Dyckman Farmhouse Museum

THE DYCKMAN FARMHOUSE MUSEUM WILL TRANSFORM ITS WINTER KITCHEN INTO AN IMMERSIVE SPACE THAT INVITES GUESTS TO MORE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF ENSLAVEMENT IN THE NORTHERN UNITED STATES. BUILDING ON AN IMLS-FUNDED INTERPRETIVE PLANNING PROJECT, THE MUSEUM WILL ENGAGE WITH A CONSULTANT TO CREATE AN IMMERSIVE PROJECTION ON ONE OR MORE WALLS OF THE WINTER KITCHEN. IMAGES WILL INCLUDE ORIGINAL FOOTAGE OF HISTORIC CHARACTERS, CONTEMPORARY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ARCHIVAL IMAGES, AND ILLUSTRATIONS. GRADUATE STUDENT INTERNS WILL ASSIST MUSEUM STAFF WITH RESEARCH, IMPLEMENTATION, AND OUTREACH. AS A RESULT, THE MUSEUM WILL ADVANCE ITS MISSION TO SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION OF THE HISTORIC SITE, TO BE A CATALYST FOR ENGAGING, ADVENTURESOME PROGRAMMING AND TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND A DYNAMIC RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING NEW AND FRESH INCLUSIVE NARRATIVES IN AN ENGAGING AND ACCESSIBLE MANNER.

DYCKMAN DISCUSSIONS: A MORE PERFECT UNION IN INWOOD [THE PROPOSED PROJECT, DYCKMAN DISCUSSIONS: A MORE PERFECT UNION IN INWOOD, IS A TWO YEAR IN-PERSON DISCUSSION SERIES THAT WILL BEGIN BY EXPLORING TOPICS IN NEW YORK HISTORY, SUCH AS FORCED REMOVAL OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, DUTCH COLONIZATION, ENSLAVED LABOR, AND IMMIGRATION. THESE PANEL DISCUSSIONS WILL LAY A FOUNDATION FOR A THREE-PART SERIES OF COMMUNITY DIALOGUES IN THE SECOND YEAR. THE COMMUNITY DIALOGUES WILL BUILD ON THE HUMANITIES-FOCUSED DISCUSSIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND TACKLE THE HISTORIES THAT LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR AND ARE RELEVANT TO TODAY?S SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CLIMATE. BY CENTERING OUR DISCUSSIONS AROUND NEW YORK CITY AND INWOOD, STAFF AT THE MUSEUM AIM TO INSPIRE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO SEE COMMONALITIES - A ?MORE PERFECT UNION? - BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND THEIR NEIGHBORS, CREATING A MORE UNIFIED COMMUNITY.]

THE DYCKMAN FARMHOUSE MUSEUM WILL CREATE A NEW INTERPRETATION PLAN THAT INVESTIGATES THE STORIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ENSLAVED BY THE DYCKMAN FAMILY AND IN, WHAT IS NOW, THE INWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD OF UPPER MANHATTAN. THE OVERALL INTERPRETATION OF THE HISTORIC SITE, PROGRAMMING, AND EXHIBITIONS WILL BE INFORMED BY AN INTERPRETATION CONSULTANT, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF PROFESSIONALS WITH EXPERTISE IN AFRICAN AMERICAN AND CULINARY HISTORY, AND FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY TO CREATE A PLAN THAT WILL BRING AN INCLUSIVE HISTORY TO ALL VISITORS, FOSTER A SENSE OF TRANSPARENCY, AND DRAW IN VISITORS WHO HAVE NOT YET SEEN THEMSELVES REPRESENTED IN THE CURRENT NARRATIVE.

THE DYCKMAN FARMHOUSE MUSEUM ALLIANCE IN NEW YORK CITY WILL HIRE A DIGITAL CONTENT AND PROGRAMS COORDINATOR TO HELP THE MUSEUM CONTINUE RESPONDING TO THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC BY EXPANDING ITS ONLINE IMPACT. THIS INDIVIDUAL WILL FILM AND POST LIVESTREAMED AND PRE-RECORDED PROGRAMS, PUBLISH MUSEUM AND EXHIBIT DIGITAL GUIDES, POST UPCOMING EVENTS ON LOCAL MEDIA EVENT CALENDARS, AND CREATE CONTENT ABOUT THE ACTIVE MUSEUM INITIATIVES GROWING UPTOWN (WHICH HELPS COMMUNITY MEMBERS GROW FOOD IN THEIR APARTMENTS) AND TALKING ABOUT RACE MATTERS LECTURE SERIES. THROUGH THIS NEW HIRE'S WORK, THE MUSEUM INTENDS TO INCREASE PROGRAM ATTENDANCE BY 30 PERCENT, INCREASE ITS IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PROGRAMS BY 20 PERCENT, AND INCREASE ITS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS BY 20 PERCENT. THE MUSEUM WILL TRACK PROGRESS THROUGH PARTICIPANT SURVEYS AND OTHER MEASURES.