Non-Personal Interpretation

Non-personal interpretation typically includes one-way communication through any informational and educational written, audio, or visual messages.

Exhibits

• The exhibit is inviting and attractive

• The navigation of the exhibit is understandable

• The exhibit invites exploration• The exhibit inspires interactions

among visitors• The content of the exhibit is

accurate• The exhibit is accessible to

people of varying ages and development

• A visitor can take something away

The Sam Waller Museum

Personal Interpretation

Personal interpretation involve direct, face-to-face contact with the visitor.

Types of Interpretive Programs

Self-guided Tours

Guided Tours

Musical and Theatrical Presentations

Workshops and Classes

Demonstrations

Outdoor Programs

Special Activities and Celebrations

Don’t forget about refreshments…..

School Programs

Heritage Fairs

Inglis Grain Elevators NHS

Subject Integration

Social studies Manitoba’s history, map study, research

Science Manitoba’s flora & fauna, agricultural landscapes

Language arts Plays,skits, letters, poems, storytelling, journal and letter writing

Home Economics Food preparation

Reading Use of books on the subject, photography, etc.

Art Sketching, painting, sculpture, photography

Spelling All subjects

New Vocabulary All subjects

Mathematics Distance on maps, orienteering, measurement

Agriculture Agricultural history, technology, economy

Others Log books, bulletin board displays, cooperative games

Develop Teacher Resources

Resource materials1. Curriculum themes2. Objectives3. Vocabulary4. Historical information5. Selected Bibliography6. Websites7. Pre-visit activities8. During the visit9. Post-visit activities10. Classroom evaluation

Planning for the visit•Preparation•Logistics•Pre-visit Classroom Planning•The visit!!•Follow-up

Field Trip to the Yukon Wildlife Preserve

Group Activity Working in groups, you will select interpretive programs and techniques appropriate for various visitors.

4. Program Design: Communication Skills Using Objects

Using objects and archival material in interpretive programs.

Advantages of using objects in programs:Objects are fascinating

Objects are not age-specific

Objects help us document the history of ordinary people

Using objects helps students develop important intellectual skills

Ways of focusing attention on objects or photographs:

1) Begin with the visitor’s experience.

2) Establish a beginning point of reference.

3) Organize the experience around a problem, task or problem which provides some focus but requires initiative and thought.

4) Emphasize sensory learning.

5) Mix in hands-on activities.

Group Activity Using demonstrated object and literacy exercises, you will practice simple communication skills by preparing and presenting a short oral presentation.

5. Program Planning: Program Logistics

How will the program work?

When and where will the program take place?

Who will do the program?

What activities will take place?

Group Activity Groups will complete a program planning worksheet for their programs.

5. Promoting Programs

An effective promotional campaign helps to create or reinforce the image you want for your heritage centre and conveys a specific message that tells people what you what them to do. You are, essentially, developing a communications campaign. Promotion includes anything and everything the museum does to let people know that it exists, why they should come, why they should support it, and why they should take pride in its role in their community. In business, promotion traditionally includes public relations and paid advertising.    

Advertising is something you pay for. To be effective, advertising must be in appropriate mediums, contain a message targeted to your public, and must offer them something. Ads don’t give out all the information about your museum. Narrow your focus to name what the visitor receives and what the advantage is to the client. Promotion and publicity are ways of communicating with little or no cost. Its purpose is the same as advertising - to move the members of the public to action. 

Promotional Techniques include:

• advertising• annual reports• billboards• brochures• Celebrity endorsements• direct mail• editorials• feature stories• letters to the editor• networking• news conferences• news releases• Newsletters

 

• posters• public speaking• publishing articles and reports• radio public service

announcements• special events• talk shows• telemarketing• television public service

announcements• trade fairs• videos• World Wide Web• Word of Mouth

6. Program Evaluation

“If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there.” Flying Karamazov Brothers

Types of Evaluation

Front-end EvaluationProvides information about visitors' interest, expectations, and understanding for an exhibit/program

Formative EvaluationProvides feedback about the effectiveness of a program, and its components

Summative EvaluationSeeks to determine the extent to which exhibit or program goals were met

7. Look towards the future

Group Activity Participants will complete their public programming plans and present to the class.

Class Evaluation and Goodbyes