To bring Forum members up to date, here are some notes on the Mark Twain
Home Foundation.

In 1987 (not 1989 as in Herb Parham's Hannibal Courier-Post letter), the
Mark Twain Home Board and Mark Twain Home Foundation completed a study
titled "A Program for the Restoration of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home,
the Mark Twain Museum, and the surrounding area as a riverfront town of
the late 1800's."

The suggested first step for the museum was restoration of the Mark
Twain Boyhood Home, which was accomplished in the 1990-1991 period.
Secondly, more museum space was suggested. A major start on additional
museum space was acquisition of the Sonnenberg Building which has been
rehabilitated and is known presently as the New Mark Twain Museum.

Many of the elements of this plan were visions. Some, such as flood
protection for the historic area, have materialized. Restoration and
improvements on many buildings have occurred by property owners. Many
elements are still in the future.

With acquisition of the Sonnenberg Building, an advisory panel of Mark
Twain scholars was formed. This panel met for three days in 1992 to
brainstorm ideas and suggestions for the new museum facility. Major
suggestions included a biographical section on Mark Twain's life and a
display on his books.

Work then proceeded on stabilizing the building and readying it for
museum use. In 1998 the academic advisory panel met again to discuss
ways to utilize the new museum and to consider all of the museum
facilities. This evolved to the concept of using the new museum to
examine Mark Twain's writings and his biography with the properties
around the Boyhood Home to reflect Hannibal and its influences.

The decision was made to focus the first floor of the new museum on Mark
Twain's books. As a first step, Huckleberry Finn was approached with a
raft and film segments from the book. Secondly, Tom Sawyer and Roughing
It were represented. This spring, Connecticut Yankee and Innocents
Abroad were added. Visitors have five large interactive exhibits to
experience.

Towards the rear of the building visitors climb a grand staircase to the
mezzanine and a reconstructed pilot house. The mezzanine will reflect
elements of Life on the Mississippi.

In 2001 a planning session was held to focus further on interpretation
throughout the museum properties. The idea of stressing Mark Twain's
Hannibal experience around the Boyhood Home and his career at the new
museum was discussed.

As a result of ideas expressed, the Mark Twain Home Foundation is now
formulating a master plan with the assistance of Dr. Jay Rounds of the
University of Missouri, St. Louis. This plan will review the
interpretations at all of our properties and forming preliminary plans
for new exhibits.

If anyone has ideas or suggestions they would like to make regarding the
interpretation and presentations at the Mark Twain Museum properties,
please respond. You can e-mail [log in to unmask] with your
thoughts.

Henry Sweets, Director
Mark Twain Home Foundation
Hannibal, Missouri