In july aug 2015 issue by InterpNEWS

JVA InterpNews

2 Volume 4, #4 July/Aug 2015

The international heritage interpretation e-magazine.

JV in Korea.

Wow - the July/August issue already? The summer has just started and speeding on to the Fall. Notice how when you get older time flies by faster? Well, this issue is just super, with really important and wonderful articles - almost 50 pages! IN is adding subscribers for every issue with over 154,000 in 36 countries receiving InterpNEWS. And a big thank-you to all the authors who contributed to this issue - it's folks like you that's helping move the profession along by sharing your ideas and new products. Some BIG news, our new International Heritage Interpretation Training Center is up and running, offering 17 introductory and advanced (graduate level) interpretive e-LIVE training courses. Check out our list of training courses on pages 41 and 42. We now offer more training in interpretation than anyone - and more courses are under development as well. So that's InterpNEWS for July/Aug. Now write something for me for the Sep/Oct issue. Some of the topics of interest are listed below. Let me hear from you !! Happy Summer. JV.

* Interpreting and using Music for interpretive presentations. * Interpreting heritage foods and food preparation. * Interpretive research results. * Interpretation of communities. * Living history interpretation (planning/presentation).

* Interpretation for children. * Interpretation of churches/cemeteries. * Historic site-home interpretation. * New museum exhibit technology. * Interpreting climate change.

Author guidelines: up to about 4 typed pages, single spaced, with photos as jpegs. Give your contact information web site or e-mail (and a photo of your smiling face if you want to). Send as a WORD document so I can cut and paste to fit the IN format. Let me hear from you: jvainterp@aol.com - John Veverka - Publisher

In This Issue: - A bottom-up visitor research at the Budapest World Heritage site. ACHM - Hungary - Base Thoughts (Interpretive Panels) - J. Partick Barry. - New Beacon Technology and Mobile Devices Help Interpret The Environment Around You. Al Juarez

- Walking Palm Trails - an original idea. Dr. Martha Benn Macdonald - My ocean in the mountains (Poem) By: Yvonne Siribouth - Writing Museum Exhibit Label Copy that is Truly "Interpretive". John A. Veverka - Providing High Value By Prompting Visitor Engagement - Dr. Stephen Bitgood - Should Interpreters Address Environmental Issues? Jessica L. Goodrich and Robert D. Bixler

Page 3 5 9

15 18 19 25 31

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- Woollen Woods in Bloom’ at Arlington Court – a community engagement

and interpretation project. Kate Christmas - The International Heritage Interpretation Training Center now serving interpreters world-wide. John A. Veverka - 3D technologies in heritage interpretation: From 3D printing to virtual reality and beyond. Kaja Antlej, Žiga Pavlovič - A Passion for Manatees Inspires Meaningful Interpretation. Mystina Swaim, - Underground Railroad Experience Brings Detroit History to Life. Hometown History Tours.

36 41 43 47 49

InterpNEWS is published six times a year as a FREE John Veverka & Associates publication and published as a service to the interpretive profession. If you would like to be added to our mailing list just send an e-mail to jvainterp@aol.com and we will add you to our growing mailing list. Contributions of articles are welcomed. It you would like to have an article published in InterpNEWS let me know what you have in mind. Cover photo: Frog - you guessed it. www.heritageinterp.com , jvainterp@aol.com. SKYPE: jvainterp.

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A bottom-up visitor research at the Budapest World Heritage site by The Association of Cultural Heritage Managers (KÖME) - Hungary

What makes the World Heritage valuable for the local people and for the visitors? What motivates them to spend their leisure time there? World Heritage sites are being heavily discussed upon their potentials to both reserve historical values as authentically and attractively as possible and in the same time to prevail as lively habitats. The challenge is to develop attractive destinations in a way that they serve (and not alienate) locals. This delicate balance can only be kept by intense involvement of locals into the management of the given sites. Heritage institutions or sites do not really monitor their visitors in Hungary, and even if they do, then mostly without any interpretive approach. We would like to initiate a research on Budapest being a World Heritage site and point out the importance of visitor research for the site’s management plan – to be completed in 2016. We would like to do it in a way that not only targets local people, but actively involves them into the research and into a broader discussion about common heritage. The project will include among others an on-site research in June 2015. For this we have been contacting and involving NGOs and informal groups located on the area as well as heritage professionals and institutional partners such as the Gyula Forster National Centre for Cultural Heritage Management (carrying out the management of the WH site) and the Central European University’s (CEU) Cultural Heritage Studies MA program. This 3-day visitor research will be lead by John A. Veverka. We will map the motivations and perceptions of people (locals and tourists) spending their leisure time at the Budapest World Heritage site and define visitor attitudes and identities. With the help of Mr. Veverka we will test different methods of visitor research. The results will be then presented to the managing body of the world heritage site (the Gyula Forster Centre).

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We would like to launch a platform of discussion about the role of visitor studies, applied to Hungary’s capital Budapest being a World Heritage site. To facilitate this aim we organize a small conference on the third day of the public program with a keynote of Prof. Veverka, other presentations and a roundtable discussion with a touristic expert, the representative of the management organization of the World Heritage Site and other professionals. Thus we aim to make a first step towards a cooperation between the public and civic sector on the topic of world heritage. We also hope to contribute with our results to the future management plan of the Budapest World Heritage site. Our Budapest based Association of Cultural Heritage Managers (KÖME) is a fairly new NGO, founded in 2012 by young heritage professionals from all over Hungary. KÖME sees as its mission to respond to the need for fresh, forwardlooking and sustainable concepts of heritage management in Hungary. In 2014 we started off a collaboration with KON-TIKI Interpretive consultation, training and evaluation from Lüneburg (Germany). Together with Dr. Lars Wohlers (KON-TIKI) we had conceived a training program in interpretive planning. The overall aim was to introduce the interpretive approach so far hardly known and reflected upon in Hungary and to gain institutional partners for a future accredited training program in heritage interpretation. In the Summer and Autumn of 2014 we organized 2 blocks of trainings for a varied group of heritage professionals and built up collaborations with a bunch of heritage institutions in Hungary. Our partners included prestigious heritage sites as the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, the Petőfi Literary Museum, the Museum of Ethnography, the Museum of Trade and Tourism, the Matrica Museum and Archaeological Park in Százhalombatta, the Fort Monostor in Komárom and the King Matthias Museum in Visegrád. In 2015 we are planning to publish a handbook on interpretive planning, in collaboration with Dr. Lars Wohlers (KON-TIKI), the Imagemakers (UK) and various professionals in Hungary. We plan it as an open long-term project inspired by Nina Simon’s Participatory Museum. We are keen on building up an international network, so if you feel interested or just want to learn more about our work, do not hesitate to contact us!

The participation on the 3-days program incl. John Veverka’s workshop is open and free of charge, but places are limited! For registration and any other info please contact Árpád Bőczén at info@heritagemanager.hu Date and location of the program: 13-15 June, 2015 Central European University, Budapest More details of the program will be available on our website (www.heritagemanager.hu) from the end of April.

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Base Thoughts! J. Patrick Barry, Certified Interpretive Trainer

With todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s materials, like high pressure digital laminates, we can certainly â&#x20AC;&#x153;think outside the rectangleâ&#x20AC;? when we develop interpretive panels. You have probably seen panels about fish in the shape of fish and panels about birds in the shape of birds and so on. But consider something more basic. The base. We can and probably should depart from the standard 4 or 6inchround or square pipe-stands when making sign bases. We will look at several great examples. Something I came across recently prompted me to look again at what literally supports our interpretive messages. While on a weekend hike, I found an interpretive panel at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, adjacent to the Columbia River in Washington State.

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I liked it for several reasons. The interpretive panel focuses on nearby oaks. It is well-situated in the midst of dozens of huge Oregon White Oaks, each hundreds of years old. The text and graphics of the panel does a good job of explaining significance of the massive trees to the ecosystem. Following the principles of Freeman Tilden, they provoke further exploration. They help the person interacting with the panel to relate to this ecosystem and they reveal meanings that we might not otherwise consider. What impressed me most? The sign base. It looked like an oak log. Closer inspection revealed the “log” is made of concrete! It supports the sign but also supports the message. It creates unity between the message and the design. It ties up the experience into a complete package. It also serves as part of a wall for the observation platform on which it sits. The enclosure includes the “log.” A second outstanding example of a creative sign base comes from a U.S. Forest Service site at Taylor Creek, Lake Tahoe, California. The interpretive panel focuses on the topic of water supply and conserving water. Copper pipes (complete with valves) form the sign base.

They resemble pipes we might find running through our homes! Again, the message and the medium match! Another clever foundation can be found on the same self-guided trail near Lake Tahoe. The message includes benefits of the marsh grasses as shelter for birds. The base mimics the marsh grasses and supports the interpretive panel …and the message!

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A favorite of mine comes from the Corps of Engineers, National Great Rivers Museum. It sits beside the Mississippi River on the Illinois / Missouri border. The message interprets a nearby wetland where Great Blue Herons may be viewed. The curved top of the panel resembles the shape of a wing. The shape of the base reminds us of the wetland and the message. By the way, the site manager told me the concrete pedestal has since been covered up by more cottonwood chips. At Bonneville Lock and Dam, a Corps of Engineers site on the Columbia River east of Portland, Oregon, precast concrete bases mimic the precast concrete in nearby structures.

The arch shape, used extensively in the Columbia River Gorge, also inspired this interpretive panel base. To find the next example, visit the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center in Vancouver, Washington.

Native basalt rock columns support several signsat Columbia Springs. The images etched in the basalt represent plants and animals found in the area. In this case we see alder and maple leaves and a beetle. Other bases feature different organisms. Finally, look at this example from Kaloko-HonokĹ?hau National Historical Park on the Big Island of Hawaii.

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Local volcanic rock forms the base. It blends into the surrounding rocks because the base comes from the surrounding rocks. The downside of clever interpretive panel bases has to do with cost. Prepare to spend significantly more money than the standard â&#x20AC;&#x153;round pipe bases embedded in concrete.â&#x20AC;?However, if creative interpretive panel bases are within the budget, consider them because they help focus the experience and help communicate the message. If the interpretive panels will be in place for many years the investment will pay for itself. The above examples also help the interpretation blend into the settings by mimicking the surroundings. Architects, graphic designers and exhibit designers can help with the creative part of the process. My sincere compliments go to the designers of these clever bases and to the managers who invested in them. If using interpretive panel bases to reinforce the message is a trend in our profession, it is a good trend. We need more of these! Why not use this way to help people connect to resources by strengthening and unifying the message? You could say it gives the message a strong foundation.

Photo credit: Kimber Dahlquist

J. Patrick Barry is a Certified Interpretive Trainer and has experience as a visitor center manager ,interpretive / customer service consultant, interpretive trainer and speaker. He has received numerous awards for interpretation. All photos by author unless otherwise indicated. To contact the author please email him at jpatbarry@hotmail.com

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New Beacon Technology and Mobile Devices Help Interpret The Environment Around You. By Al Juarez GeLo IoT Beacons

Grand Rapids,, Michigan

The New Internet of Things (IoT) Imagine walking through an art museum and as you approach a painting your mobile device comes alive with a detailed description of the art, a series of photos showing how it evolved through the creative process and a video of the artist discussing their inspiration for creating the artwork. Or, go hiking on a wilderness trail in a national park and stop to enjoy the beautiful scene of a pristine lake and its majestic surroundings.

Like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Disney Magic,â&#x20AC;? your mobile device shows photos of the scene 100 years ago, provides site history and a video on the native wildlife, tells you how far you have hiked on the trail, and shows a map of nearby trails and sights.

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These are two real-life examples of interpretation using mobile phone applications that are triggered by discreetly placed Bluetooth beacons to give the user contextual interpretation and awareness of their immediate surroundings on a cell phone or mobile device. Art tours with Bluetooth beacon-generated mobile apps are being done at The Rubens House gallery in Antwerp and at the 2014 ArtPrize international art competition in Grand Rapids,

Michigan. Beacon and mobile apps are also being used on hiking trails for the more than 1 million annual park visitors at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Empire, Michigan. Located on Lake Michigan, the park management is using beacons to eliminating paper maps and trail signs and improve interpretation of sites on seven major trails and two islands in the national park. Dubbed the “Internet of Things,” Bluetooth Low Energy beacons (called sensors in Europe) enable mobile applications to give contextually-aware interpretation to whatever is nearby. Walk into a shopping mall and beacons can trigger a mobile app to give you a guide of the mall and all the stores, tell you what’s on sale at each passing store and even deliver mobile coupons for sales and lunch discounts. The possible uses for beacons to trigger context-aware multimedia interpretation is everywhere. Beacons today are being used in sports stadiums and international golf championships, grocery and retail stores, art galleries and museums, bus systems and trucking, city tours, and outdoor nature walks. HOW BEACONS WORK A beacon is small, matchbox-sized object that is discreetly placed at a scenic sight or a trail intersection and broadcasts a constant signal that can be detected by Bluetooth-enabled mobile devices up to 200 feet away (70 meters). When a visitor who has previously downloaded a mobile app for the park comes into range of the beacon signal, their mobile device is effortlessly triggered by the beacon to come to life with interpretation of the immediate surroundings. The mobile app doesn’t even need to be open. It can be running in the background or the mobile phone locked and the beacon will still trigger a notification.

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GeLo is a pioneer in the use of Bluetooth beacons for interpretive information. Everyday, incredible new applications for beacons are being created. GeLo beacons are going into applications that we anticipated like museums, airports, and transportation centers. Other uses like tracking preventative maintenance on road construction equipment, delivering rider and route information for a city transit system, and even helping visitors understand the ecology and animals at the Rainforest exhibit of the San Diego Zoo, were never expected. Beacons broadcast a persistent, unique, signal—e.g. “beacon 124.” When a phone or tablet comes into signal range, the beacon triggers the pre-loaded mobile app to display the contextually appropriate information for that site. Because all the information is downloaded in the mobile app, mobile devices like cell phones do not need WiFi or a phone signal for the beacon-powered mobile app to work and can be used indoors where phone service is spotty or on the remotest of outdoor trails where phone service is nonexistent. And, beacons are not just a one-way delivery system of information like RFiD (Radio Frequency Identification) or QR Codes that only provide outbound information. Beacons can also capture and interpret user information that helps companies improve operations, reduce waste and energy and avoid costly mistakes.

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BEACON USES GROWING Beacon technology is just starting to be adopted for use across North America. In Europe, beacons / sensors are in wide use in everything from providing information to shoppers to helping cities function better. The city of Santander Spain has more than 12,000 beacons / sensors to gather and provide context information to residents, visitors and city officials. Funded by the European Union (EU) as a “smart cities” test, the Santander system does everything from assess and communicate in real time the number of downtown parking spots open to the size of crowds on sidewalks. They also monitor the amount of air pollution and traffic conditions. Analytical data from the system helps the city government make more informed urban policy decisions (GOVERNING, online May 2014). The goal of the Santander beacon test is to make the city a more enticing place to visit, shop and get around while saving the city money on infrastructure. In England, beacons are being used to bring information to people in shopping districts, galleries, restaurants, airports and more. Here are a few examples. • Virgin Atlantic airlines is using beacons at Heathrow Airport to assist its passenger for quicker boarding and British Airways has put beacons in airports for creating enhanced travel for its customers (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES online May 1, 2014). • Starbucks in England has deployed beacons to attract passing customers and has seen an increase in store traffic since the company started geo-marketing with beacons and apps (clickz.com online Dec. 8, 2014).

• And Regent Street, one of London’s trendiest shopping spots has become the first shopping street in Europe to pioneer a mobile phone app that delivers content to shoppers using location-aware beacon technology to deliver information (clickz.com Dec. 8, 2014). And you can find even more examples by doing an Internet search for “Bluetooth beacons or beacon marketing.”

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BEACONS USE INTERPRETIVE APPLICATIONS

The Grand Rapids Public Museum wanted to turn a popular pen and paper “A to Z Scavenger Hunt” game for students into an engaging digital experience that could be played on cell phones and tablets. Using 26 beacons and the GeLo Spaces app for museums and galleries, GRPM was able to recreate the paper game in a beacon and app platform that allowed students and visitors to find specific exhibits within the museum’s massive 250,000-piece collection to win. The new game produces more engagement and learning with classes from area schools that tour the three levels of the museum in the scavenger hunt. As an added benefit, the game can use the same beacon to trigger different grade level information for the same exhibit.“The best part of using the beacons and app is that most people playing the game use their own mobile communication devices,” said Al Juarez. • Students and visitors play the A to Z Scavenger Hunt and have immediate feedback on their success. • Higher rate of participation and more educational information delivered. • No need for use of extra signage at collection displays.

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A company that creates art displays in unusual places—SiIE:LAB—used GeLo beacons and Spaces™ app for its display at ArtPrize 2014, an annual international art competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan that attracts more than 1,500 artists.

One of two winners at 2014 ArtPrize using beacons. (Photo from SiTE:LAB)

SiTE:LAB used beacon-powered mobile app to enhance their visitor experience and won the award for Best Venue. The beacons gave multimedia information on the artist and art to viewer cell phones. Two of the SiTE:LAB artists were among the top 20 winning artists that received $20,000 awards. In manufacturing, beacons and apps are in use to track equipment and materials for production, define pick-and-place orders and monitor maintenance needs for manufacturing and plant equipment. Beacons are also being used in healthcare to deliver instant patient history information when hospital staff enter the room plus make sure each patient is correctly identified. For riders of public transit service, GeLo beacons provide instant up-to-the-minute information on bus times, plot cross-town destination routes and provide rider and travel data and can be used by the bus company to improve service, reduce energy consumption and make travel more enjoyable for passengers. BEACON TECHNICAL INFORMATION •Beacons operate on Bluetooth with an operating frequency of 2.4Ghz ISM. •GeLo beacons use two replaceable AAA batteries with expected battery life of 18 months to 2 years. •Beacons have a range of 1 foot to 200 or more feet (70 meters). •The GeLo case is made of rugged UV-stabilized ABS plastic and carries an IP66 dust/moisture rating meaning it is completely dustproof and waterproof. •GeLo beacons have been tested to operate between -40 degrees and +140 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 to +60 C) . For more information on beacons visit getgelo.com . For application uses contact: Al Juarez email al@gelosite.com or in the U.S. call 616-550-9996.

References: Martin, Chuck, “Expanding Beacon Targeting in Stores, Trucks, Buses, Museums & More” MediaPost Feb. 5, 2015. Retrieve from http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/243173/expanding-beacon-targeting-in-stores-trucksbuse.html . Martinez, Shandra, “West Michigan start-up's new technology gives phones 'eyes' “ Mlive.com May 02,2014. Retrieve fromhttp://www.mlive.com/business/westmichigan/index.ssf/2014/05/west_michigan_startup_says_new.html Newcombe, Tod, “Santander: The Smartest Smart City,” GOVERNING THE STATE AND LOCALITIES, May 2014. Retrieved from http://www.governing.com/topics/urban/gov-santander-spain-smart-city.html O’Brien, Mike. “Starbucks UK Debuts Location-Based Mobile Ads; Beacons Meet Shoppers on Regent St.” ClickZ/Marketing News & Expert Advice, Dec. 8, 2014. Retrieved from http://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/2385173/starbucks-uk-debuts-location-based-mobile-ads-beacons-meet-shoppers-onregent-st . Russon, Mary-Ann. “Virgin Atlantic Trials Low-Energy Bluetooth Beacon Technology at London Heathrow Airport” INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS IMES, May 1,

2014. Retrieved from http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/virgin-atlantic-trials-low-energy-bluetooth-beacon-technologylondon-heathrow-airport-1446871 .

Al Juarez is Vice President of GeLo Inc., a company that specializes in the development of the new technology of context-aware Bluetooth beacons and software. 616-550-9996

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“Walking Palm Trails” An original idea by Dr. Martha Benn Macdonald Background: (someone is actually telling this to people who have gathered at the bottom right trunk where there will be a gate keeper, along with the interpreter or story-teller). When I viewed the glass-encased map and pictures of Old Rock Hill, I was extremely disappointed. These pictures begged for a story. The woman on the motorcycle, for example, was never identified. An audience would wonder who she was, what period her attire represents, why she’s riding a motor cycle, and much, much more. Wouldn’t it be fun to resuscitate one of those early automobiles (and some do exist, to be sure) and offer it to children or adults to sit in, to touch, to ride? Of course, there needs to be a story-teller, a guide. That map with pictures did not appear helpful or alluring. To be engaging, something needs to offer a hands-on opportunity. Please picture the scene below as something real, tangible, available. Imagine this picture is in a glass-encased frame which portrays something you can actually walk and discover projects (on each branch pertaining to the arts) to complete and take home. Lest this picture be compared to Fortunato’s motley cap with bells in Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado,” I would ask you to see what may be a glass-encased and see it as something tangible. “Why?” you might ask. “It is tangible, real, inviting, for what you see in the picture, a palm tree with nine fronds, becomes a reality which I, the visionary designer, have created to move from field to field for adults and children to walk on and explore. Each branch which contains a different activity in the arts, for example, dancing in branch one; creative writing in branch two; creative drama and costumes in branch 3; masks, marionettes, puppets, and make-up in branch 4; storytelling and music in branch 5; the gingerbread house and refreshments in branch 6; architecture and building in branch seven; sculpt or mold clay in branch 8; and, finally, gardening in branch 9. Not unlike Rabelais’ Abbey of Theleme, perhaps to make an exaggerated comparison, walking the palm trails calls for fun, pleasure, and learning. The portable palm tree with branches may be a mile or two miles, depending on how long you wish to make the trails. Branches are a part of the trails. Indeed, the portable palm can be outside or inside, depending on the space. All I would need is an open field and a few trees to mark off the branches of my portable palm tree or Living Arts Tree if you prefer. Finally, “Walking Palm Trails” sounds a little less mysterious than “Walking a Labyrinth” and less haunting/daunting than “Walking a Maze.”

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Provoke: Ever wanted to take a journey around a Living Arts Tree? Ever imagined a Living Arts Tree? I’m sure they exist somewhere, but I’ve not yet found one. This tree which you saw in the enclosed glass frame is before you on the field (an interpreter will say this when people are looking at the picture. He/she will stand at the entrance to the right trunk (the exit is the left trunk). There’s one fee: Adults: $18; Young people (11-20), $15; Seniors, $12; Children (below 11), $7; Babies in strollers or carried, $3. You may wonder about the fees, but each art project you complete is yours, refreshments are free, and prizes are distributed now and then. I expect to meet you at the right side of the trunk, just beyond the gardening in/on branch #9 in a couple of hours. If you prefer to skip dancing in the first branch, go to whichever branch whose art form you will enjoy. You may prefer to turn in at only three branches; the choice is yours. Remember: “Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood,…”by Robert Frost? Relate: So here we are. Welcome. I am so glad you’ve chosen to join us. I think your experience will be amazing. I assume you have your tickets. We begin with 15 people, and every 30 minutes or so, we begin with another group. I’ll be with you throughout your walk in case you have questions, and there will be somebody at each branch. Refreshments are inside the gingerbread house, and there’s a little playground to the right of the house. And, yes, we have gluten-free refreshments and something for our friends who may be diabetic. Restroom facilities are located between certain branches.

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So are trash cans. Yes, we do recycle. Which is your favorite art form? (call on someone, or somebody will volunteer---- Listen to that person’s story, and encourage other visitors to listen and relate; after all, we all learn from each other. You may need to remind your visitors of that). Tell the visitors about which art form is offered at each branch (You may do this by asking questions or sharing a quick story----dancing, creative writing, creative drama and costumes, masks, marionettes, puppets, and make-up, story-telling and music, the gingerbread house, architecture and building, sculpting and molding or working with clay, and gardening). Enjoy, and have a wonderful time. What kind of hat am I wearing? If you get confused, come find me, please. I am here for you. My name is “Dr. Martha.” If you can’t find me, tell another interpreter who will be wearing a different hat that you’re in my group. OK? Reveal: I hope you’ve had fun walking the palm trails or circulating the branches of the Living Arts Tree, whichever you want to call it. What have you learned? Each time I do a picture, I discover something else about myself. We learn so much about ourselves, nature, others, history, and the other arts when we open ourselves to the arts. Remember that each one of you has a hidden creative treasure within. Explore it. Develop it. Thanks again so much for coming. Assessment: I’m sure that some of this needs tweaking, but the concept is tangible, viable, real, and above all, an engaging, learning, fun experience. Unfortunately, all too many people do not understand the arts. These people say to children, “Oh, yes, we have the arts.” A group of kids grab a crayon and scribble something on a huge piece of paper. Does this have a theme? Does art need a theme? That answer is yours. Thanks for engaging with me as I have related my vision, my passion, which may one day become a reality for me to market. It is copyrighted@. Shall I add, in closing, that I once wrote a poem, “I found my Weeping Cherry Tree This Easter-Tide?” Thank you, John. By Martha Benn Macdonald, Ph.D. doctorbenn@gmail.com Note, Martha created this piece as part of her participation in our Interpretive Writing Course. jv

JVA InterpNews My ocean in the mountains. By: Yvonne Siribouth

The trees bend and bow The wind does howl & blow The leaves ripple & dance making a sound like waves on the shore beat & pound The clouds make a thick fog; a water mist spray Like the mist from The ocean as a wave crashing goes astray I may not have the sun & sand beaches But I have my mountain as high as she reaches With clouds that gather light as a feather Bringing my ocean to my back door Always elusive to what's in store My mountain glistens with beauty untold Just come up sometime and watch my ocean unfold

Yvonne C. Siribouth, CIG Park Interpreter Queen Wilhelmina SP 3877 Hwy 88 W Mena, AR 71953 Yvonne.siribouth@arkansas.gov

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Writing Museum Exhibit Label Copy That's Truly "Interpretive". John A. Veverka Interpretive Writer/Planner John Veverka & Associates www.heritageinterp.com

Label copy has been studied and research for years, yet we keep getting it wrong - wrong being that visitors seem to have no interest in reading it. In some museums it's a text book on the wall, with too much text, presented in too small a point size type, and written by experts who are out to impress other experts. During one evaluation project an evaluator told me that the only people reading the label copy at a history museum were experts looking for errors! What we know from past studies: A 1989 publication by Region 8 of the US Forest Service entitled "Being Up Front and Out Front... Communication through Interpretation" contains some "exhibit survey results the fall of 1987. The statistics were from two years of studies done by the USDA Design Division at nine different locations including the Adirondack NY Museum, the Smithsonian Air and Science Museums, the Begich-Boggs Visitor Center in Alaska; the Keowee-Toaway Energy Complex Visitor center in South Carolina; and the Williamsburg Visitor Center in Virginia. Here are some of the more interesting results from their two-year study of exhibits regarding text. 1. Less than 1% of the people read the entire exhibit copy. Of this 1%, approximately 90%were either experts or researchers that already had a thorough knowledge of the subject matter. 2. The longer and more complex the written (or recorded) message, the shorter the viewing and listening time. 3. The average visitor spent only about 30% of the time actually needed to thoroughly view an exhibit and read the message. 4. Thirty-five percent of the visitors viewed a three-dimensional topo map of the area. The retention of information present by the text was almost zero. Some of our basic understandings about museum labels: These are guidelines that we employ in all of our interpretive writing for museum exhibit labels: - Labels that are over 50 words long probably won't be read. Most visitors won't read labels that are over 100 words (we usually do two 50 word paragraphs). So we keep text to about 50 words.

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- If you can't get the point (theme, main concept) communicated in about 15 seconds, you probably won't get it across at all. - Most museum's exhibit copy are text books glued to the wall giving lots of answers to questions that no one is asking. Interpretive labels create a focused story that all labels would connect to, but this concept is not often used, and increased the chance of visitors reading it. - We find that almost none of the museum labels we reviewed was "interpretive" - it was rather more technical, scientific or written by an expert in the subject. So what makes the museum label copy "interpretive" and thus more likely to be read by your visitors? First the copy needs to use Tilden's interpretive principles: - Use provocative interpretive headers and sub-headers is the text layout. - Use vocabulary that relates to the everyday life of the visitors. - Address the whole - have a theme or main concept to reveal. - Consider who your audience(s) are who will be reading this. - Ask the question - why would visitor want to read this? - Have revelation (a "oh my" affect ... "that's neat"). Here is an example good text copy from an exhibit at the Monterrey Bay Aquarium.

Of course, when writing interpretive label copy you have to be mindful to the graphics or artifacts what the copy will be a part of. When viewing an exhibit the visitors eyes go to the graphics (or header) first - or to the artifact being interpreted. Reading the label, if done at all, is last in the sequence. The better written the text, and large enough to easily read and short enough to not be "intimidating" , the better the chance it will be; 1) read and; 2) understood and; 3) the main point actually remembered.

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The importance of exhibit label copy in the big picture of the exhibit. When we create interpretive label copy we have to look at the relationship of the label copy to the graphics and the objectives of the exhibit. In this regard we have to develop: - The main interpretive exhibit label header. - The sub-header text. - The main bodies of text. - Photo or artifact captions. This is the concept of exhibit label headlining. Let's look at the following photo which illustrates these points and the headline concept.

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Another text writing/design concept is to make the main point that the label is presenting in a bold font, and sub or secondary information in a lighter font as illustrated in this exhibit panel (in the shop for pre-testing). So we have the main header, main text body, support text body.

Another example of interpretive text for an outdoor exhibit panel. Here we have illustrations of how the different interpretive principles were used. This is from an outdoor exhibit panel for a boardwalk trail in the UK. This outdoor exhibit panel is well written and has strong support graphics. Note the theme statement for the total trail (in this case) that each exhibit panel will work to illustrate.

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Planning for and preparing to do your exhibit label writing - a few key steps. - Remember the main interpretive theme of the total exhibition that the label has to represent in part. - Remember the relationship between the label and the graphics. Will the label: * reflect and direct the reader to all or part of a graphic or artifact? * give the reader directions as to how to use the exhibit? * provide additional information related to other copy, captions and text? * be independent and supplemental. - Review the objectives (learn, feel and do) of the exhibit that the label has to reflect or help accomplish. - Remember the text has to be interpretive (provoke, relate, reveal, support the theme and have message unity). - Keep it under 50 words if possible, remember headlining and use of bold in the first sentence or paragraph to help draw attention to key elements of the text. - Remember you need to write text that would fit about 50 point size or larger for museum labels, and minimum 30 point for outdoor exhibit panels. - Review your research to be sure dates and facts are correct. - PRE-TEST evaluation. Have guests, visitors read and critique draft texts to make sure that it's visitor friendly and accomplishes your objectives. - Be wary of vocabulary words that visitors wouldn't understand. If you do use technical terms be sure to explain them in "visitor terms". - Make sure to have some "reveal" at the end of the text. - Make sure it is fun-interesting- memorable. If visitors find the text interesting they are often motivated to read the text of other exhibits. Hopefully these hints will help you avoid exhibit labels like these - which you have be really tall in some case to read, if you like reading, which most people don't.

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Please don't do this to your visitors - exhibit labels at their worst as is the exhibit design. This short overview of concepts and ideas for developing really good, interesting and memorable label copy was just designed as a sampler for interpretive writing. There are a lot of other books and handouts available to provide more details on the subject. If you want more information I have a more detailed publication on "Principles of Real Interpretive Writing" that I would be happy to send you so feel free to ask (jvainterp@aol.com). References: Tilden, Freeman. Interpreting our Heritage. University of North Carolina Press. 1954 US Forest Service, 1989. "Being Up Front and Out Front... Communication through Interpretation" - USDA Forest Service. Veverka, John A. 2009. "Where is the Interpretation in Interpretive Exhibits?" Unpublished JVA document used as a handout for interpretive exhibit planning courses. Veverka, John A. 2013. Interpretive Master Planning - Strategies for the New Millennium, MuseumsEtc., Edinburgh. Veverka, John A. 2014 Interpretive Master Planning - Philosophy, Theory and Practice. MuseumsEtc., Edinburgh.

Veverka, John A. 2014. Principles of Real Interpretive Writing. In Advanced Interpretive Planning, MuseumsETC, Edinburgh.

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PROVIDING HIGH VALUE BY PROMPTING VISITOR ENGAGEMENT Dr. Stephen Bitgood Jacksonville State University Interpretative centers attempt to provide high value experiences by designing exhibits and programs that engage visitors in some meaningful way. The literature suggests that there are a number of methods that provide engaging visitor experiences (e.g., Bitgood, 2011; 2013; 2014; Screven, 1999; Serrell, 2015). This brief article focuses on one of these methods -- prompting visitors to engage. Note that while the examples given here all relate to exhibits, much of it also applies to interpretive programs. ENGAGED ATTENTION To be engaged is to be involved in more than a superficial way. Engaged visitor attention requires prolonged, deep cognitive and/or emotional processing of interpretive content as measured by several outcomes, including viewing time, reading of interpretive text/labels, group discussion of the content, and/or self-reports of deep involvement (interviews, questionnaires). In general, engaged attention is associated with recall of information, learning, attitude change, reports of intellectual stimulation, feeling deeply involved, and reporting a rewarding and satisfying experience. Why Visitors Do Not Engage 

Failure of the exhibits to capture attention. This may occur when there is no clear navigation route through an exhibition and visitors inadvertently fail to detect exhibits.

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Failure of visitors to perceive high value. A brief search of exhibit contents may leave the visitor with an impression that the exhibit is not worth investing the necessary time and effort for a satisfying experience. Interest level in the subject may be low, or the required time and effort to understand the interpretive messages may be perceived as too high a cost for the promised payoff.

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Competing alternatives for visitor attention. If not carefully designed, the way exhibitions are organized can result in perceptual distraction (more powerful attractors pull attention away from less powerful ones) or selective choice (people select the more attractive and ignore the less attractive exhibits). Over the years, research and evaluation studies of visitors strongly suggest that visitors welcome assistance in making sense of or in how to view an exhibit. What should I look at first? Is there a specific sequence of attention from one exhibit element to another? Is there a clear interpretive message? If so, what is it? Why is the object important enough to be placed in the exhibition? Prompting visitors to engage is a common and effective technique to provide visitors with assistance in addressing these kinds of questions.

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PROMPTING ENGAGED ATTENTION A prompt is a hint, suggestion, reminder, or some other type of guidance device that helps visitors understand what is expected, what to do, or how to view the exhibit. Prompting increases engaged attention by: (1) communicating how visitors are expected to respond and the possible benefits of engaging; (2) stimulating curiosity or interest in exhibit content; and/or (3) reducing the time and effort required to comprehend the meaning of an exhibit. Prompts can take at least three forms: adding interpretive material, providing a prompting device, and changing the spatial relationship of exhibit elements. Add supplementary interpretive material:  Instruct visitors what to do: “Try to identify the three animals in the totem pole.”  Suggest possible interpretations: “The tail is designed to move fish rapidly through the water “  Introduce questions and/or provocative titles: “Why do otters scratch so much?” “Gorillas: The Gentle Giant” [see Rand, 1985, for more examples]  Confront misconceptions directly: “This plant-like creature is actually an animal” [Rand, 1985]  Add a three-dimensional, concrete object to capture attention: Adding a plant to a two-dimensional panel more than doubled engaged reading at the Desert Botanical Gardens. (Bitgood &Benefield, 1995)

Provide a prompting device: 

Sequence device: Three types of sequencing are numbering, lettering, or arrows that suggest the desired sequence from one exhibit element to another.

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Spot lighting: A common design device for focusing attention is to spot light an object.

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Focus tube: A simple plastic tube that visually directs the visitor to an object or feature of the environment can be very effective (e.g., a tube that points to a bird nest in a tree when you look through the tube).

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Raise an object above others: When an object in an exhibit case is raised above other items, it is more likely to prompt engaged attention.

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Human explainer: Presence of a human docent/volunteer or staff member is another common technique to prompt engaged attention.

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Programmed change in the exhibit: Joe Hines designed a Pepper’s Ghost device at the Anniston Museum of Natural History comparing Mt. St. Helen before and after its eruption. The visitor presses a button to change from one scene to the other.

Change the organization or layout of elements: 

Move interpretive text closer to the object it describes: Placing text on the railing directly in front of an object increases both attention capture and engagement because it is easy to find the interpretation and less work to move back and forth between the text and the object (Bitgood, Benefield, & Patterson, 1990).

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Modify the layout of elements to obtain a different search sequence: The sequence of visual search by visitors is influenced by the layout of elements. Gestalt principles (proximity, similarity, closure) are important. Elements closer to each other are more likely to be viewed in sequence. Reading habits (start at the top and read down) also influence visual search.

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Use information mapping: Within an illustration, add short explanatory text placed close to the location that is being interpreted (see Gorilla panel below).

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Isolate an object from others: Placing one piece of artwork on a wall (rather than several pieces) will dramatically increase attention to that art work.

SOME EXAMPLES OF PROMPTED ENGAGEMENT 

Provide handouts or self-guides to visitors: Many of the studies using self-guides or handouts to prompt engagement are reviewed in Bitgood (2013, Chapter 9).

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Place interpretive labels close to objects. We reported increased engagement (reading text panels) when the text is placed on the railing close to exhibit objects (Bitgood, et al, 1990).

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Use a focusing tube for a sight line: The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix used a focusing tube to direct visitor attention to a bird’s nest in a cactus (Bitgood & Benefield, 1995). [see photo on the following page].

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Use a concept map: Disney’s Animal Kingdomuses a concept map to interpret important gorilla characteristics in this photo.

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Number the sequence for paying attention: Natural History Museum (London) used “lollipop stands with a brief description for conceptual orientation to each section of an exhibition on evolution. The orientation devices were numbered to provide visitors with the desired sequence of exhibit viewing.

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Instruct visitors to make a choice: Visitors are prompted to distinguish between a cactus and a noncactus. A hint (“Cacti have areoles”) was added during formative evaluation to increase correct responding.

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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION Visitors rarely comprehend subtle interpretive messages; they welcome prompts that make the message clear. Prompting engaged attention can be highly effective. A careful reading of the references in the bibliography will provide readers with more detailed descriptions of the many studies that have successfully prompted engaged attention. The works of Judy Rand, C. G. Screven, and Beverly Serrell are especially valuable for examples of prompting. You are likely to find a number of additional studies of prompted engagement if you search the literature thoroughly. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bitgood, S. (2011).Social design in museums: The psychology of visitor studies, Volumes 1 & 2. Edinburg, UK: MuseumsEtc. Bitgood, S. (2013a).Attention and value: Keys to understanding museum visitors. Walnut Grove, CA: Left Coast Press. Bitgood, S. (2013b). Visitor self guides. In S. Bitgood, Attention and value: Keys to understanding museum visitors. Walnut Grove, CA: Left Coast Press. Pp. 111-121. Bitgood, S. (2014).Engaging the visitor: Designing exhibits that work. Edinburgh, UK: MuseumsEtc. Bitgood, S., &Benefield, A. (1995). Report to the Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix,AZ. Bitgood, S., Benefield, A., & Patterson, D. (1990). The importance of label placement: A neglected factor in exhibit design. Current trends in audience research, Vol. 4, 49-52. [Also in S. Bitgood (2013). Attention & value: Keys to understanding museum visitors. Bitgood, S., Nichols, G., Pierce, M., & Patterson, D. (2011). Prompting visitors with signage. In S. Bitgood, Social design in museums: The psychology of visitor studies. Edinburg, UK: MuseumsEtc. Pp. 74-93. Bitgood, S., Patterson, D., &Benefield, A. (1992). Using handouts to increase label reading. Visitor Behavior, 7(1), 15-17. Bitgood, S., Pierce, M., Nichols, G., & Patterson, D. (1987). Formative evaluation of a cave exhibit.Curator, 30(1), 31-39.

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Hirschi, K. D., & Screven, C. G. (1988). Effects of questions on visitor reading.ILVS Review, 1(1), 50-61. Horn, R. E. (1976).How to write information mapping. Lexington, MA: Information Resources, Inc. Rand, J. (1985). Fish stories that hook readers: Interpretive graphics at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. AAZPA Annual Proceedings. Screven, C. G. (1992). Motivating visitors to read labels. ILVS Review, 2(2), 183-211. Screven, C. G. (1999). Information design in informal settings: Museums and other public places. In Information design, R. Jacobson (ed.), Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Pp. 131-192, Serrell, B. (1998). Paying attention: Visitors and museum exhibitions. Washington, DC: American Association of Museums Press. Serrell, B. (2015).Exhibit labels: An interpretive approach (2nd Edition). New York, NY: Rowman& Littlefield. Contact information: E-mail address: steveb@jsu.edu

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Should Interpreters Address Environmental Issues? Jessica L. Goodrich Assistant Interpretive Ranger Myrtle Beach State Park Robert D. Bixler Associate Professor Clemson University

Abstract Interpreters can address issues related to conservation or preservation of heritage resources, yet some visitors, who are often on vacation or on a weekend trip to recover from a stressful workweek or year, may not want to be confronted with these issues. This research note reports the results of a single question asked of campers (n=40) in developed campgrounds at three state parks about whether they feel it is appropriate for interpreters to talk about environmental issues. Results describe four perspectives held by park visitors ranging from acceptance of all environmental messages to intolerance of any messages. This research does not provide a definitive answer but does establish the need for further work to identify the when, how or if-at-all of presenting environmental issues as part of interpretation programs. Should Interpreters Address Environmental Issues? Parks and zoos are contested places (Lukasik, 2001). Mostly operated by government and not-for-profit organizations, they exist to accomplish specific conservation or preservation missions ostensibly for the public good (Hyson, 2004). With agency support, interpreters sometimes address management issues related to the park and special places or even interpret environmental issues outside the parks. However, visitors arrive with their own agendas. Having an enjoyable, social, and relaxing time at a zoo or park is a motivation of many visitors (Hyson, 2004; Sickler & Fraser, 2009). Some visitors come to heritage sites wishing to escape structure and stress, even shedding their watches so as not to be time bound (Goodrich, 2011). Because attending public interpretation programs is a self-selected leisure activity, often called “free choice learning” (Falk & Dierking, 2011), interpreters may be walking a fine line between reminding visitors of their serious responsibilities to preserving the park and the environment in general versus catering to a public desiring upbeat experiences as a means of recovering from stressful experiences at work (Packer, 2006; Turley, 2001). Given this conundrum, it seems reasonable, in conducting evaluations of interpretive programs, to be sensitive to how the injection of content about sometimes stress-inducing environmental issues affects visitors’ responses to programs and visitors’ subsequent desire to attend future programs.

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Methods A single question was added to a study on constraints to attending interpretive programs within a state park system. The question, asked at the end of the interviews, queried whether participants thought it was appropriate to discuss environmental issues within park interpretive programs. Campers in public campgrounds were approached at camp sites by research technicians. One adult male or female (rotated) at each site was asked to participate. Interviews were transcribed and coded for themes. Forty of the 51 campers approached provided useable interviews. Results Receptivity by campers to whether programming about environmental issues was appropriate generally fell into four discrete categories:   

unreservedly supportive of including environmental issues; only include issues relevant to the park being visited; only include environmental issue relevant to the park and that visitors can act to do something about that issue; discussion of environmental issues is inappropriate.

  The participants who were unreservedly supportive of environmental issues programming typically considered any environmental problem appropriate for park programs, even when an environmental issue was not directly related to the park: I think the State Park system ought to be the leader in environmental education, or a leader. People have to understand that it is one big ecosystem. We need to take the lessons home, and my philosophy of adult learning is adults are smart. They can make connections. (Respondent 18) Furthermore, several participants expressed the importance of educating the next generation concerning environmental conservation and stewardship: I still think it is all right because I think they [the kids] should learn. I work at a camp, so they do a lot of environmental things and stuff like that. I think it’s all important. (Respondent 17) The second group was supportive of environmental issues programming on the condition that the environmental issue being discussed was observable within the park; “If you can actually see it, touch it, have something to look at that’s relevant, I think that’s good” (Respondent 43). For this group, if environmental issues were presented, they were not to be a reminder of the world beyond the park. These participants were on their vacations and were escaping from the stress of the home and workplace; “I want to do something that’s related to my camping trip. I don’t want to be told about something that is not part of my camping trip” (Respondent 2). Some of these participants were campers who had been coming to the same park for many years, seemed to care about their specific park, and wanted to know when something was threatening their park.

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While similar to the second type, the third group imposed an additional restriction on environmental issues programming: The environmental issue had to be observable within the park and the issue had to be solvable by the campers before it was acceptable program content. In one interview, a husband gave this hypothetical example: Now, if we got hemlocks everywhere and they’re all dying, and it’s our fault, we need to know. If it is parasites, then it is the DNR’s problem and the state’s problem to fix and find to kill the parasite. Personally…I’d be glad to help….come out on Saturday and spray for bugs. Yeah, I’d be glad to help. (Respondent 3) The wife in the same interview interrupted to clarify what her husband was attempting to express; “if he [the ranger] would include a way for us to help…then I don’t mind him giving us an update” (Respondent 3b). This group further emphasized that they were on their vacations and did not want to hear about problems that they were unable to help solve; “if I can’t help you do anything for it, to be aware of it, just makes it another burden that I’m like ‘wow, that is just terrible, but there’s nothing I can do for you’” (Respondent 15). Similar to the second group, this group was characterized by returning campers who had come to care deeply for that specific park. The final group was completely opposed to any type of environmental issues programming on the basis that they did not want to listen to environmental issues on their vacations. “No. We come here to get away from that stuff. We don’t want to talk about it” (Respondent 10). This group was focused on their ability to escape and relax during their leisure time and did not believe that their vacation was an appropriate time to discuss environmental issues. Discussion No person is required to attend an interpretive program. People who are offended or depressed by unexpected presentations of environmental issues may even choose not to attend future interpretation programs. In the 1990s, there was much discussion after the publication of Sobel’s book Ecophobia (1996) about frightening children with instruction about distant environmental problems. A few organizations, mostly zoos, even institutionalized policies forbidding discussion of environmental issues before the age of adolescence (Slivovsky, 2004). The views of these four types of campers provide a cautionary note to interpreters. Three of the four types of visitors should be open to discussion of environmental issues occurring within the park that include opportunities for them to help mitigate the problem. Discussions of environmental issues unrelated to the parks would only be well received by the first group. We can speculate that this group has a strongly held environmental identity (Clayton & Optow, 2003) and discussing environmental issues of all sorts is part of who they are. Conclusion Missions of many agencies is to preserve special places, which means explicitly addressing environmental issues in interpretive programming. However, visitors do not have to attend programs. Alienating them with inappropriate environmental messages may ultimately work against conservation and preservation goals if visitors choose to avoid interpretive programs in the future. This research note is presented, not to provide a definitive answer, but to encourage discussion and sensitize interpreters and evaluators to this conundrum.

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References Clayton, S. & Opotow, S. (2003) Identity and the natural environment: The psychological significance of nature. Campbridge: MIT Press. Falk, J. H. & Dierking, L. (2011). The museum experience. CA: Left Coast Press Goodrich, J. L. (2011). Overnight park visitor constraints to participation and interest potentially served in interpretive programs, (Masters Thesis), Clemson University 45 pp. Hyson, J. (2004). Education, entertainment, and institutional identity at the zoo, Curator, 47(3), 247-251. Lukasik, J. (2001). Beyond these iron bars: An emergent (and writerly) inquiry into the public sphere. In J. Sandlin, D. Schultz & J. Burdick (Eds.) Handbook of public pedagogy: Education and learning beyond schooling. New York. Routledge. Packer, J. (2006). Learning for fun: The unique contribution of educational leisure experiences. Curator, 49(3), 329-343. Sickler, J. & Fraser, J. (2009). Enjoyment in zoos. Leisure Studies, 29(3), 313-331. Slivovsky, K. (2004). Avoiding ecophobia: Redefining conservation messages for kids. Journal of the International Zoo Educators Association, 40, 28-30. Sobel, D. (1996) Beyond ecophobia: Reclaiming the heart in nature education. Barrington: Orion Society. Turley, S. K. (2001). Children and the demand for recreational experiences: The case study of zoos. Leisure Studies, 20(1), 1-18.

Jessica L. Goodrich Assistant Interpretive Ranger Myrtle Beach State Park jessica.goodrich.cig@gmail.com Robert D. Bixler Associate Professor Clemson University 122 McGinty Hall Clemson, SC 29634-0735 rbixler@clemson.edu

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‘Woollen Woods in Bloom’ at Arlington Court – a community engagement and interpretation project Kate Christmas Visitor Services Officer Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum, UK When you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a woolly surprise… Arlington Court, a National Trust property situated in the North Devon countryside in the UK could well be described as the quintessential English country house. The two and a half thousand acre estate is a place of tranquility and home to a variety of wildlife including several species of birds, deer and otters and provides grazing parkland for the tenant farmer’s sheep and cattle. The house, although unbecoming from the outside with its grey box-like façade, captivates the visitor on entering with its bright, welcoming interiors and treasure trove of collections.

Post from NT Arlington Court Facebook page. (Copyright NT Arlington Court)

Visitors can lose themselves in the colourful, self-contained Victorian and walled kitchen gardens, with the newly restored conservatory showcasing exotic blooms from around the world. Meanwhile to cap it all is the National Trust Carriage Museum housed in the old working stables, where visitors can view over forty carriages on display from the Regency and Victorian periods, as well as the star attraction: the golden Speaker’s State Coach on loan from the Houses of Parliament. The museum is a fascinating and many say unexpected addition to the Arlington estate and unique to this part of the country. There are also ponies used for traditional working horse demonstrations and ‘pony and picnic’ walks that are available to book during the school holidays. Altogether, the Arlington estate stands as a testament to the past. Visitors have the opportunity to step back in time and experience the timely elegance of yesteryear in a stunning setting, where only the hollers of the peacocks and the rumble of agricultural machinery interrupt the peaceful environment.

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As vivid and enticing a picture this paints however, Arlington has in fact seen a slight dip in visitors numbers over the last few years, particularly during the period after Easter and leading up to the school summer holidays. The reason? Well there are a number of factors to consider such as weather, location, local competition from other tourist attractions and the economy. But there is one factor that has increasingly become in need of addressing, not just at Arlington, but across the whole heritage and museum sector. And that is that people are changing. This, I believe, is due in large part to the rise of social media. Social media provides an outlet to share thoughts, opinions, knowledge, hobbies, interests – anything! It has given the everyday person a voice, a chance to participate, to interact. People are no longer content to simply consume something that is presented to them. They expect to be able to interact with it. In order for cultural organizations to remain relevant to ever-changing and increasingly ‘social’ audiences, engagement through participatory activity, both on- and off-line, is key. So with this in mind it became clear that Arlington needed a project that would engage and stimulate our audiences during our quiet period. The Visitor Services team were therefore delighted when our Visitor Experience Consultant referred us to Voluntary Arts, an organization that promotes creative arts projects across the country, with the idea being that engaging in a creative activity improves mental and general well-being. One of their projects was ‘Woollen Woods in Bloom’ and they were looking for a venue to host the project in the south west of the country. The concept for the Woollen Woods is pretty simple. The host venue asks people to make anything that could be found in a wood from wool. People then send their woolly items in and a woollen wood display is created in an area of the grounds, with the help of staff, volunteers and external contributors. During the course of time the woollen wood is on display, people are still invited to contribute items, making it an ever-evolving space, much like a natural wood. We could see that this project would be a chance to encourage participation in our work amongst local communities as well as online communities. It would give people the opportunity to hone their creative skills and to interpret a particular area of the grounds(which has often been neglected by visitors), in a way that was relevant to them. In essence it would help foster stronger connections to Arlington amongst supporters but also reach out to untapped audiences. This would hopefully result in an increase in visitor numbers during our quiet period and also encourage repeat visits due to the nature of the ever-changing display and the sheer variety of things to see and do at the property.

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Our work began in January 2015. As well as contacting local organizations such as the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Institute and U3A groups via phone and email to encourage participation in the project, the Visitor Services team made a concerted effort to engage online audiences via Facebook and Twitter through regular updates with photographs of latest woolly items received and links to our website articles about the project itself, how to get involved and knitting ideas for beginners. We also searched for groups and individuals online with a passion for knitting, crochet, etc. and invited them to contribute to the project. The aim of this was to open up the project to as many people as possible and to encourage them to spread the word through online conversations, re-tweets, likes and shares. It was through our interactions on social media that we met Lisa who runs the Knitting Tent (follow her on Twitter @stormina_teacup and on Facebook at The Knitting Tent.) She was keen to contribute to the display but also said she could also run have-a-go knitting sessions from her home made yurt at Arlington during the weekend of the Woollen Woods launch, plus help with the installation of the display. She was a great contact to make and as well as contributing some fabulous pom-pom apples and felted leaves, she was interviewed by the press, spread the word about the project to her followers online and had a consistent stream of visitors, young and old, experienced and inexperienced, taking part in the age old craft of knitting and learning more about our project and how they could also contribute to it.

Photo by Kate Christmas

Overall our efforts in engaging communities both on and off-line paid off. We received around 1000 woolly woody items for the display! But the hard work was only just about to begin as these items now had to be installed in the space of four days leading up to the launch on 15 May 2015. The installation process was an opportunity to encourage people, be they staff, volunteers or external contributors to participate in creating an appealing display for visitors. We invited anyone who had the enthusiasm and energy to come along and help and as a result we had a team of people with a variety of skills, including gardening, merchandising, curating, photography and, indeed, knitting and crochet, working together to create an exciting display made up of mini incidents and scenes, for visitors to enjoy.

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During the launch weekend, local felter Caroline Baxter also ran felting workshops where visitors could learn the art of felting and create their own bird to add to the display. By the end of Saturday we had gained a menagerie, which was displayed on Limmyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lookout, a hut made from estate timber by our rangers and a working holiday group a couple of years ago. It was named in memory of one of our favourite cows and looks out over our parkland.

Photo by Kate Christmas

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Overall, the ‘Woollen Woods in Bloom’ project at Arlington Court has helped strengthen connections with existing supporters and helped build new relationships with previously untapped audiences. The originality of the project and its focus on community engagement and participation has also helped generate greater press coverage, with Arlington even featuring on a regional TV news program. Indeed visitor numbers have already increased after the launch of the display and we hope this trend will continue over the coming weeks, as more woolly contributions are added. Of course, this requires that we, the staff, continue to engage with our audiences and find ways to encourage participation and interaction with the display; be it through on-line conversations, on-site woolly workshops or even inviting people to help re-interpret the display or add new items to it. Running this project has certainly shown me that if heritage sites and institutions wish to continue to attract visitors they must understand that society is changing and find opportunities for people to relate to and actively participate in their work. It’s only then that people will become loyal supporters and that business will grow.

Photos by Kate Christmas

Kate Christmas Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum, UK kate.christmas@yahoo.com

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The International Heritage Interpretation Training Center now serving interpreters world-wide. Prof. John A. Veverka HITC Director/Coach

Certified Professional Heritage Interpreter

We are pleased to announce the formal opening of the Heritage Interpretation Training Center, offering 17 different professional development courses in interpretation. From introductory interpretive courses to advanced graduate level college courses, we are up and running. All training courses offer CEU (Continuing Education Units) credits as well. We offer training courses in two different venues: - Live on-site courses provided for agencies and organizations. Courses are presented at your location based on your training objectives. Specialized courses unique to your site issues and training needs are available. - Our e-LIVE on-line interpretive training courses. All courses have participants completing a number of interpretive course Units, with homework assignments. All participants communicate directly with a live instructor with experience teaching university courses in heritage interpretation - a NAI Certified Interpretive Trainer and Planner and Certified Professional Heritage Interpreter certification (Canada). We will be adding additional courses over the next year. Here are our current courses with a link to the web site page for each course. Interpretive Planning & Design of Marketing Brochures Course. 15 Units, 2.5 CEU credits. $250.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/interpretive_planning__design_of__marketing_broch.html Planning/Designing Interpretive Panels e-LIVE Course - 10 Units awarding 1.5 CEU Credits $125.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/interpretive_panels_course.html Planning Interpretive Trails e-LIVE Course - 13 Units - 2.5 CEU Credits $200.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/interpretive_trails_course.html Interpretive Writing e-LIVE Course - 8 Units and 2 CEU Credits $200.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/interpretive_writing_course.html Training for Interpretive Trainers e-LIVE Course - 11 Units and 2 CEU Credits. $200.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/training_for_interp_trainers.html The Interpretive Exhibit Planners Tool Box e-LIVE course - 11 Units and 2 CEU Credits. $200.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/interpretive_exhibits_course.html Interpretive Master Planning - e-LIVE. 13 Units, 3 CEU Credits. $275.00http://www.heritageinterp.com/interpretive_master_planning_course.html

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Interpretive Planning for Scenic Byways and Auto Tour Routes. 10 Units, 2 CEU Credits. $275.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/interpretive_planning_for_scenic_byways.html A supervisors guide to Critiquing and Coaching Your Interpretive Staff, Eleven Units, 1.6 CEU Credits. $175.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/critiquing_and_coaching_interpretive_staff.html Advanced Interpretive Master Planning. 14 Units, 2.5 CEU Credits, $250.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/advanced_interpretive_planning.html

An Interpreters Guide for Evaluating Interpretive Exhibits. Thirteen Units - 2 CEU Credits, $200.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/interpretive_exhibits_evaluation.html

Interpretive Program Presentations and Protocol for Interacting and Communicating With Your International Visitors. An interpretive training short course. Nine Units - 1 CEU Credit. $100.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/interp_for_international_visitors_course.html Conducting A Feasibility Analysis Before Developing New Interpretive Centers, Nature Centers and Small Museums. If you build it they may not come - or at least in the numbers needed! So how can you know for sure before you build it? Nine Units - 2 CEU Credits - $150.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/interp_center_feasibility_analysis_course.html Interpretive tour planning and delivery techniques for professional/commercial tour guides. 11 Units, 2 CEU Credits - $125.00 Tuition http://www.heritageinterp.com/interp_for_commercial_tour_providers.html

An Interpretive Researchers Guide for Developing Visitor Surveys and Questionnaire/Interview Designs For Natural & Cultural Heritage Sites and Attractions. Ten Units - 2.5 CEU Credits. $250.00 http://www.heritageinterp.com/interpretive_researchers_guide_for_visitor_studies.html

If you have any questions about any of these courses please feel free to contact me:

Prof. John Veverka Founder/Director Heritage Interpretation Training Center jvainterp@aol.com http://www.heritageinterp.com/interpretive_tra ining_center_course_catalogue_.html

JVA InterpNews

3D technologies in heritage interpretation: From 3D printing to virtual reality and beyond. Kaja Antlej, Žiga Pavlovič Cultural heritage requires understandable interpretation in order to become a rich source of knowledge and inspiration. In recent years through numerous projects (see eCult Observatory; NMC Horizon Report > 2015 Museum Edition) digital tools such as augmented reality mobile applications, serious games, 3D printed replicas and immersive virtual tours have proven to be an excellent approach in communicating complex heritage content. Following heritage interpretation, experimental archaeology, contemporary museology and learning theories many of the projects consider designing participatory experiences with an aim to improve engagement of audiences. As shown in the following discussion, 3D technologies enable parametric, flexible and traceable interpretation: 3D models created for documentation can also be a good foundation for various further interpretation projects in accordance with the continuous development of technological tools. The K67 kiosk, an icon of Slovenian modernism The use of 3D technologies in heritage interpretation of the K67 kiosk (1966) as an historical object is presented below. The K67 kiosk is an internationally recognized design icon made by the Slovenian architect and designer Saša J. Mächtig. The object is also included in the 20th century design collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

Picture 1 and 2: The Hungry Dragon fast food kiosk at Ljubljana Castle parking place in 1979 (Photo: Janez Pukšič). Furthermore, an importance of the K67 is not negligible even from the viewpoint of the local community, which sees this kiosk as part of its collective memory. Around 7.000 units (a kiosk can be set of one or more units) have been sold and many people still remember them from the streets, some of them even started their first business in them. The kiosk system, produced by Imgrad, consists of several modular units and fillers that can be freely composed together. It is made of reinforced polyester and polyurethane. Due to its applicability, kiosks, assembled in different formulations, served as the newspaper kiosks, entry gates, small restaurants and bars, flower shops, gas stations or reporter cabins for several decades.

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Most of them were installed in the former Yugoslavia and in other Central and Eastern European countries. Today, due to the wear material, owners replace the K67 kiosks with new facilities made my other designers/producers. A few of them can still be seen on the public places. However, a production of the K67 was abolished more than a decade ago (2000). Therefore, the object is becoming ever more threatened, and we have to ensure that it receives an adequate interpretation. 3D technologies as an interpretation tool: A case of the Hungry Dragon fast food kiosk In this article the Hungry Dragon (LaÄ?ni zmaj) fast food kiosk (K67) is emphasised as one of the earliest examples of industrial megagraphics representing Slovenian and foreign brands. It was installed at the Ljubljana Castle parking place in 1979 and removed a few years later. Interpretation theme is focused on the kiosk as a system of modular units. Modularity enables customization, wide range of usefulness and efficient industrial production. Due to the mentioned facts this kiosk has been commercially successful and professionally recognized. Among the other proposals for an interpretation of the K67 kiosk, an interactive 3D computer model (divided into elements), physical 3D printed models, a scenario for a serious game Âť3D puzzlesÂŤ, a scenario for an augmented reality mobile application and an idea of community engagement in 3D digitisation (123D Catch) and geolocation have been prepared.

Picture 3 and 4: 3D printed models of the Hungry Dragon kiosk (scale 1:20).

Picture 5 and 6: Simulations of a 3D puzzles serious game. 3D printed models of the Hungry Dragon kiosk were made from plaster-based powder, water-based binder and cyanoacrylate (super glue) in a scale of 1:20. The elements we glued together with double sided tape in order to be reassembled. The 3D puzzles were also transmitted to digital environment.

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A scenario for a serious game Make your own kiosk K67 (Sestavi svoj kiosk K67) have thus been created. On sites, where the kiosks are not installed anymore, their digital story can be evoked using augmented reality (AR). This technology enables showing interactive 3D models, photographs, texts, video or any other information on the screen of user’s smartphone or tablet. All the information are saved on the app that user have been previously downloaded and recalled on a screen when the device is properly positioned.

Picture 7 and 8: Location of the Hungry Dragon at the Ljubljana Castle in 2012 and a scenario of an augmented reality mobile application (simulation) showing a 3D model and a story. Immersive experience of virtual reality (VR) In November 2014 we started to experiment with a development kit of Oculus Rift, a low latency and low cost head mounted display (HMD). It is a good interpretation tool as it provides an interactive experience combined with the form of spatial immersion called presence. This is touted as the final step for representation on displays since we are no longer aware of the screen in front of us. Central to this is the high pixel density display with stereoscopic lenses with at least 90º viewing angle which brings a sense of depth and better representation of scale. Moreover sensors that track rotation or position of our head give us the control of framing and traversing the virtual world as well as a much better positional soundscape. All together this is the closest we can get to a life-like representation of virtual objects or in our case bringing a 1:1 model of the K67 kiosk in multiple configurations to a limited museum space. Advances in gyroscope sensors and screen technologies that are driven by popularity of smart phones are opening a new era for VR experiences. At the end of this year we will see a commercial release of the first VR HMD systems such as HTC Vive and Gear VR with Oculus Rift following a few months later. If you would like to try the VR experience now and own a modern smart phone, Google Cardboard is an open source schematic to build yourself a VR HMD from cardboard and two lenses.

Picture 9 and 10: Virtual reality experience (Photo: Matej Kristovič).

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Conclusion and further interpretation. Some of the proposed interpretation with 3D technologies will be used within the upcoming retrospective exhibition of Saša J. Mächtig curated by Maja Vardjan and Špela Šubic. The exhibition will be opened on the 19th November 2015 at the Museum of architecture and design in Ljubljana. In contrast to traditional exhibitions, the content will be actualised with today's perspective and outline possible future. However, the above presented proposals can be used for other future exhibitions as well. Any other museum object can also be presented in the same way, but always in line with the idea that technology is only a tool of interpretation, but not an item for ostentatious museum presentations. Acknowledgement An attempt at the interpretation of the K67 kiosk using 3D technologies is partly (2009-2013) made in collaboration with its author Saša J. Mächtig during the research program of Kaja Antlej, Young Researcher from Business at the IB-PROCADD d.o.o. company and Doctoral Study in Heritology (Heritage Studies) at the Faculty of Arts, the University of Ljubljana. Operation part financed by the European Union, European Social Fund. The interpretation using virtual reality (Oculus Rift) has been developed in collaboration with Žiga Pavlovič. References Kaja ANTLEJ, K67 Kiosk: An interpretation with 3D technologies, in: Dejan PESTOTNIK (Editor-in-chief), Tadej VINDIŠ, Kaja ANTLEJ (Co-editors), UPTAKE: Increase Interest in Cultural Heritage through ICT: An Interactive Book (EU Project: eCultValue Project), Maribor 2015, pp. 66-71, http://issuu.com/vidandrej/docs/ecultbook_inter3?e=5651117/11495186. Kaja ANTLEJ (author), Mateja KOS (mentor), Jasna HORVAT (comentor), 3D tehnologije kot podpora muzejski razstavi industrijskega oblikovanja (3D Technologies as a Support for Industrial Design Museum Exhibition) (Doctoral Dissertation, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana), Ljubljana 2013, http://kajaantlej.com/doctoral-dissertation/. eCultObservatory (eCultValue, EC FP7), www.ecultobservatory.eu. NMC Horizon Report > 2015 Museum Edition, www.nmc.org/publication/nmc-horizon-report-2015-museumedition/. Dr Kaja Antlej Endeavour Fellow (Postdoctoral Researcher) Centre for Creative and Cultural Research Faculty of Arts and Design University of Canberra contact@kaja-antlej.com kaja-antlej.com

Žiga Pavlovič Virtual Reality Consultant and Content Developer Games Slovenia ziga.pavlovic@gmail.com

JVA InterpNews

A Passion for Manatees Inspires Meaningful Interpretation By: Mystina Swaim, Interpreter

Dreams do come true. There is nothing more meaningful as experiencing the dream of something which you are very passionate. My career path in interpretation has made my dreams come true. I have had extraordinary opportunities to combine my two passions: interpretation and manatees. What is a manatee? This is a question I often hear when I talk about my favorite animal. As an interpreter I have many occasions to use mypassion for a resource as a tool in my interpretation. So when I am asked what a manatee is, an opportunity presents itself to open up an interpretive conversation about something I love dearly. Manatees, an endangered mammal, have long held a special place in my heart. I was very young when I first discovered there there was an animal so gentle and fascinating. I always dreamed that someday I could see manatees up close. At age seven, my dream came true when my family traveled to Sea World and the Living Seas in Disney World in Florida. I pressed my face up to the glass glas and beheld the wonder of the giants, slowly floating in the water, munching on lettuce. Years later, I had the chanceto further my dream of experiencing this magical, close association when we traveled to Crystal River, Florida, to swim with wild manatees. s. I stood on the tour boat just before we got into the water looking down at the manatees swimming up to meet us. Tears began rolling down my cheeks. I was actually going to be in the water interacting with the gentle giants that had captured my heart. It was the happiest moment of my life. I became a member of the Save the Manatee Club, adopted a manatee named Ariel, and my love for manatees continued to grow.

When it was time to choose a place to complete my college internship, I knew I had to work with manatees while gaining experience for my career career in interpretation. I found a way to work with manatees at a park in Florida, caring for them and presenting interpretive programs about them to large audiences from all around the world. I was in the water ter interacting with manatees, I was feeding and caring for them, and I was helping people to understand and appreciate these gentle giants by sharing my love and passion for them. After one of my programs, a woman came up to me and told me she had been coming co to the park for years and had never attended a program as meaningful as mine, and she asked me how she could help the manatees. It was a great moment for an interpreter.

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A year later, I returned to Florida and volunteered for a month doing Manatee Watch, where I paddled paddle around in my kayak to keep an eye on manatees during the cold weather to watch for signs of cold stress, a disease they acquire if they stay in water below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. While silently pushing my ka kayak through the warm, clear waters, manatees would come up to investigate, sometimes chewing on the side of my kayak or poking their heads above the water to say hello. Manatees are very curious animals so they love exploring and observing new things. Another other year after my experience experienc with Manatee Watch, I was able to travel to Belize to work with manatees being rehabbed. It was my very first time to bottle feed manatees. While caring for an orphaned five-month-old old female, I swam in the lagoon with her during during her exercise swims. When the baby swam up to me and poked her head out of the water for a hug,it hug was a great feeling. I shared my love and passion for manatees while leading international visitors on interpretive tours through the rehab center and knew I was making a difference in protecting these beautiful, endangered animals.

Manatees have long fought to survive in their shallow water habitats. More and more people choose these habitats to boat in and build near. Because manatees are slow moving, living in shallow waters, boat propeller strikes and boat collisions are the number number one cause of death in manatees. Soon there will be very little of these beautiful animals left in the wild. When we share our passion and appreciation for manatees, we could be saving their lives. As an interpreter I have great opportunities to share myy passion for a resource and help visitors connect to that resource in a way that touches their hearts. Manatees are my passion, and I spend as much time as I can inspiring others to appreciate these gentle giants. This form of meaningful interpretation leads le to appreciation and preservation. Manatees need more people that care about them, and it is our responsibility to protect an iconic species for the enjoyment and discovery of our children and our childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children. Without our help, manatees will lose lose their battle for survival. Extinction is forever. Photo credit credit:: Mystina Swaim for the photos of just the manatees; Treylan Swaim, CIG for the photos of me and the manatees. Mystina Swaim, CHI, CIG is an interpreter for Arkansas State Parks. She has been volunteering with manatees since 2011. She can be reached at mystina.swaim@arkansas.gov<mailto:mystina.swaim@arkansas.gov>.

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Underground Railroad Experience Brings Detroit History to Life. presented by Hometown History Tours

It’s 7 PM, and the bells at historic Second Baptist Church ring in the hour. On cue, three actors carrying lanterns make their way into Fellowship Hall singing the Wallis Willis spiritual: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. The Incredible Journey to Midnight: Detroit Underground Railroad Experience, presented by Hometown History Tours, is underway. After a brief narration, tour attendees descend the steep, narrow steps into the isolated basement of the church founded in 1836 by 13 former slaves. Once seated in a tiny room without windows, an actor portraying local abolitionist and church member George DeBaptiste addresses the group. He warns them that although freedom is just across the nearby river, they aren’t safe and must still be vigilant. In fact, danger lurks around every corner! Kentucky slave catchers have congregated in the city waiting to trap them. With a sizeable bounty on their heads, no one can be trusted to not turn them in. DeBaptiste instructs the group to be quiet especially when they hear the choir singing loudly. The choir’s raised voices signal impending danger. Suddenly, soft voices singing in the distance reach a fervent crescendo as a mysterious visitor bangs on the door at the top of the stairs. DeBaptiste demands silence and extinguishes the light, plunging tour goers into complete darkness. This scene is just one of the many dramatic interpretations tour goers will experience as they traverse the streets of downtown Detroit and learn about Detroit’s role in America’s antislavery movement. Throughout the journey, they’ll run into a bevy of historical heavy weights including Sojourner Truth, Laura Haviland, Frederick Douglass and John Brown as well as prominent local agents of change. Karin Risko, founder of Hometown History Tours, is the creator of this tour that has grown tremendously since it first debuted in 2013. “I keep uncovering exciting aspects of this important part of our history that just have to be included,” says Karin. “Partnering with Second Baptist Church last year really elevated the tour to a whole new level. Second Baptist is “hallowed ground” as it was the epicenter of Detroit’s antislavery movement.”

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Karin was inspired to create this interactive experience after seeing evening lantern tours offered in cities of all sizes throughout the world. “There is something about lantern tours that intrigues me,” says Karin. “Why didn’t we have any in Detroit? The Underground Railroad history seemed like the perfect fit, and the tour was born.” Initially the tour was going to be your “typical tour” with a talkative narrator leading everyone around. However, after being exposed to other interpretive style tours, Karin decided to use actors to show the remarkable history rather than tell it. “Not only does this tour recount important history, it’s a great way to see downtown Detroit up close and personal,” says Karin. “We cover a lot of ground on the tour giving people the opportunity to see the Renaissance Center lit up and all the new developments underway.” “Attendees have been very receptive so far,” says Karin. “They go away with a new found appreciation of the contributions our predecessors made in the struggle for freedom and liberty. They also tend to describe the actors and myself as ‘knowledgeable’ and ‘passionate.’ Knowledgeable and passionate – I’ll take those accolades any day!” In an age when everyone wants to reinvent and re-imagine Detroit, Karin hopes to use themed tours like the Incredible Journey to Midnight as a vehicle for people to rediscover it.

Incredible Journey to Midnight: Detroit Underground Railroad Experience is offered on Saturdays: June 20; July 11, 25; August 15, 29; September 12 / 7 – 10 PM $35 Adults / $20 Youth (17 and under). Early Bird Special: Buy tickets 7 days prior to tour and SAVE $5 per ticket! For more information, visit www.hometownhistorytours.com or call 734.642.5712

JVA InterpNews

Interpretive Planning, Training and Design - World-Wide. JVA has been contributing to and helping to advance the interpretive profession for over 40 years. From teaching university courses in interpretation (Michigan State University, Ohio State University and New York State University and the State University of West Georgia - heritage interpretation institutes), and years of field experience doing interpretation, we are growing still. Our services include but are not limited to: - Interpretive Master Planning. - Interpretive Training Courses - Interpretive Exhibit Planning - Interpretive Trail Planning - Scenic Byways Interpretive Planning. - Regional Interpretive Systems Planning - Landscape Museum Planning. - Visitor Research and Marketing Studies. But there is more we do: Publisher of InterpNEWS, the International Heritage Interpretation e-Magazine with over 154,000 readers in 36 Countries. And it's FREE - yes FREE (send us an e-mail to request it).

Oh yes, then there is the International Heritage Interpretation Training Center and our text books. http://www.heritageinterp.com/interpretive_training_center_course_catalogue_.html Want to know more about our range of services? jvainterp@aol.com - www.heritageinterp.com We do what we teach and teach what we do.... Really!