Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission dropping support for battle reenactments

Following suit with New York, Virginia, and other states, Pennsylvania’s PHMC announced they will be dropping support and sponsorship for ‘force on foce’ combat reenactments and “demonstrations of violent conflict” effective May 2023.

Read the full release below

Upon careful reflection and review of the agency’s mission and strategic interpretive goals, PHMC will adopt the National Park Service’s standards and best practices regarding combat reenactments and demonstrations of violent conflict, as outlined in NPS Management Policies, 2006, 7.5.9.

Effective May 1, 2023, PHMC will no longer host, offer or sponsor at its historic sites and museums battle reenactments or demonstrations of physical conflict that involve exchanges of weapons’ fire, the taking of casualties, hand-to-hand combat, or any other form of simulated warfare or violence between opposing forces.

The inherent safety risks to participants and visitors as well as the potential for damage to historic resources that occurs during such events are unacceptably high when seen in light of PHMC’s mandate to preserve and protect the commonwealth’s cultural and natural heritage and those who are visiting or working at PHMC’s properties.

Although living history demonstrations and first-person interpretation are invaluable methods through which our historic sites and museums interpret history for the public, even the best-researched and most well-intentioned representation of combat cannot replicate the tragic complexity of real warfare and violent conflict. The staging of inherently artificial battles fails to demonstrate the respect owed to the memory of those whose lives were lost or irreparably impacted by those violent conflicts, whether they were actions between military forces, conflicts between company strikebreakers and labor unionists, or any other type of violent physical altercation between individuals. These types of reenactments create an atmosphere that is inconsistent with the memorial qualities of the historic sites placed in PHMC’s trust, especially those that hold the remains of our ancestors.

The use of appropriate and carefully planned historic weapon firing demonstrations, tactical reenactments, and other forms of non-force-on-force living history will continue to be permitted in our efforts to provide the public with educational experiences of the highest interpretive value. The Bureau of Historic Sites & Museums is available to offer guidance to sites transitioning their programming from force-on-force events to other forms of interpretation and, through the work of its Historic Weapons Safety Committee, will continue to offer training on standards and best practices for the interpretation of violent conflict.

This is the continuation of a startling trend where historians and reenactors are no longer permitted to demonstrate the history of battle on state owned historic sites. It also removes any state support or sponsorship from these demonstrations that are held on private land accompanying private events.

The change does not restrict the hosting of battle or force-on force reenactments on private land during private events.

While many historians and reenactors may agree with the PHMC in their statement here,

“These types of reenactments create an atmosphere that is inconsistent with the memorial qualities of the historic sites placed in PHMC’s trust, especially those that hold the remains of our ancestors.”

Many worry about public attendance at historic sights without these demonstrations. Yes, it is impossible to faithfully recreate the terrors of battle, the demonstrations consistently rank as one of the top draws to many historic sites and events across the country. Enthusiasts of all ages often cite seeing a battle reenactment as a child being the spark of interest that turned them into life long history lovers.

Regardless of how you feel, these changes could have a major impact on the look and feel of historic events moving forward. We will not know the impact for several years. Thankfully the community is full of passionate members who work tirelessly to continue the tradition and share the history of our ancestors.