National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Thomas Edison National Historical Park Long Range Interpretive Plan september 2009 Thomas Edison National Historical Park Long Range Interpretive Plan Prepared by: Interpretive Solutions, Inc. 732 Westbourne Road West Chester, PA 19382 for: Thomas Edison National Historical Park 211 Main Street West Orange, NJ 07052 and Harpers Ferry Center P.O. Box 50 Harpers Ferry, WV 25425 Task order T1180070008 Performed under contract number C1180070004 September 2009 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior 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 Contents 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 iii Introduction Introduction • Follows findings and strategic recommendations of the National Park Long range interpretive planning at Service’s Interpretation and Education Thomas Edison National Historical Park Renaissance Action Plan (Fall 2006) took place on the cusp of change at the site. The Laboratory Complex was • Articulates the remarkable soon to be reopened after six years significance of the park: of renovations, and exciting new approaches to interpreting Edison’s ◦ its extensive collection of original scientific and business legacy were Edison material, the world’s being implemented. The Park faced largest related to a single inventor many intriguing challenges brought about by the forthcoming change: ◦ the outstanding integrity of new, and quite likely larger, audiences the site’s infrastructure upon reopening; a community that was also on the edge of change, with the ◦ the well-rounded insights it provides development of former Edison holdings; into the professional and private a new approach to visitors’ interpretive lives of Edison, one of the world’s experience of the site; and changes best-known individuals in his day to wayfinding and building access under new protocols. The Long ◦ the impact of Edison’s West Orange Range Interpretive Plan (LRIP) had inventions on the world—especially to be designed to meet these sound recording, motion pictures, challenges—it needed to look to the and his ground-breaking system future by providing an interpretive of research and development strategy that provided maximum flexibility for staff members as they • Offers primary interpretive themes prepared to offer educational and that present a picture of Edison the interpretive services during this man, the inventor, the businessman, new phase in the site’s history. father, husband, and celebrity and that integrate the Laboratory Complex and Glenmont Estate into a seamless Executive Summary context for telling Edison’s story The Long Range Interpretive Plan for • Helps the Park cultivate new the National Park Service’s Thomas audiences and open up new lines Edison National Historical Park: of communication through the use of innovative techniques • Is guided and inspired by Edison’s own spirit of innovation • Provides an implementation timeline to ensure an orderly approach • Sets realistic, achievable goals and to presenting Interpretive and priorities that are compatible with Educational services over the the resources available for support next five to seven years. 5 Thomas Edison National Historical Park Long Range Interpretive Plan Planning for Interpretation that concentrates on actions needed to at Thomas Edison National create or sustain a vigorous and effective Historical Park interpretive program for the future. All CIPS have three components: the The National Park Service (NPS) has Long Range Interpretive Plan (LRIP), adopted a unified planning approach a series of Annual Implementation Plans for interpretation and education. (AIP) and an Interpretive Database (ID). This approach combines planning for interpretive media, personal interpretive What is a Long Range Interpretive services, and education programs. Plan? The heart of the CIP is the Long The Comprehensive Interpretive Plan Range Interpretive Plan (LRIP). (CIP) is the basic planning document The LRIP defines the overall vision and for interpretation and was formally long-term (5-7 year) interpretive goals adopted as part of NPS guidelines in of the park. The process that develops 1995. Responsibility for creating the the LRIP defines realistic strategies and CIP lies with each park’s superintendent. actions that work toward achievement of the interpretive goals. What is a Comprehensive Interpretive Plan? The CIP process The Annual Implementation Plan helps parks make choices. It provides and Interpretive Database. The guidance to park staff: it helps them completed LRIP is a critical part of clarify their objectives, identify their the CIP, but it does not stand alone. audiences, and choose the best mix Actions in the LRIP are divided into of media and personal services to use annual, achievable steps and reproduced to convey park themes. in the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP), the second component of the Although the CIP as defined in CIP. Creating a series of these AIPs that Director’s Order 6 is composed of implement the actions outlined in the specific elements, good planning LRIP simplifies the park’s annual is customized to meet each park’s needs planning process. The third component and situation. The CIP is not a recipe. of the CIP is the Interpretive Database Rather, it is a guide to effective, goal- (ID), an ongoing compilation of driven planning. While it considers information, reports, bibliographies, past interpretive programming, it is plans, and inventories that document “Muckers” at work primarily a forward-looking document the LRIP’s progress. 6 FoundationFoundation for Planning for Planning Enabling Legislation Significance of the Thomas Edison National Historical Park This section presents a brief narrative of the legislated purpose of the park. Significance statements answer these questions: “Why should people visit Thomas Edison National Historical Thomas Edison NHP? What is special Park was established “to commemo- about the site? Why should it be rate the outstanding achievements of preserved?” the great American inventor, Thomas Alva Edison” (Presidential Proclama- Collections. Thomas Edison NHP tion 3148). The site was conveyed to the includes the most complete collection National Park Service through a series of original Edison-related material in the of legal agreements between the world, including 400,000 artifacts and government and Thomas A. Edison, 5.5 million documents. It provides Inc. (later McGraw Edison Company) a resource for understanding the process between 1955 and 1962. It is located of innovation, from idea to product. within the township of West Orange in The collection is made even more New Jersey. Containing 21.25 acres, the significant by its presence in the original park preserves Thomas Alva Edison’s location in which its materials were laboratory, his estate Glenmont, and created. The archives, by preserving collections in perpetuity and makes Edison’s voluminous papers, provides this valuable part of America’s unique documentation of Thomas heritage available to over 60,000 Edison, his family, experiments and visitors each year for their enjoyment, business practices, as well as of understanding, and appreciation. science and technology of the time In March 2009, the site was officially and the development and impact of designated a National Historical Park. technology in the global context. Laboratory Complex. The Laboratory Purpose of the Thomas Edison Complex exhibits exceptional historical National Historical Park integrity (Pattern and Machine shops, Chem Lab, Library, Drafting Room, The purpose statement comprises Music Room, Photo Lab, Stock Room). the Park’s “marching orders,” its It provides tangible evidence of the charge on behalf of the public. transition in the U.S. from a rural agricultural economy to an urban The purpose is to commemorate the industrial economy fueled by new life and achievements of