LOWER an invention get of Edison's

PRIORITY invented? inventions inuse around the

Concerts world

Inventor's clubfor adults

Theatricalpresentations

Series of onsitelectures target-ing museumprofession

28

Action Plan

ThemeInterpretive



Theme 2 "A Day in the "Dead Post the Edison Program on Create SpecialLife of Edison" Edison" scrapbooks Edison myths specialized programs

Thomas -visitors program/ via "Turning and legends: orientation for hard-of-Edison: "shadow" Edi- exhbit-his the Pages" "myth-busters" materials (for hearing people

son as he goes death, funeral, software podcast, show resource-based emphasizing

HIGH through eulogies, death PBS History audience: that Edisor

PRIORITY la typical (time- mask, etc., Detectives film researchers, was he r 5compressed) including debunking film crews, etc. mpa rday, from "myth- Edison's talk towaking up at busters" re: the deadGlenmont to Edison myths &working in t legendshe lab withthe muckers,to dinner withcelebrities

Theme 2 Edison scandal Exhibit Website: down-tour featuring time- load Edison

Thomas line of Edison's images asEdison: life screen-savers

MEDIUM Exhibit on

PRIORITY Edison as icon:"larger-than-life" role insociety, and asmarketing icon;include artactivities

NOTE: oriented tomarketing icons

No LOWERPRIORITY Exhibit onprograms for Edison in thethis theme press

Post periodnewspapershighlightingEdison's careerand place inthe world'sconsciousness

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ThemeInterpretive



Theme 3 Assume the Walking tour ofidentity of a lab neighbor-

Process/ worker, take hood, present-Workers: on role in ed via handheld

invention, device with

HIGH make decisions, historical visuals

PRIORITY answer to comparequestions with today's

streetsca peSite tour:"Muckers to Kiosk featuringMaids," focus- computer list ofing on all the workers; mini-employees who Wikipedia thatmade Edison's asks for input/life work letters/quotes/possible: photos fromWhat was it relatives oflike to work for former workersEdison?

Podcasts or cellphone interpthat focuseson individualworkers,includingoral historyaccounts

Theme 3 Labor Day special E-tour: Day inevent the life of an

Process/ Edison record-Workers: Program on ing artist

Edison hiringPolicies

MEDIUMPRIORITY Program on the

creative "talent"who worked,played, acted &recorded at theLab & Glenmont

Program on thetech. knowledge& skills present inEdison workforce

Walking tour offactory build-ings: howneighborhood& demograph-ics change as aresult of Edison'slab,emphasizingWorkers/ Immi-grants/L.abor story

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Appendix A

ThemeInterpretive Exhibits, incl.

Website Digital Media Print Media AccessibilityPrograms rotating

Theme 3 Produce AVshow on

Process/ immigrationWorkers: impact on

Edison work

LOW force

PRIORITY

Theme 4 Camp Edison: Marginalia Website: Digital Audio or cellfocus on exhibit-on recipe box; phone tour:

Glenmont: nature, music, "Turning download and architectureart the Pages" print out Mina's (exterior)

HIGH software recipes

PRIORITY Porch talks on Live participa-various topics in Outbuildings Website: Down- tion in tour viaseason open load and print webcam

map of treeSpecial empha- Plant labels on species on the Cell phone toursis programs the grounds (to grounds and for kids-use(ex: architec- identify plant greenhouse texting featuresture, Edison specimens) plants and familychildren) stories

Website:Special holiday- Interactiverelated tours virtual tour withand exhibits: hot spots offer-how the ing layered infoEdisonscelebrated theholidays

Theme 4 Concerts at Exhibit on the Website: Audio or cell Rack cardGlenmont newspapers Virtual tour of phone tour: featuring

Glenmont: that Edison paintings decorative arts attributes ofread (interior) the

MEDIUM architecture/PRIORITY Victoriana

Theme 4 Discussion/ Website: Audio enhanceddialog on "Design programs:

Glenmont: Edison as family your own ambient soundman Glenmont" throughout

LOW (architectural house as tour

PRIORITY features) continues-children's voices,maids at work,Edison and Minaconferring andlaughing togeth-er, cook bangingpans, etc.

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Theme InterpretivePrograms

Exhibits, incl.rotating

Website Digital Media Print Media Accessibility

Theme 5 Website: Digitallibrary/online

The catalog (photosResource: of objects,

historical

HIGH photos, sound,

PRIORITY movies)

Website:Finding aidsto archivalresources

Theme 5 Architecture Websiteprogram: podcast: Staff

The architects get members talkResource: CEUs about their jobs

or other topics

MEDIUMWebsite:PRIORITY "Curator cam"the storybehind thescenes

NOTE:

No LOWERPRIORITYprograms forthis theme

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Appendix A

Appendix A: Detailed Descriptionof Program Recommendations

The following listing provides additionalprogram details. It is arranged by targetaudience and theme.

General audiences, Theme 1,Innovation/Impact. Programrecommendations are:

• An object-based program thatfocuses on Edison's "failed inventions"and what he learned from them.

• A program on the global impact onbusiness of Edison's inventions and ap-proach to commerce and marketing.

• A program on the worldwide economicimpact of Edison's inventions.

• A special program for sharing ideas:What's your idea for an invention?How does an invention get invented?

• A space should be identified/createdin the Park for a hands-on areafeaturing inventions/inventing.

• A space should be identified/created where short specialty films,including Edison short films, canbe shown.

• Sponsor a "new invention gala event"for local schools (High School, JuniorHigh & College).

• Create a temporary archive andcollection-based exhibit on the lightbulb: patents, letters, prototypes, etc.The exhibit is then recreated as a

virtual, online exhibit (as listed below).Note, however, that the site does notpresently feature an appropriatelocation for temporary exhibits.

• Create open storage exhibits thatwould allow increased visitor accessto collections. This might possiblyinclude the Chem Lab.

• Create/sponsor an Inventors Clubfor adults and students.

• Sponsor a series of onsite lecturestargeting museum professionals,possibly highlighting sound,motion picture and documentarchives, as well as decorative artsand site's extensive object collection.

• Theatrical presentations dramatizinghighlights in Edison's life/inventions.

• Alternative Energy Technologiesprogram: A overview of the varioustechnologies, explaining the basicsand issues that need to be addressed.

• Solar Energy exhibit that woulddemonstrate some of the physicalprinciples of solar energy, eitherin-doors with lights or outdoorsusing natural sunlight.

• Continue Geothermal Energy toursat Glenmont.

• Electric Vehicles program on theprinciples of electric vehicles, howEdison developed the nickel-ironstorage battery, and showcasing theEdison family electric vehicles.

33


Digital media, GeneralAudiences, Theme 1. Digital media isconsidered to be any content deliveredvia digital media, regardless of theplatform; delivery could be via website,cell phone, hand-held device, download-able podcast to iPod or similar player,etc. Recommendations for digital mediafor Theme i include:

• A web-based virtual tour of the Park,including the Chem Lab, with layeredinformation, "hot spots" that provideadditional depth, etc.

• Create a tour of the site for a hand-held device that includes audio andphotographs as well as narrative.

• Produce a film clip of machine-shopin operation (also presented via videokiosk in Machine Shop) for visitorswho cannot experience the "live"machine shop action.

• Produce a film showing Edison'sinventions in action throughout theworld, including different time periods.

• An archive- and collection-basedonline exhibit on the light bulb:patents, letters, prototypes, etc.,based on an onsite temporary exhibit.

• A podcast downloadable from websitethat features invention highlights.

• A regular website feature highlightinga "quote of the month/week" and/or"this day/week in Edison history."

• With the help of appropriate partners,develop a "sound archive" that isaccessible via the Park's website.

• Create downloadable Edisonringtones from the sound archives.

• Make the digital library of soundarchives available on site via a kiosk/computer terminal.

• A kiosk/computer terminal featuringaccess to historical photographs ofEdison's life, the site, and his inventions(also available on website).

• A kiosk/computer terminal featuringclips from Edison's movies and shortfilms (also available on website).

• Create a web-based virtual timelineof Edison's life and inventions.

• Create a web-based virtual timelineof life in West Orange in the contextof Edison's time period.

• Post Edison's lab notebooks on thewebsite (also available at kiosks/computer terminals on site) via"Turning the Pages" -type or similarsoftware that allows viewers to "pagethrough" the notebooks, zoom in, etc.

• Provide digital access to theEdison papers.

• Create map-based online program:"Where in the World is Edison'simpact?"

• Create a web-based program, "Fadeto Black," in which users graduallysubtract Edison's inventions, one byone, from a virtual setting.

• Offer experiments/demonstrationsto try at home via the website.

• Continue to offer web-based"The Invention Factory" activity.

• Cell phone tour of Lab Complex.

34

• Create an Edison NHP presence onsocial networking sites like Facebook,MySpace and Twitter.

The following programs addressingTheme 1, Innovation/Impact, arealready in place at Edison NHP, andwill continue:

• Camp Edison (summer specialinterest camp focused on inventionsand inventing). This program wasoffered for the first time in Summer20o8, and is slated to grow overthe years.

• An invention-themed program/tourthat focuses on areas usually not opento the public (Black Maria, Chem Lab,Pattern Shop, Phonograph Room).

• Movie night ( or weekend afternoon)in the Visitor Center.

• "The Invention Factory" interactiveweb-based activity.

General audiences, Theme 2, ThomasEdison. Program recommendations are:

• Program: "A Day in the Life of Edison"-visitors "shadow" Edison as he goesthrough a typical (time-compressed)day, from waking up at Glenmont toworking in the lab with the muckers,to dinner with celebrities.

• Exhibit/program focused on Edison'sdeath, funeral, eulogies, death mask,etc.

• Program/exhibit on Edison mythsand legends: "myth-busters" (alsoas podcast; listed below).

• Post Edison's scrapbooks on thewebsite via "Turning the Pages"or similar software, all owingviewers to "page through" thenotebooks, zoom in on detail, etc.

• Special programs for hearing impairedpersons, emphasizing that Edison washearing impaired.

• Edison scandal tour.

• Exhibit featuring timeline ofEdison's life.

• Exhibit on Edison as icon: "larger-than-life" role in society, and asmarketing icon; include art activitiesoriented to marketing icons.

• Exhibit on Edison in the press.

• Post period newspapers highlightingEdison's career and place in the world'sconsciousness (could also be web-based exhibit).

Digital media, General audiences,Theme 2.

• Podcast on Edison myths and legends:myth-busters."

• Plus see many recommendations fordigital media listed under Theme 1.

• Downloadable Edison images for useas screen-savers.

General audiences, Theme 3, TheProcess of Invention/The Workers.Program recommendations are:

• Create program during whichparticipants assume the identity ofan Edison worker, take on a role in

Appendix A

35


• a certain invention, make decisions,answer questions, etc.

• Site tour: "Muckers to Maids," focus-ing on all the employees who madeEdison's life work possible. What wasit like to work here? Interprets a dayin the life of a worker: machinist,secretary, mucker, factory worker.

• Ranger-led walking tour of theneighborhood, including walking tourof factory buildings; "Workers/Immigrants/Labor" story: how didneighborhood and demographicschange as a result of Edison's lab?Could also be offered via a printedbrochure, and see also neighborhoodtour for hand-held device listed below.

• Labor Day special event.

• Program on hiring policies:Would you be hired?

• Program on the creative "talent"-actors and musicians-who workedand played at the Lab and Glenmont.

• Program on the range of technicalknowledge and skills present in theEdison workforce.

Digital media, General Audiences,Theme 3.

• Kiosk featuring computer list ofworkers; a mini-Wikipedia that asksfor input/letters/quotes/photos fromrelatives of former workers; inviterespondees to a worker-descendant"reunion."

• Podcasts or cell phone interpretationthat focuses on individual workers,including oral history accounts.

• Walking tour of lab neighborhood,presented via handheld device withhistorical visuals to compare withtoday's streetscape.

• Develop an E-tour: A day in the lifeof an Edison recording artist.

• Produce AV show on the impact ofimmigration on the Edison work force.

General Audiences, Theme 4,Glenmont. Program recommendationsare as follows:

• Camp Edison, a summer campfocusing on nature, music and art.

• Create "porch talks" on various topicsin season, for visitors awaiting a tourof the mansion.

• Create special emphasis programs(ex: architecture, Edison children).

• Special holiday-related tours andexhibits: how the Edisons celebratedthe holidays.

• Program: What was it like to workhere? A Day in the Life of a Maidat Glenmont.

• Open more of the outbuildings tothe public.

• Create rack card featuring attributesof the architecture/Victoriana.

• Etiquette tours: join a tea party andlearn the manners of Mina's day.

• Discussion/dialogue on Edisonas family man.

36

Digital media, General Audience,Theme 4:

• Website: Interactive virtual tour of themansion with hot spots offering layeredinformation.

• Marginalia exhibit online or presentedvia a kiosk or computer terminal-using "Turning the Pages-"type ofsimilar software-featuring Edison'snotes on his books and other readingmatter.

• Create an online exhibit on thenewspapers Edison read.

• Website: Digital recipe box; downloadand print out Mina's recipes.

• Website: Download and print mapof tree species on the grounds andgreenhouse plants.

• Audio or cell phone tour of Glenmontexterior, focusing on the architecture.

• Live participation in tour via web cam(from remote location, or for thosewho are not able to access the full tour).

• Cell phone tour for kids-use textingfeatures and family stories.

• Website: virtual tour of Glenmont'spainting collection.

• Audio or cell phone tour of Glenmontinterior, focusing on decorative arts.

• Website activity: "Design your ownGlenmont," focusing on architecturalfeatures.

• Audio enhanced programs: ambientsound throughout the house as tourcontinues-children's voices, maids

at work, Edison and Mina conferringand laughing together, cook bangingpans, etc.

The following programs are alreadyin place or under development at theGlenmont Estate, and will continue:

• Guided tours of the mansion.

• Changing garden and grounds tours:focus on how they have changedsince Edison's day and continue tobe managed.

• Guided tour of the grounds: emphasison connection to Edisons' personal lifeand neighborhood.

• Program/tour focusing on Mina:her role as home executive; herconnections to the company, includingentertaining at Glenmont and owningsome of the company property; caringfor Edison.

• Opportunity to participate in periodgames like those the Edison childrenwould have played.

General Audiences, Theme 5,The Resource. Programrecommendations include:

• Create an architecture program thatqualifies architects for ContinuingEducation Units (CEUs).

Digital media, General Audience,Theme 5:

• Create digital library/online catalog(photos of objects, historical photos,sound, movies)

Appendix A

37


• Website: Create finding aids toarchival resources

• Website-based podcast: Staff memberstalk about their jobs or other topics

• Website: "Curator cam"-that allowsviewers to view restoration orconservation work in progress.

Scheduled groups. School programrecommendations includingthe following:

• Develop a program centered onEdison's inventions. Activities mightinclude blocks featuring Edison'sinventions that could be organized inproper sequence; "Be An Invention"in which each student chooses one ofEdison's inventions, and traces it fromidea to product, among other activities.

Repeat/community visitors.Recommendations for special programsfor the Park's closest neighbors include:

• An after-school inventors club formiddle and high school students.

• Lunch-time lecture ordiscussion series.

• Resurrect "Edison Field Day" forlocal families.

• Sponsor onsite concerts, includingat Glenmont.

Resource-based audience. This groupincludes researchers using the archivesand/or collection, as well as film crews,etc., who have specialized, narrowlydcfined needs

• Create specialized printedorientation materials for these usersof Park resources.

Non-English speakers/persons withdisabilities. The following recommen-dations relate specifically to increasingaccess to interpretive programs atEdison NHP:

• Create foreign language podcast toursthat are downloadable from thePark's website.

• Create a Spanish-language video tourfeaturing the Park's current Spanish-speaking interpreter, to be deliveredvia podcast or a handheld device.

• Translate site guide and other writtenmaterials (Spanish, Japanese andGerman are priorities).

• Add audio description sound trackto the site's orientation film.

• Create an audio version of the sitebrochure (in progress).

• Create large print brochure.

• Produce American Sign Language(ASL) tour for use on hand-helddevice, e.g. iPhone.

• Develop a special program for peoplewith cognitive disabilities.

The following programs have alreadybeen initiated to improve the Park'saccessibility to all visitors:

38

• The audio tour has been translatedand made available in Spanish,Japanese and German.

• Audio versions of printed matter arebeing created.

• Printed and audio scripts are beingdeveloped for all exhibits that are notwheelchair-accessible.

Summary of digital mediarecommendations. The followingis a summary of all recommendationsinvolving digital media. These programscan be presented on various platforms,including not just the website, but onsitecomputer kiosks, hand-held devices,podcasts, etc.

Web-based interpretive services.• A web-based virtual tour of the Park,

including the Chem Lab, with layeredinformation, "hot spots" that provideadditional depth, etc.

• Produce a film clip of machine-shopin operation for visitors who cannotexperience the "live" machine shopaction.


• An archive- and collection-basedonline exhibit on the light bulb:patents, letters, prototypes, etc., basedon an onsite temporary exhibit.

• A regular website feature highlightinga "quote of the month/week" and/or"this day/week in Edison history."

• With the help of appropriate partners,develop a "sound archive" that isaccessible via the Park's website.

• Create downloadable Edison ringtonesfrom the sound archives.

• Access to library of historicalphotographs of Edison's life, the site,and his inventions.

• Clips from Edison's movies andshort films.

• Create a web-based virtual timelineof Edison's life and inventions.

• Create a web-based virtual timelineof life in West Orange in the contextof Edison's time period.

• Post Edison's lab notebooks on thewebsite (also available at kiosks/computer terminals on site) via"Turning the Pages"-type or similarsoftware that allows viewers to "pagethrough" the notebooks, zoom in, etc.

• Provide digital access to theEdison papers.

• Create map-based online program:"Where in the World is Edison'simpact?"

• Create a web-based program, "Fadeto Black," in which users graduallysubtract Edison's inventions, one byone, from a virtual setting.

• Offer experiments/demonstrationsto try at home via the website.

• Continue to offer web-based"The Invention Factory" activity.

Appendix A

39


• Create an Edison NHP presence onsocial networking sites like Facebook,MySpace and Twitter.

• Downloadable Edison images for useas screen-savers or wallpaper.

• Mini-Wikipedia that asks for input/letters/quotes/photos from relativesof former workers; invite respondeesto a worker-descendent "reunion."Features list of former Edison workers.

• Develop an E-tour: A day in the lifeof an Edison recording artist.

• AV show on the impact of immigrationon the Edison work force.

• Interactive virtual tour ofGlenmont with hot spots offeringlayered information.

• Marginalia exhibit using "Turningthe Pages-"type or similar software-featuring Edison's notes on his booksand other reading matter.

• Create an online exhibit on thenewspapers Edison read.

• Digital recipe box; downloadand print out Mina's recipes.

• Download and print map of treespecies on the grounds andgreenhouse plants.

• Live participation in Glenmont tourvia webcam (from remote location, orfor those who are not able to access thefull tour).

• Virtual tour of Glenmont'spainting collection.

• Create digital library/online catalog(photos of objects, historical photos,sound, movies).

• Create finding aids toarchival resources.

• "Curator cam"-the conservation/preservation story behind the scenes.

Hand-held devicesCreate a tour of the site for a hand-helddevice that includes audio andphotographs as well as narrative.

Walking tour of lab neighborhood,presented via handheld device withhistorical visuals to compare withtoday's streetscape.

• Spanish-language video tour featuringthe Park's current Spanish-speakinginterpreter.

• American Sign Language (ASL) tour foruse on hand-held device, e.g. iPhone.

On-site kiosks/computer terminals• Produce a film clip of machine-shop

in operation for visitors who cannotexperience the "live" machineshop action.


• Provide digital library ofsound archives.

• A kiosk/computer terminal featuringaccess to historical photographs ofEdison's life, the site, and his inventions(also available on website).

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• A kiosk/computer terminal featuringclips from Edison's movies and shortfilms (also available on website).

• Kiosk featuring computer list ofworkers; a mini-Wikipedia that asksfor input/letters/quotes/photos fromrelatives of former workers; inviterespondees to a worker-descendant"reunion."

• AV show on the impact of immigrationon the Edison work force.

• Marginalia exhibit using "Turningthe Pages"-type or similar software-featuring Edison's notes on his booksand other reading matter.

Podcasts• A podcast downloadable from website

that features invention highlights.

• Podcast on Edison myths and legends:"myth-busters."

• Podcasts that focuses onindividual workers, including oralhistory accounts.

• Staff members talk about theirjobs or other topics.

• Downloadable foreign languagepodcast tours.

• Spanish-language video tour featuringthe Park's current Spanish-speakinginterpreter.

• Cell phone tours

• Cell phone tour of Lab Complex.

• Cell phone interpretation that focuseson individual workers, including oralhistory accounts.

• Cell phone tour of Glenmont exterior,focusing on the architecture.

• Cell phone tour for kids-usetexting features and family stories.

• Cell phone tour of Glenmont interior,focusing on decorative arts.

• Website activity: "Design your ownGlenmont," focusing on architecturalfeatures.

Appendix A

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Appendix B

Appendix B: Planning Team

Core GroupGreg Marshall, Superintendent, Thomas Edison NHPTerri Jung, Assistant Superintendent, Thomas Edison NHPKaren Sloat-Olsen, Chief of Interpretation, Thomas Edison NHPMichelle Ortwein, Curator, Thomas Edison NHPShemaine Mckelvin, Park Ranger, Thomas Edison NHPJerry Fabris, Sound Recording Curator, Thomas Edison NHPBeth Miller, Glenmont CuratorHarry Roman, inventor

Kate Hartwyk, Essex County Department of Cultural and Historical Affairs

Stakeholders ( in attendance)Brigid Jennings, Park Ranger, Thomas Edison NHPTom Ungerland, Edison Innovation FoundationCharley Hummel, Friends of EdisonMidge Wohl, Eastern NationalPatti Reilly, Education Center, NERO, NPSPaul Israel, Edison Papers Project, RutgersDuncan Hay, Specialist, NPSEric Olsen, Park Ranger, Historian, Morristown NHPLeonard DeGraaf, Archivist, Thomas Edison NHPJohn O'Reilly, Friends of EdisonRoger Durham, Museum of the Soldier, U.S. ArmyEd Wirth, Archivist, Thomas Edison NHPJoan Harris, Collections Manager, Thomas Edison NHPGreg Schmidl, Museum Technician, Thomas Edison NHPWalt Baginski, Maintenance Mechanic, Thomas Edison NHPStaff, Thomas Edison NHP

Stakeholders (read and commented)John Warren, National Parks of New York HarborBen Bolger, Governor Livingston High School Teacher, former Park RangerMonta Harrington, Eastern NationalJerry Tarnoff, West Orange Public SchoolsJohn F. McKeon, Mayor, 'Township of West OrangeGeorge Keegan, Notre Dame/EIFJohn Columbus, Black Maria Film FestivalPresident, Committee of Managers, Llewellyn ParkAmy Simon, West Orange Arts IncubatorGarden Club of the OrangesKen Mandel, Arts Council of West OrangeTom Laverty, NJ Division of Parks and Forestry

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