Commerce or Significance: Commercial Interventions on Cultural Interpretation at Two Philadelphia Historic Sites
This thesis examines how commercialization shapes the interpretation of cultural significance in historic site management. Rather than treating commercialization as an inherent threat to preservation, it argues that its effects depend on institutional context, management structure, and narrative strategy. Through comparative case studies of the Betsy Ross House, operated by a nonprofit organization, and Independence Hall, managed within a public governmental framework, the thesis analyzes how different commercial conditions influence the construction, preservation, and communication of cultural significance. The study finds that spontaneous commercial activities, especially those driven by branding and visitor appeal, often compress complex histories into simplified and dramatic narratives. At the Betsy Ross House, commercialization reinforces a marketable story centered on legend, domesticity, and patriotic memory. Independence Hall, by contrast, is less directly shaped by market demand due to stable public oversight, regulatory controls, and preservation protocols. Yet this insulation can also produce a fixed and authoritative narrative that limits more diverse interpretations. In both cases, imbalanced commercialization affects the richness, flexibility, and inclusiveness of historic interpretation. By moving beyond discussions of authenticity, visitor capacity, and economic sustainability, this thesis reconsiders the relationship between cultural and economic values in preservation practice. It concludes that commercialization should be managed not simply as a threat, but as a tool that can support preservation when guided by clear interpretive standards, institutional accountability, and a broader understanding of cultural significance.
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