Demise or survival of historical house museums

Today there are hundreds of historic house museums open in communities across the country. Many of these museums recognize a noted historical character or event while others are noted for their architectural styling and detail. How should these museums care for their collections and interpretations to keep their standards high and to attract visitors? The case studies look at how several museums in east central Indiana operate and manage under different types of ownership, including state, county, and city governments, foundations, and historic groups. From interviews and visitations these museums were analysed as to how they coped with finances, day to day operations, traffic, collections and maintenance policies. The histories and future goals of each site were also researched and documented. Conclusions were drawn after these case studies were finished as to what were the best methods of management in order to achieve a high quality historic house museum.Department of ArchitectureThesis (M.S.H.P.