Image: Whitby Abbey interpretation
Talking to Tourists - Whitby Abbey
08.07.07
English Heritage looks after Whitby's famous Abbey which stands prominently on a headland just above the town. The ruin occupies part of an open grassed area with other buildings nearby, one of which is used for an entrance point and visitor centre. Signposting of the usual cast iron variety has directed people from the town centre up the long curve of steps to the Abbey, though the general direction is easy to see from the harbour.
On site the task is to delight the visitor, which the location and open space with the dramatic ruins can easily do. Hopefully the visitors will be inspired by the story of the Abbey, its people and the town around it to find out more - and perhaps to join English Heritage as members. Information is supplied in plenty by exhibition areas with pictures, sounds and activity-based displays. The general ambience is impressive, suggesting quality and interest. As carers for the Abbey and its grounds English Heritage must conserve, inform and entertain as well as furthering its wider purpose. Sustainability and responsibility are the over-riding aims.
On site the visitors can just wander around to enjoy the sense of place and the past in whatever way comes to them. They can use a leaflet, a guidebook or one of the audio guides (pictured) that is supplied from the visitor centre. Information panels at intervals show where things are on the site, and interpretive panels tell of the meaning and significance of the surroundings.
While gaining an income and operating profit from visitors, the objectives are first and foremost the public requirements of conservation and interpretation, and it is these rather than profit-making that drive the planning of this tourist attraction.
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Image: Harrogate Tells Its Story
Harrogate Talks to Tourists
06.07.07
The locations in the previous two postings have information panels, or more properly, interpretation panels as they convey the meaning and significance of what the visitor sees. They have been placed by Harrogate District Council and are part of a much wider provision. Each is cast in metal, clean and legible - with no graffiti visible either. The colour scheme makes them noticeable to passers-by, though I heard someone describe the Winter Gardens (now a Wetherspoons Bar) after they visited as a former chapel entered via the old pulpit. They had walked past the interpretive panel, missed the Winter Gardens name painted prominently round the arched entrance, and had misinterpreted the nature of the lecture-platform between the entrance stairs.
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Image: Erddig - 1911 Coronation Drama
Bringing the Past to Life: Dramatic Interpretation
07.07.07
A guide book pleases only one of the senses and you can't ask it questions. Participatory drama on-site captures attention of all the senses, is interactive and makes a lasting impression when done well.
The above photos illustrate a junior school history session at Erddig House near Wrexham in the 1980s, but the principles can be adapted to interpret a subject to every visitor, as has been done at Wigan Pier in the UK and Old Sturbridge Village in the USA. It is often called first-person interpretation in which participants pretend to be the characters depicted, not just talk about them.
The scene was set as being at the time of the Coronation of King George V in 1911 when the household of Erddig were planning an outdoor party at the house. In picture 1 children are seen holding placards with the names of countries in the British Empire: flags and a banner proclaim loyal greetings to the new King and his Queen. A group of children led by an actor from the National Trust Youth Theatre are taking the part of a band of tramps. They have heard of the celebration and hope to take part (food is to be provided). The lead 'tramp' - the actor - teaches them a folk dance with sticks, playing music on instruments that he carries.
In the house other schoolchildren have taken on roles assisting various members of the household - the estate manager, butler, housekeeper and so on. They carry out some duties around the house related to their allotted roles, and see the party being set up in the yard, with trestle tables set out with party food. During the hour or two that the drama is unfolding the children absorb something of what it was like to live and work at Erddig in 1911. They are encouraged to relate to children in other role-groups according to their status.
The party of tramps arrive at the house and enter the yard. Immediately spotted by the eastate manager and his group of assistants they are challenged: they have no right to be there. The children can see the food laid out and had been told when preparing for the day in class that refreshments were provided at the end of the session. On arrival at the house roles were given, so at that stage some children found out that they would be tramps.
The tramp leader tries to argue that everyone should be allowed to take part in the celebration. His fellow tramps take his side and the argument grows. Other groups are arriving, witnessing the scene, and hearing their own group leaders - butler, housekeeper, etc - making disparaging comments about the group of vagabonds before them. The owner arrives and refuses entrance. His senior staff throw the tramps out of the yard and the gate is slammed shut and barred. Now the children playing 'tramps' have been cut out of the events, with only their leader, the actor, on their side. Their friends are within and ready to enjoy the feast.
At this stage, of course, the drama ends. Having learnt the hard way what life could be like at the different upstairs-downstairs levels of society in a house like Erddig, the whole class is reunited inside and within a very short space of time the picnic feast is consumed. They have seen, heard, touched, smelled and tasted something of 1911. They 'became', if only in a small way for an hour or two, part of the household. Questions could be asked, things examined and argued over. This particular piece of dramatic intrepretation took place over twenty years ago, but it probably still resonates with those children today in a way that a classroom lecture or book chapter could not do.
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Image: Interpretation Media
Talking to Tourists - Media
22.06.07
Once your visitors are at your destination or attraction there are many ways of communicating with them. Just a few are shown above. The simplest is not shown - it's a piece of plywood with a handle shaped into it, which has a sheet of paper onto some text is printed. Yet no form of communication is that simple. The writing needs to be interesting, accurate and readable, be not too long that people give up reading it, and yet deliver a message that gives the information they need and what you want them to receive. This means it has to fit into a wider communications strategy.
All of these media have to meet those general requirements. Some do so using the human voice or a recording of it - in the appropriate language and at the right level for the audience, old or young, specialist or not, to understand. Some are expensive to produce, others cost very little. Some - human beings and interactive computers - can handle questions. Many can incorporate pictures or video, or else be used in conjunction with another medium that can do so. A few can use sound effects - bird song or the noise of some ancient machine; and they might be able to use the recorded voice of someone who died many years before.
It is tempting to give the job of production to a manager, curator or technician. It must be given to a specialist who knows how the visitor thinks, what they might know already on a particular subject, and who can author the right words along with sourcing the right pictures.
If you aren't sure of the truth of that statement, just think how many computer manuals and online help pages are gobbledegook. It's often the same for visitor media.
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