Interpretation and the Public Benefits of Heritage in Policy

When I started working in a local authority heritage context [1], I was struck by how much heritage was specifically expected to deliver rather concrete outcomes: pride, identity, creativity, social cohesion, mutual understanding, to name but a few (yes, a few of the many). This was set out in project plans, and we were also … Continue reading Interpretation and the Public Benefits of Heritage in Policy →

From Football to…Interpretation?

For the past month I’ve been watching the Football (or Soccer, if you’re American) World Cup. Is there anything in this that might help us think about heritage and interpretation? Here are my (utterly unscientific) thoughts – and apologies to those who just don’t do world football: Enjoyment Enjoyment is a key term in … Continue reading From Football to…Interpretation? →

Who needs heritage anyway?

After reading this month's Museum Journal (published by the British Museums Association) one may well wonder if today's leaders really no longer value heritage. Stories of funding cuts have dominated both British and international coverage for months and we now read about the consequences of budgets thus slashed. Winter opening hours are shortened, as with … Continue reading Who needs heritage anyway? →