By K. David Weidner, Ph.D., Executive Director
As we emerge from a difficult year, it’s time to re-evaluate what’s important and recommit to making the world a better place. That’s our mission at the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum (PMPM). We are dedicated to promoting acceptance, justice and equality for all, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or lifestyle.
We welcome — and count on — your support to help us do that.
Our mission embodies what Provincetown itself is all about. We have history rooted in celebrating differences – not being divided by them. Tourists visit here not just to see the Monument (though we like to think that’s a major attraction), but also for inspiration, the freedom to express themselves, to love who they wish and because it’s safe. And we want to play an even bigger role in drawing them here.
That’s why we will soon be unveiling an inclined elevator, enabling visitors with physical limitations to easily travel from Bradford Street to the Monument. We are also constructing two ADA-compliant parking spaces adjacent to the base of the Monument, along with an access ramp. We are taking these efforts to further our inclusiveness, ensuring all can experience the spectacular views and soak up the positive energy of PMPM.
By connecting the Museum grounds with Provincetown Center, we fulfill another goal as well: delivering economic benefits to our town. Increasing tourism and generating revenue is also part of the reason we conduct events like our Chamber Music for the Outer Cape program, which supports local talent and keeps music alive during the offseason, too.
While COVID forced us to pivot, PMPM has hardly been on pause this past year. To mark the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s landing, we recently unveiled a new permanent exhibit, “Our Story: The Complicated Relationship of the Indigenous Wampanoag and the Mayflower Pilgrims.” High tech and interactive, it corrects a version of history often told solely from the Pilgrims’ viewpoint. This exhibit truthfully details the relationship, acknowledging the pain endured by the Wampanoag as their lands were taken and families attacked by the European settlers.
Just as this history is important to tell, so too are all the stories of those who’ve played a part in building and energizing Provincetown: Afro-Caribbeans, Eastern Europeans, Portuguese, Jamaicans, gays, straights, transgendered, artists, environmentalists and more. Though the Monument is renowned for being the tallest all-granite structure in the U.S., we like to think of it as a beacon for those who have been marginalized. After all, we are a town and institution that welcomes all pilgrims in search of safe harbor.
I am proud to say during my tenure as executive director, PMPM has become more humane, and we have made ourselves part of the solution. You can be part of the solution, too. We need people to communicate our message and raise support far beyond the borders of Massachusetts. My husband, Bill, has taught this farm-country boy from Ohio a lot about this type of development and contributory work. As a kid, I only saw people contributing to their church, now I know, people will gladly contribute to causes and institutions with an aim of simply doing the right thing.
Like all non-profits, we need to raise funds to keep the lights on and doors open. We must also advance our mission, and that means making the Museum itself as accessible as our grounds, a move that will require another building and significant capital. PMPM matters and we have a compelling story to tell. With your support, we can continue making this a world-class institution, one that carries our message far from the top of High Pole Hill.
Want to learn more about PMPM and how your support can help? Click here for more donor details!