A few weeks ago, I attended a conference on ‘Understanding Museums’ in Germany. It was about researching museums and researching audiences, with a particular focus on new and innovative methods [1]. In the final plenary session, the organiser for the museum research aspect of the conference expressed his hope that the focus on researching audiences … Continue reading The uses of audience research
Tag: significance
Where is heritage in heritage interpretation?
As part of my current research I have been reviewing the literature on heritage studies. My opinions, gained from working at heritage sites, had already been that heritage is immensely personal: made up of different aspects for different individuals. When I worked at Culloden Battlefield in Scotland, I also realised that heritage was contested, and … Continue reading Where is heritage in heritage interpretation?
Diverse Heritage Values – Feedback from Interpret Europe’s First International Conference
Today I guided a workshop at the first international conference of Interpret Europe in Freiburg, Germany. I built on a paper I presented last November at NAI’s National Workshop in Las Vegas. I was really keen to explore further with other professionals what to do about diverse, and particularly conflicting heritage values. The conversation we … Continue reading Diverse Heritage Values – Feedback from Interpret Europe’s First International Conference
Dirt and all? Or: That’s what good interpretation is for
As far as J. Geraint Jenkins is concerned, the Welsh efforts to present the nation’s industrial heritage (!) are mostly doomed. The reason is that sites, and coalmines in particular, are just not grimy enough. He also points out that much fabric has been lost, leaving the remaining structures without the all-important context. In presenting … Continue reading Dirt and all? Or: That’s what good interpretation is for
Do we interpret heritage because we’re disconnected from it?
During my readings I have come across this interesting quote by West and McKellar [1]: ‘By definition, interpretation as a heritage practice is a western discourse that has become necessary because official heritage has become disconnected from everyday understandings.’ It is a statement worth thinking about in greater depth. Most interpreters would readily agree that … Continue reading Do we interpret heritage because we’re disconnected from it?
When I recently visited National Trust properties…
I love National Trust properties. I’d forgotten how much until I recently visited Polesden Lacey. So I promptly signed myself up to become a member (again) and I’ve proceeded to visit a National Trust property every weekend since. Of course, I’m also reading a lot of academic literature and case studies about heritage, its management … Continue reading When I recently visited National Trust properties…
Interpretation is… benefit-driven
I am currently researching how we deliver public benefit through heritage management and interpretation in England and Germany. Reading through the legislation that provides the framework for heritage is quite interesting. On the national level, people (the public) have been conspicuously absent from official heritage practices for many decades. The values identified by the legislation … Continue reading Interpretation is… benefit-driven
Interpreting a Sense of Place
About a year ago, I blogged about the sense of place I experienced when visiting a May festival in Germany. At the time, I identified two ingredients to ‘a sense of place’: a ‘symbol’ and the ‘activity’ around it. A few months later, I highlighted that in my opinion, an inclusive significance assessment will uncover … Continue reading Interpreting a Sense of Place
Understanding stakeholders (and their view of significance)
Two weeks ago I presented a paper on stakeholders to the online conference of Interpretation Canada. I shared with delegates how I go about trying to understand the main stakeholders of a project. Step 1: Who are the main stakeholders? My first step is to identify who the main stakeholders are to begin with. I … Continue reading Understanding stakeholders (and their view of significance)
Significance, Significance – Why it’s so important
I've just returned from an excellent conference - the National Workshop of the US-American National Association for Interpretation. I've picked up many good ideas that I will certainly blog about, but today I want to reflect on the responses I got to my own paper. I presented some of the research I've recently completed into … Continue reading Significance, Significance – Why it’s so important
Nicole Deufel's Blog 