Supplemental Furnishing Plan for the Dilworth-Todd-Moylan House

Jenkins, Isabel; Diethorn, Karie; Fanelli, Doris

Over the past several decades the role of historic house museums has evolved in response to new historic scholarship and the modern needs and expectations of visitors. In light of this, historic house museum installations cannot be left in a static state but must be continuously evaluated and updated.1 Bradley C. Brooks states in his article, “The Historic House Furnishings Plan: Process and Product,” “while it can be tempting to put the final bound version on the shelf with a sigh of relief and satisfaction, the furnishings plan itself should remain a living document, open to periodic review and revision as the institution matures.”A basic understanding of the development of historical scholarship in recent years and the changing role of the historic house museum is important in shedding light on the value of a Supplemental Todd House Furnishing Plan at this point in time. Today, house museums are recognized as important tools in teaching and engaging the public in social history and have become, over the years, tools for thought-provoking interpretation. This can be seen in all areas of a house from kitchens to parlors and bedrooms to cellars and garrets. Jessica Foy Donnelly, editor of Interpreting Historic House Museums, points out the familiarity of the house museum as a place of residence where former occupants ate, played, worked, slept, entertained, cooked, cleaned, and carried out various other activities. The house museum is as much about the experiences of past residents as the objects kept within. These objects or artifacts are, in a sense, catalysts that enable the experiences of past residents to come to life.