Interpreting Our Heritage by Freeman Tilden

It was going to happen sooner or later. One probably cannot have a blog on interpretation and not talk about Freeman Tilden's Interpreting Our Heritage at some point. I've already referred to it previously and we also had an introduction to Freeman Tilden by guest blogger, Hilary Grabowska, but I felt it needed a full post to do it justice.

From the NPS website

Interpreting Our Heritage is one of first documents on interpretation, regardless of it being environmental or historical. It is the first book of its kind to lay out a basic definition of interpretation and is the first book the National Parks use to train ranger interpreters. I first read Interpreting Our Heritage in grad school where it was part of the Introduction to Public History class taught by Dr. Raymond Rast at Cal State University Fullerton. When I accepted an internship at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in summer of 2010, this book was one of the books I brought with me, and was part of my reading requirement.

Masterfully written by Freeman Tilden, it lays out what interpretation is, what it isn't, and how it works. Freeman had worked at a number of National Parks and talked to many visitors about why they wanted to go to National Parks, what they expected to see, and what they were enticed into learning. At its basic core, interpretation is an elective education. As such, a visitor could simply walk away whenever they are inclined to, for whatever reason. Because of this, the methods used by interpreters work to try to find subtle means of captivating the audience into enjoying themselves unexpectedly. It is used by the National Parks as the basis for their interpretation programs, but other state, local, municipal, and private locations use the principles as well.

Freeman Tilden, from Npshistory.com

Tilden developed 6 principles of interpretation. He knew he would miss a few and admitted that the 6 are probably not the only ones, but set them forth as a starting point for others to build on. The 6 principles are:
1. Any interpretation that does not somehow relate what is being displayed or described to something within the personality or experience of the visitor will be sterile. This means knowing the audience or finding universal truths that resonate with them. If it is something that doesn't excite them, can you find something that will? Because they will not engage, participate, understand, or care if you can not reach them personally.

2. Information, as such, is not interpretation. Interpretation is revelation based on information. But they are entirely different things. However, all interpretation includes information. Compare a novel and a dictionary. A dictionary has information and facts. A novel has information and facts too, but the information and facts tell a story. Which one is more engaging? The revelation of facts and information is part of the interpretation as well as it is the discovery (and sometimes mutual discovery) that leads to a greater experience.

3. Interpretation is an art, which combines many arts, whether the materials presented are scientific, historical, or architectural. Any art is in some degree teachable. Interpretation is an art because it is an interpersonal skill, like public speaking, haggling, and story-telling. Interpretation covers a wide variety of content. I like the historical stuff. Others get excited about geology. I am not excited about geology. But if I find the right interpreter who can make geology less boring, I will stick around to listen or participate. Because it is a skill, it can be taught. If it can be taught, it can therefore be learned.

4. The chief aim of interpretation is not instruction, but provocation. This is the most important lesson right here. It is hard to get to successfully, but to provoke a listener by your interpretation into some kind of action is the result of a successful interpretive lesson. This provocation can be mentally stimulation, physical action, or spiritual contemplation or any combination.

5.  Interpretation should aim to present the whole rather than a part, and must address itself to the whole man rather than any phase. Presenting the whole means using the example to apply to the larger, general, universal themes. Not just the trees, but the forest, and even forests everywhere. The tricky part is addressing the whole person rather than any phase. This also has to do with reaching out to the visitor and grasping a hold of something that interests them, whether something specific or universal.

6. Interpretation addressed to children (say up to the age of twelve) should not be a

Interpreting to students takes patience, skill, and

personality, but it takes an intense love to be a

good interpreter.

dilution of the presentation to adults, but should follow a fundamentally different approach. To be at its best it will require a separate program. This is a fight against the infamous "dumb-ing down" approach. Kids can be very smart; you just have to explain things differently to them, even if you have to have a separate program to develop so that they can understand what is going on.

Perhaps the most impressive chapter he wrote was on the "Priceless Ingredient." There, he addressed a topic that he does not put forth into a principle, but is essential to interpretation, and that is love. Yes, you read that right; love. A love for people and for your work as a interpreter. He goes so far to state that if his principles could be summed up into a single principle, that principle would be love. Because if you love people, then you will try to reach them where they are without being intrusive to their lives and step toward their understanding. A love for the content, craft, learning, or place makes it all worthwhile for a visitor. People are attracted to people who are alive with their vibrancy. If you get into a conversation with any enthusiast, the conversation will turn to their pursuits will be only be a matter of time, if not right away! For a book that tends to be long winded and dated and full of archaic quotations, this single chapter was pure gold to me.

Talking to people about history is what I do.

Tilden's writing style is out of vogue with today's styles of writing. I am afraid to say that many people I know find it difficult to read. He reminds me much of the writer C.S. Lewis, in that he has a lot to say, takes a long time saying it, and you are not quite sure what you understood when you heard it, but it only made sense after you have digested it much later. In this sense, the text is dated. So it may be a difficult read for someone who is not used to - or have the patience for - reading older styles of writing, but if you are a history major, this kind of writing should not be too difficult for you.

The NPS holds Tilden in a very high reverence, such that I know no other book on interpretation other than Interpreting Our Heritage, even though it was written well over 60 years ago. I feel that in many ways, the NPS has not moved on from this book or that there is no follow through (that I am aware of) to a more modern and expanded understanding of this craft. I'm sure some of you know of a few contenders that are great books to follow up from Tilden's classic. I think it would be a good idea to post some further suggestions for reading material in the comments and I will see if I can review those at a later date.