Abstract

Roebling Museum tells the story of industrial workers in a company town built by the Roebling company, most famous for building iconic suspension bridges such as the Brooklyn Bridge.  It is embarking on a new project to turn a working-class row house into an immersive experience to allow visitors to more fully understand industrial life in the 1930s–1940s.  Executive Director Lynne Calamia will share about recent successes in engaging the local community and descendant families to gather new artifacts and stories, shedding light on what it was like to live in the shadow of a steel and wire rope mill.  Join us to learn about low-cost and creative ways to preserve local history through community collaboration.

About the Speaker

Lynne Calamia is a leader in the field of Public History with more than a decade of broad, hands-on experience. She is committed to building strong, sustainable organizations and uses her expertise in non-profit strategy and management to bring creative solutions to small museums and historic sites. As Executive Director of Roebling Museum, Dr. Calamia, who earned MA and PhD degrees from Penn State University, has built a strong coalition of staff, board members, volunteers from the community, and donors. She has introduced innovative, mission-driven strategies to prepare Roebling Museum to step up to the next level of organizational development.