Valley Forge Museum Proponents One Step Closer to Boring-Ass Dream
October 14, 2008 –
Following last week's approval of their plans by the Lower Providence zoning board, proponents of the controversial American Revolution Center are one step closer to realizing their boring-ass dream. "After the board's decision, I can almost picture the children, yawning and fidgeting in front of an interpretive exhibit on tri-cornered hats," ARC CEO Tom Daly said yesterday of the attraction, to be built on private land within Valley Forge National Park. "Oh, man–I'm getting sleepy just thinking about it!"
 Supportive area residents also praised the board's approval. "If there's anything more viscerally exciting than a historical museum, I'm certainly not aware of it," said Audubon's Don Saville. "And we're now one step closer to seeing those glass cases full of tin canteens and old shoes." According to ARC attorney Neil Sklaroff, "Through this whole process, we've maintained that a brain-meltingly dull museum would enhance, not destroy, the Valley Forge experience. A few acres of land is a small price to pay to learn the ins and outs of musket-cleaning."
Cinda Waldbuesser, of the National Parks Conservation Association, which promised to continue its fight, strongly disagreed with such statements. "This project will forever taint the natural beauty of Valley Forge, turning it into a traffic-clogged nightmare," she said. "Besides, if people really want uninteresting historical exhibits, Philadelphia is just a short drive away." Daly, though, clearly had gained the upper hand in the long-running dispute. "We still have a few more [legal] hurdles to clear before we can really get comfortable," he said. "But I am thinking more and more about what shade of gray we should paint the walls."
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