What will an increasing interest in authenticity mean for historic sites?


In this time of financial stringency we hear that people are returning to basics and core values. It’s also said that people are increasingly seeking what is real and authentic. The impressive research study commissioned by PGAV confirms that interest in authenticity is a growing trend. Eighty percent of attraction visitors say they prefer “real experiences” over “fantasy/entertainment.”


What will an increasing interest in authenticity mean for an outdoor historic site like Conner Prairie? Already considered authentic because of the historic research used to develop the recreated historic environment, costuming and programming, will Conner Prairie experience a dramatic uptick in attendance simply because of historic authenticity?


My guess is no. That is, not unless it continues its labors of the past five years to introduce fun, family-oriented, engaging


experiences. As this study points out, people interpret “authenticity” in very different ways. Often they simply mean that they want less commercialism and more personally meaningful experiences.


For the past two decades, outdoor history museums across America have struggled with declining attendance despite a continuing interest in “real” places. Conner Prairie is a dramatic exception. By regularly introducing new family-focused exhibits, remaining guest centric and emphasizing active engagement throughout the facility, Conner Prairie has shown dramatic increases in attendance and membership.


New experiences, such as our 1859 Balloon Voyage (read more in this newsletter), exemplify the Conner Prairie approach of combining authenticity with fun engagement for the entire family. The exhibit environment authentically recreates facades of buildings in Lafayette, Ind., in 1859, the site of the first airmail delivery via gas balloon, as actual newspaper accounts and historic photographs tell the story. But, beyond viewing the exhibit and trying out interactive components, guests have the opportunity to experience the airmail flight by floating 350 feet into the air on a gas filled balloon.


This important study should be read as offering encouragement to attractions that actively engage guests and fulfill the longing that many Americans have for real, meaningful experiences that connect them to a time or place once foreign to them, not as support for places whose sole focus is authenticity for authenticity’s sake. It is Engagement that makes authenticity meaningful, as PGAV’s work, including that with Conner Prairie, proves time and time again.


Ellen M. Rosenthal Conner Prairie President & CEO


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