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    Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission

    Strategic Plan 2025-2027

    Pennsylvania is known as the Keystone state — and for good reason. The commonwealth is the crossroads of so many important events and ideas: the nation’s founding, a primary gateway and corridor for America’s diverse population, the rise of industrialization, the intersection of a variety of natural ecosystems, and much more. With 2,450 individual municipalities, Pennsylvania is a complex fabric enriched by its varied threads. At the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC), we embrace this complexity and the fullness it brings, and we value all voices in remembering and using our shared past to plan for our future.

    Strategic Plan 2025-2027

     

    Strategic Plan
    2025-2027

    Meaningful and Inclusive History

    Our work is ultimately about people. Although we are stewards of Pennsylvania’s natural and cultural history, it is not enough to preserve historic sites, artifacts, and

    documents. We must ensure that what we preserve reflects the history of all Pennsylvanians and share this history in meaningful ways.

    WE WILL:

    • Ensure that the history preserved and shared represents the breadth of Pennsylvanians and their stories.
    • Engage with communities and partners to preserve and share history that is meaningful to them.
    • Enhance offerings on topics with contemporary relevance.
    • Share history in engaging innovative, and relatable ways

    Accessible History

    Improve Access to Collections and Programs

    We serve all Pennsylvanians by preserving their history. For people to be able to use history for their purposes, they must be able to find, access, and retrieve it.

    WE WILL: 

    • Increase the diversity represented in PHMC’s collections, including its sites, facilities, collections, exhibits, and data.
    • Ensure that collections, artifacts, and documents are findable and retrievable.
    • Make PHMC sites and content accessible, both physically and virtually 

    Participatory History

    Be Leaders and Facilitate Partnerships

    We do not accomplish our work alone. We partner and collaborate with communities and organizations across the state to preserve, share, andpromote Pennsylvania history.

    WE WILL: 

    • Assist communities in preserving history that is meaningful to them.
    • Connect history practitioners, resource providers, and strategic partners.
    • Support strategic initiatives and partnerships that produce mutually beneficial results.