National Park Service, Museum Management Program

03/23/2026

We're streamlining where we share updates so it's easier to stay connected.

Follow us at National Park Service for future updates, stories, and ways to stay connected with the National Park Service. You can also visit us at www.nps.gov.

This account is being retired, but our work continues. Thank you for being here!

🎨 (View from Inspiration Point), Thomas Hill, ca. 1885

03/10/2025

Lillian Ketcham Ridgely was one of the remarkable women of Hampton. A trained registered nurse, at the beginning of World War II she joined the Army Nurse Corps in 1942, rising to the rank of 1st Lieutenant. Stationed at Keesler Field, Mississippi, Lillian provided essential care to wounded soldiers and allied forces during a crucial time in history, earning a meritorious service ribbon for her skill and dedication.

After the war, Lillian returned to Baltimore, where she further developed her interest in horticulture and became a celebrated wildflower photographer. A charter member of the Town and Country Garden Club, she contributed significantly to environmental preservation efforts, producing a reference guide on Maryland flora.

Lillian and her husband, John Ridgely III, played key roles in preserving the history of Hampton, donating artifacts and sharing their invaluable memories. Their legacy continues to inspire! 💐✨



Learn more about>> https://www.nps.gov/hamp/learn/historyculture/lillian-ketcham-ridgely.htm

📸 Lillian Ketcham Ridgely in her WWII uniform.
NPS

03/05/2025

During the month of March, we’re going to be looking at the lives of several prominent women from Alexander Hamilton’s time. First up is Mary Wollstonecraft, an English writer, philosopher, and advocate for women’s rights. She was a prolific writer, but today she is best known for her seminal 1792 work “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” which argued that women were not naturally inferior to men, that they should be educated, and that they should be allowed to vote. Many suffragists were inspired by her ideas, including Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

One particularly big fan of Mary Wollstonecraft was Aaron Burr, who believed that her writing was “a work of genius”. Burr practiced what he learned from the book in raising his daughter, Theodosia, insisting that she receive a rigorous education.

Mary Wollstonecraft’s daughter, best known by her married name, Mary Shelley, was the author of “Frankenstein”, considered by many to be the world’s first science fiction novel.

(Wikipedia) A painting of Mary Wollstonecraft in 1790 by artist John Opie.

02/25/2025

02/19/2025

Maggie Lena Walker devoted her life to civil rights advancement, economic empowerment, and educational opportunities for Jim Crow-era African Americans and women. As a bank president, newspaper editor, and fraternal leader, Walker served as an inspiration of pride and progress. Today, Walker’s home is preserved as a tribute to her enduring legacy of vision, courage, and determination.

Learn more about the life and legacy of Maggie Walker at https://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/Maggie_Walker/index.html.

02/15/2025

Frederick Douglass has been called the father of the civil rights movement. He rose through determination, brilliance, and eloquence to shape the American nation. He was an abolitionist, human rights and women's rights activist, orator, author, journalist, publisher, and social reformer.

Douglass served as advisor to presidents. Abraham Lincoln referred to him as the most meritorious man of the nineteenth century. In his later years Douglass was appointed to several offices. He served as U.S. Marshal of the District of Columbia during Rutherford B. Hayes' administration. President James Garfield appointed Douglass the District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds.

02/12/2025

Happy 216th Birthday Abraham Lincoln! Lincoln is one of the most famous figures not only in United States, but across the globe. Learn more about Lincoln as a politician, president, father, husband, and friend at https://www.nps.gov/liho/learn/historyculture/abraham-lincoln-resources.htm.



Caption:
Carte-de-Visite
1861 – 1870

When Lincoln arrived in Washington, DC in 1861, many were surprised by his new beard. Printers hurried to add a beard to their images of the new President, which they could then resell to the public who had bought a beardless version.

Paper. H 9.6, W 6.1 cm
Lincoln Home National Historic Site, LIHO 7328

02/11/2025

On February 11, 1916, Bandelier National Monument was established to preserve and protect thousands of sites occupied by the Ancestral Pueblo on the Pajarito Plateau.

Ancestral Pueblo culture, also known as Anasazi, originated in the Four Corners Area where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado meet. Archeologists believe the Ancestral Pueblo descended from nomadic hunting and gathering peoples who came to the region over 12,000 years ago. After 1100 AD, small groups of Ancestral Pueblo people arrived on the Pajarito Plateau, that includes the present-day Bandelier. They came with skills in farming, tool making, weaving, and pottery making.

02/05/2025

Every February during Black History Month and throughout the year, the National Park Service and our partners share stories, rich culture, and an invitation for all Americans to reflect on Black history in parks and communities across the country. More than 400 years of Black history and heritage—including achievements, contributions, and historical journeys—are remembered and commemorated in places preserved for current and future generations.

When Dr. Carter G. Woodson created what is now Black History Month, he hoped it would encourage the learning and sharing of Black history throughout the year. Find resources to learn, teach, experience, and reflect on Black history and heritage beyond February.

01/20/2025

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a tireless advocate for racial equality, working classes, and the oppressed around the world. Commonly called Martin Luther King, Jr. Day or MLK Day, the third Monday of January is a federal holiday to honor his life and legacy.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! Today, we celebrate the birth of one of the most consequential leaders of the 20th Century!

His leadership in the principles of non-violence and racial justice during the Civil Rights Movement influenced the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights and the 1965 Voters Rights Act. In 1964, he was recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize.

Dr. King's legacy continues to inspire the nation and the world!