Susan Corbett Visits Bucks County

Pennsylvania First Lady Susan Corbett on Wednesday toured two Doylestown musuems and Washington Crossing Historic Park to highlight the cultural and historical treasures of Bucks County.

Corbett visited the James A. Michener Art Museum and the Mercer Museum before heading to Washington Crossing.

After being taken on a guided tour of the Michener Museum by director Bruce Katsiff, Corbett spoke about her visit.

As Pennsylvania's Tourism Ambassador, Corbett said, "I was impressed as soon as I walked up to the museum and saw the building it resides in. After my visit, I know this is an exciting, vibrant, well-thought-through museum."

The Michener was founded in 1988 by an endowment from James A. Michener and is making lately because of its upcoming exhibit, Offering of the Angels: Treasures from the Uffizi.

Corbett said she was most intrigued by the Michener's almost finished Edgar N. Putnam Event Pavillion addition, where she held Tuesday's press conference. When completed, the space will be available for weddings, private parties and corporate meetings.

"I am impressed by the forward thinking of this museum's staff, trustees and donors in generating revenue," Corbett said. "I think this space will be well-used and loved when it opens."

Corbett stressed that tourism is the second-largest industry in Pennsylvania, and heritage tourism is the number one reason people visit Bucks County.

Through her role as the chair of the State Arts Council, Corbett said she is committed to funding places like the Michener Museum. Katsiff said state funding is essential to "good-housekeeping" of a museum and encourages other donors to invest in its future.

"Supporting culture increases the sense of community and activity of a place - making it somewhere people want to live," Corbett said. "That's where business will set-up, making tourism really important to the overall economy of Pennsylvania."