Still waters run deep. That is a good way to describe the teleworking period at Tryon Palace. Beginning at the end of March, all state employees were told to work from home. Some employees, however, are deemed mandatory and were required to be at work to protect assets. Many others found the at-home period an opportunity to catch-up on backlogged projects without the daily interruptions in the office. In April, garden staff returned under careful guidelines as landscape cannot wait for a pandemic to pass. By mid-May, many other staff returned to work, also following strict guidelines, so that gardens could be open for ticketed tours in early June.
Thanks to a grant form the National Endowment for the Humanities, part-time historic interpreters returned in August to learn new skills and given demonstrations on the grounds as well as develop a new tour route that assured safety for staff and visitors.
The period since March has caused the staff at Tryon Palace to reconsider how it fulfills its mission. Immediately, Facebook Live programs were offered by staff as other means of distance learning were investigated. Plans were made for a fee-based virtual fieldtrip, primarily focused on school children. This new way of learning about Tryon Palace will launch after the first of the year.
Looking back, it is impressive the amount of work accomplished – perhaps equivalent to a “normal” year. Zoom, Teams, and conference calls are a new way of life. While these alternative means have kept us moving forward, there is nothing like a face-to-face meeting!
Tryon Palace will survive and many of our new initiatives will let us thrive as we all push through the worldwide effects of COVID 19.
By William J. McCrea, Executive Director