From Performance to Participation: Fostering a Sense of Shared Heritage Through Archaeology at the Presidio of San Francisco

The mission of the Presidio Heritage Program is to reveal and elevate the Presidio of San Francisco, encouraging people to connect more deeply with our shared heritage. The goals of the program are to involve people in the unfolding story of the Presidio; connect the Presidio to the larger American experience; share knowledge about the Presidio national historic landmark; and build relationships with new and diverse communities. A heritage museum and ongoing public archaeology project are central features of this work. An ongoing public archaeology project is slowly peeling back the layered colonial, military, and social history of the Presidio in an attempt to spark curiosity, engage the public, and reveal new stories that connect people to place. Early planning for the public archaeology project envisioned archaeology as a performance that offered the public an opportunity to witness to the literal unearthing of new stories. As it has evolved, the public archaeology project has struggled to move beyond a one-way performative model into a more transformative practice that involves the public as active participants in archaeological practice. This chapter explores the challenges of developing an engaged community and the need for new models of research practice.