It wasn’t an epiphany but a vocation for Geoff Fleming when deciding to pursue a career in the arts. His high school career test (that he still has the original copy of) confirmed it. Work ultimately led him back to Pennsylvania, too, allowing him to be closer to family.
Q: You’ve contributed to nearly 40 books and catalogs on American art and history. When did you first become interested in these topics?
It was very early on; I was trained as an artist in my youth. I had private art lessons for years. Going to museums is something we always did as a family. My parents did not have a lot of money when we were growing up, and where I was raised up on Long Island in New York, most of them were free, so we were always at museums, historical societies or the like.
Q: When did you know you wanted to combine history with art in your career?
I have a family of history buffs. It was not uncommon at a family event during my childhood for my father, his siblings and friends to gather and talk about the latest book on a subject in American history and debate its accuracy. I think that also guided me to the museum field because whether it’s art, genealogy or architecture — it’s all history. I think that coming from that kind of family had a profound influence.
Q: What drew you from West Virginia to Berks County?
It was really the job and the institution. It’s not every day that you have a museum of this quality that combines a planetarium, arboretum and a museum in one spot. Usually, you’ve got to parse those out by going great distances to different cities or towns to do all of that, which is special for Reading and Berks County. It has a little bit of everything for everybody, which makes it a little more interesting daily. Being closer to friends and family on the east coast as my parents age instead of being 11 hours away is just good, too.
Q: As you approach one year in your role in March, what’s the most fulfilling part of it?
There are people who come here who are 90 who tell me they came here when they were four. Generations of people have been impacted by [the Museum]. Whether it’s decorative arts, historical or scientific-related material, there has always been a conscious effort to have variety here. With it being founded by the school district, it has been a place of learning since it opened in 1928. It was always about trying to make sure the next generation was ready and prepared to succeed in whatever they were going to go off and do, and that’s not always the purpose of a museum.
Q: What do you do to fill your cup outside of work?
I like to go down to Renningers in Adamstown, to the flea market, and hunt for cool things. I also go to estate sales and travel to other historical places in the region. Pennsylvania is so beautiful, too. I love to get my car, just drive and see where I end up for the day… I never get tired of the beauty, all the sights and sounds and the hidden gems. I also love the food in Berks County. That’s been a big, fun part of exploring — finding those little hidden places that people tell you about. Other than that, I spend a lot of time researching and writing, even if it’s not for this role. Once you do it for a while, you can’t ever really escape it.
Learn More
Not a Lost Art. In addition to his books and those publications, Fleming is also passionate about writing biographies for forgotten artists with compelling careers.
Plan Your Visit. The Reading Public Museum is bringing Wild Kratts to Reading. Visit readingpublicmuseum.org for details on the exhibits based on the popular PBS series.
