Good Interpretation Sells

One of the striking aspects of Interpretation as a discipline, a skill, and a philosophy is that it always is in search of frontier, a better light bulb, and a higher call. It is not complacent with giving a tour; a list of names, places, and events. Good interpretation inspires and a list simply does not inspire. Good interpretation sells.
By "sells", it should be understood that interpretation creates something within itself that people like visitors and stakeholders want.

Planning is crucial to making a
quality program that sells itself

One cannot buy a good reputation. A reputation is built, little by little, and as such it will take time. For an interpretive place, this should not be a problem as there is always another day tomorrow. By taking the time to carefully cultivate quality interpretive programs, events, tours, training, hand-outs, or waysides, an interpretive site can position itself to start to attract attention. Quality interpretation is going to inspire, motivate, and provoke (Remember Tilden's 6 Principles?) Outreach, advertisement, and word of mouth promote the site, but do not be discouraged by a modest response; many of the decision makers are slow to respond, especially to new things. Everybody is looking for a sure-fire win and the best bang for their buck, especially from the education field with their ever shrinking funding and increasing liability for field trips. The interpretive place is therefore in competition with everything else for that field trip consideration.

As mentioned, it will take time. Five years should be a minimum base before seeing significant growth. Why? Because you cannot buy a good reputation; it is built little by little and it takes time. Five years should be enough to get the word out. A busy season should be a good indicator that the interpretation is quality.

Some t-shirts do get honorable mentions!

That increased visitation is going to create revenue, even if the interpretive site is free. Nearly every interpretive site has a gift store. Those items on sale are going to sell. It works even better if they are quality products. The closer to the interpretive themes a product is, the more likely it will sell. However, never disdain a well designed t-shirt! Or a funny one! An excelletnt example would be Living History Farms. The town highlights trades like a print shop, a broom maker shop, and a blacksmith, and each of these shops produce goods to sell in the gift store. Living History Farms also goes out of its way to create events that fall in line with its interpretive goals like Food and Farm festivals. Read about my experience at LHF here.

If the site does charge for admission, the high visitation from quality interpretation is going to do well. It also shows to the Board or to the higher-ups that the site is doing well and deserves to be protected, preserved, and properly maintained. For many places, especially in the public and national properties, this is the goal: to get people to appreciate the place and make sure it continues. Few places are more heartbreaking than a washed up has-been place that is neglected.

The quality interpretation is simply going to elevate the profile of that place. Some places are blessed to be large, famous, important, significant places that resound in the public, but others are going to have to yell and scream to get recognition and a quality interpretation of that place can generate enough noise to attract notice.

These higher profile places are appreciated. The things that are appreciated are protected. Even a local place can gather staunch support if people properly appreciate it. Quality Interpretation creates not only appreciation for the site, but also support, a higher profile in the community, protection and preservation, better funding to be able to do more, and a reputation for being a sure-fire win for visitors.  Thus, when there is another partial government shut down, the impact is felt by the surrounding area because the local businesses depend on the revenue that the popular site brings in as an added benefit. Of course, that applies only to the public lands, but could apply to private interpretive places in the case of a emergency, like an environmental disaster.

The bottom line is that an interpretive place must take the time to hone its programming, hand-outs, and events, and provide the best training for staff in order to build that reputation that the site sells itself and is successful in reaching its goals. That is how good interpretation sells.

Site Visit: Special Event at Martin Luther King Jr. NHP

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthplace home

One of the side benefits of being somewhere is that it is nearby to somewhere. Being inclined to historical areas and places, we often roam to these places to enjoy some power of place and being at the right place at the right time. In this instance, we found ourselves in near Atlanta, Georgia, about the time of Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s holiday.  The only thing that was off was the partial government shut down that closed most of the National Parks, so at first it seemed that the holiday was going to be quashed by denying access to the interior of King's childhood residence, but a generous grant from the Delta Airlines Foundation (which has a large presence and is a major employer in the Atlanta area) provided funding for the site to be open for 2 weeks from the holiday until after Superbowl LIII which was held in Atlanta this year. So instead of being disappointed, we decided to impulsively drive to Atlanta the day of the holiday to explore the site and learn a little bit more about the famous leader.

As to be expected, the event was well attended and overwhelmed official parking and a few streets were closed to parking, so finding a place to park was hard to find. We set about getting our trophies: a Junior Ranger book that we will complete later to send in and the Park stamp. We toured the first racially integrated firehouse in Atlanta, quickly browsed the King Center, viewed Dr. King and his wife's tombs amid the fountain, quickly browsed the visitor center, toured the Ebenezer Baptist Church, and viewed his birthplace.  It was a very superficial visit in part because we had our moody "threenager" as well as the holiday crush.

Nevertheless being a part of a historic event in place and in time for someone who made a huge impact on American culture and politics was very important. It is remarkable that the birthplace, his first church, the first racially integrated firehouse, and final resting place are on the same street. It makes it unique that this "cradle-to-grave" and everything in between is all in one place.

Inside Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King preached.

It is abundantly clear that more time is needed to really appreciate the enormity of the offerings by the King Center and the National Historic Park, and that our visit barely qualified as a survey. Rather than evaluate the interpretive quality of the site, there are some thoughts that bear sharing.

Viewing the struggle for civil rights in the United States is something like seems out of sync with the rhetoric. It's like the United States is guilty of double talking: Land of the Free but only for white people. On one hand, it feels like the past is a foreign land where segregation seems so blatantly incorrect and wrong when trying to explain it to a child when the best explanation is "well, that's the way things were." On the other, many people have benefited from that struggle and example set by the brave men, women, students, and children who stood up to something that they knew to be wrong and fought hard to gain equality and justice. Perhaps it is shocking how hard they had to fight to gain it. Dr. King, while being the face and the icon of the movement, is not the only person who led it or even came up with it, yet his influence should not be understated in view of the fact there are so many other bright lights that stood with him, guided him, helped him, and supported him- so many in fact that to name them all would take more time than I have to devote to such a task. It's also sad to say that his work for a just society still remains just out of reach for many.

For the very little that we had to opportunity to enjoy, it will be worth returning to when the next opportunity allows it to be so.

Rest: a Strategy for Success

Rest. The time we take for ourselves. No one can keep up a break-neck speed and busyness for long. It leads to stress, anger, and ulcers. In light of the end of the season, the end of the year, and a reflective holiday season, rest becomes part of the seasonal cycle of interpretation. Rest not only is part of the individual but also of the institution where the interpreter works. Rest is important because it allows us the time to do better.

People need rest. Too many days working leads to stress and fatigue. That stress and fatigue can mean burn-out. When we get stressed we get short and angry with people easily. A sharply sent comment can ruin a school or keep a returning group from returning again. We take rest to help us relax, get our mind off of work, and to have a good sleep-in every so often. Take the time to use days off or lieu days to take care of yourself. "All work and no play makes Jack an dull boy."

Settling my mind for a long winter's nap

Rest can happen at the places where interpretation happens too. Many of these places have a "busy season" where school, church, and other kinds of group visitation is at its highest. Maybe it is when the weather is beautiful when all the tourists come out. Sometimes the weather forces the place to close because it is too cold, wet, hot, or some other environmental conditions occur that makes it slow down. These interpretive places use the time to focus on fixing things, or cleaning them up. It is also a good time to take time to reflect on the busy season's programming goals, or compile statistics, research, have staff evaluations, or begin planning for the next busy season.

The slow season is a great time to get to projects that
you have been meaning to get to - like cleaning.

This period of rest is part of a larger programming cycle. The "slow season" for evaluaton, compiling, and planning is "Indoor work." Then comes a period of "ramp up", or when the first couple of school groups or a first major special event of the year. It anticipates and leads into the "busy season," whatever that busy season looks like at the place.

Finally, rest leads to a fresh and invigorated start. The best thing about rest is that it allows a break to recharge with renewed vigor. If we are always "on" it can be draining and ultimately can affect morale, presentation, and attitude. The visitors deserve to have the best presentation and if the presentor is calm, relaxed, and friendly rather than tired, irritated, and distracted.

So as the year comes to a close and many interpretive places are closed or having their "slow season", take the time and rest and relax. Reflect on your past season and how you can be part of what makes the next busy season a success!

Education and interpretation: Supply and Demand

Education activity in action

Museums, historic sites, parks, and other interpretive locations are concerned primarily with education. They are essentially in the education business. These places of learning are at-will leisure places where people go to learn of their own free will, and learn from placards, exhibits, audio tours, or an interpretive guide for pleasure or entertainment.

One of the many demographics that visit these places are students on field trips. This increasingly rare event is becoming rarer still with shrinking education funds for transportation, liability issues, and safety concerns. From a school administrator point of view, a field trip needs to be worthwhile and requires a result, some sort of educational payoff. How can at-will places of learning continue to supply great interpretive and education opportunities to meet the dwindling demand of visiting school groups and perhaps stimulate more demand?

For all that is stacked against the school field trip, it still cannot be beat for creating an impact on a student. One of the common comments heard at the information desk or kiosk from adults are, "I came here as a kid" or "I came here on a field trip."  Power of Place has tremendous impact on people, especially with students. Interpreters and guides should spend some time explaining, highlighting, and reminding their student visitors of the importance of the place they visit. It goes back to the concept of asking, "So what?" Answering this question directly or indirectly as part of the programming allows the Power of Place to work in the students, giving some understanding why they are there.

Working with children requires a different approach. Don't
"dumb it down", make it right for them!

A combination of education and interpretation needs to be the core of the program, be it an activity, tour, or special event. The Interpretive Equation and a bunch of creativity are necessary to create an impacting school program. However the interpretive site chooses to go about its school programming, it should be directly engaging to the student. Attention spans are at an all time low with handheld digital technology, streaming on-demand videos, and the like creating a culture of people who want stimulation. In some cases, the traditional tour-and-talk school program may not be acceptable anymore and a more engaging program should be considered. The Knowledge of Audience is essential to crafting an captivating program!

Creativity is also going to be essential because the culture of students is changing and more classic modes of education do not have the same impact as they did a generation ago. The school program must be interactive and relational. The challenge is the pre-planing, technological savvy, and of course the funds to make it happen. A further challenge is that the sorts of people who can do this are in short supply in the interpretive field and have to learn these skills in order to reach students.

Grabbing the attention of students is an art
worth pursuing

Even if an interpretive site has a set program, it should always be evaluated. "We have always done it this way" is an unacceptable answer. True, there may be some best practices at work in the program, but updating or tweaking the less essential parts can support the parts that already work well. Sometime a program must be reinvented from the ground up and here are a couple suggestions on how to do that. Sometimes utilizing a different technique can really change how a program operates and makes it better. Review the Interpretive Toolbox for ideas on how to be more engaging to students and teachers.The supply needs to create the demand and sites need to let the educators know what is being done at the interpretive site by advertising and getting the word out as well!

The point of all this is to satisfy the students, teachers, and administrators' desires for a great trip. A poor program comes under review and the school will perhaps stop coming. Having a great, vibrant, impacting school program not only keeps the school coming, but can bring other schools as well. Each spring and fall should be busy with school buses arriving and departing. Furthermore, each teacher should be impressed with what the interpretive site offers students and teachers as an assortment of educational opportunities. Lastly, each student should be excited to visit from what they have heard from other students. It takes effort, and often a collaborative effort of staff and teachers, to craft something unique and impacting so that these sites do not fall by the wayside and fade from importance.

Site Visit: Habitat for Humanity Global Village

There are times when you stumble upon something that at first seems like a day out and then suddenly strikes you as an interpretive "teachable moment". This is the case with Habitat for Humanity Global Village and Discovery Center in Americus, Georgia. Americus happens to be the headquarters location for the non-profit organization Habitat for Humanity, an organization that builds homes for people all around the world, both in poverty stricken countries but also in the US. Their Global Village is a showcase of what kinds of living structures volunteers and local soon-to-be home owners build and how they differ from country to country

My passport and cancellations

Since every location has different environmental factors like geography, climate, weather conditions and concerns, as well as cultural considerations and styles, every home in country is different. Since Mexico is totally different than Malaysia, the styles of homes are different as well. Using a set "cookie cutter" plan design, builders are able to build homes exactly the same way using the same design, materials, and methods to quickly put up a structure in that locality.

We were given a "passport" that we could stamp that indicated that we had visited all the locations provided and each home was equipped with a stamping station. Collecting stamps is a great way to encourage understanding and visiting every location.

The shanty town

The tour first starts off in a walk down a shantytown street. Houses are made of corrugated tin siding and roofing, dirt floors, narrow streets, pallet beds, broken chairs, and have unsafe or unsanitary conditions. Along this pathway are interpretive signs prompting emotional responses of the visitors. "Would you like to live here?", "Where would you use the bathroom?", and "Would you feel safe here?" are some of the questions that are asked of the visitors to consider as they wander through this display. The visitors are asked to think about their feelings about their experience, an Audience Centered Experience that puts the visitors in the shoes of the people who actually live in such conditions. One striking feature was the use of non functioning electrical equipment, such as a light bulb suspended by a string or a old TV set. The idea behind this bizarre decoration was the hope of a better future where the resident of the shack hoped to one day have electricity to use that light bulb or watch TV on that set, or run that fan or radio.

Interpretive questions

Mexico

Beyond the shantytown lay the Habitat for Humanity samples, grouped by region. Each had different floor plans, colors, materials, and methods. Included in the tour was a workshop area where some of the materials used for constructing some of the homes can be made as a demonstration for visiting groups. For example, a simple brick making machine helps churn out bricks that would be used for the construction. Demonstration is a great interpretive technique to foster understanding and empathy to the people helping to make their own homes or volunteers helping in those locations. It's also a physical activity that helps work out some of that extra energy from visiting kids.

Housing is a global problem and a national one too

While the focus is on the international efforts to help alleviate housing poverty, it also reminds the visitor that there is a housing problem in the United States as well. The rising costs of rent, or home ownership, make it hard to keep up adequate living conditions, even in the United States. The Habitat for Humanity Global Village, while it is not a historical interpretive site, is still an interpretive center that highlights a provocative question of how to house the world's rising population affordably and adequately. It answers the question with the sample building and demonstrates the organization's ability to help out with a national and international need by meeting one of the basic needs of everyone: to have a home.

Visit the website here: https://www.habitat.org/about/global-village-discovery-center

People in the History Field: Museum Technician

What is your name, position, and organization you work for?
Hello, my name is Tiffiny Durham and I am a Museum Technician with Fort Scott National Historic Site.

What does your job entail? What do you do on a daily basis?

Museum artifacts at Fort Scott NHS

As a Museum Technician, there are a variety of tasks that are incorporated into this operation. The main job is to keep an eye on the museum collection and monitor for any changes that occur within the collection itself. The collection consists of objects of many different materials such as natural materials, metal, wood, glass, ceramic, and textiles. While monitoring the collection, one must keep watch out for insect infestation or environmental factors such as temperature and RH [relative humidity] fluctuations, decay on the artifacts, light damage from the sun or indoor lights, and taking care that the catalog records are correct. To help maintain a state of control for temperature and RH, Museums are monitored with data loggers that take readings in 15 minute increments. We check data loggers for temperature and relative humidity to make sure we are meeting the guidelines for museum collection set by the National Park Service. Then other tasks include cleaning and dusting the collection, exhibits, and waysides; keeping track of catalog records and update them as needed; and determining what belongs in the collection and what is not relevant to the collection itself. The basis of my daily routine changes from one day to the other. No day is the same. Sometimes I am moving from building to building looking at insects, and then going on to writing grants for new additions to the museum, to cleaning and repairing objects or determining if the artifact needs to go to a conservator for repair. There are some days that I am working on the computer with cataloging records, or providing informal interpretation to visitors and answering questions they may have.

What other responsibilities do you have?
Working for a small park with the National Park Service, in comparison to large parks, you get to do a variety of different activities. These consist of roving and providing informal talks to visitors, guided tours, planning and coordinating special events, working on some small maintenance projects, writing grant proposals and providing educational outreach programs to the public. Just like working with each park, there are different experiences. By the end of the year, we conduct inventory and other mandated tasks according to museum standards the NPS adopted.

How did you get started in this line of work?
It started out in school in 2011 when I was finishing up my degree in Meteorology. I had the opportunity to complete an Internship for the National Weather Service. Through this internship I found out that the National Weather Service was not the right fit for me. I have a passion to teach people and show that there is more than meets the eye. One night at the end of my senior year in college, I decided to attend an environmental education program on East Campus and I met a Park Ranger at this outreach. This Ranger talked about some of the opportunities to enter into the Park Service. He told me how to apply through USA Jobs. It was a couple months later and I was hired to work at my first park, Wind Cave National Park.

An SCA intern cleaning an artifact

How did others get their start? Are there other ways in?
Getting into the Park Service is very competitive, but there are ways to start off and get a foot in the door. Several different ways are through the Youth Conservation Corps [YCC] program for high school students, the Federal Government's student hiring program called Pathways [https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/pathways.htm], and the Student Conservation Association [SCA] [https://www.thesca.org], diversity programs and military service. Contacting a park directly will give you some help with some of your questions.

How do you get a job in your position? What are the steps?
To get a job in my position, apply on www.usajobs.gov. You will want to make sure you have a federal resume that includes everything you have done from job experience, volunteer positions, and internships. Information required for federal resumes include how long you have been at a job and skills sets you have learned. On each job posting, there is information along with occupation questionnaires. Make sure to answer these questions in your resume as well as through the questionnaires; www.usajobs.gov/Help/ will provide you step by step suggestions on how to apply for federal jobs.

Another way to get a permanent position within the Park Service is under the Land Management Workforce hiring path. This allows those who have served and gained experience through the seasonal life to qualify for permanent positions once you have 24 months of work without a year break in service with an government land management department and positive evaluations from your supervisors. 

Consider the phrase: "Knowing what I know now, I would so something differently"? What would you do?
I really would have pursued the high school and college internships through the YCC and SCA and tried more different fields to have a wider and more rounded knowledge of the Park Service.

What would be the best thing you could suggest to someone if they wanted to be a Museum Technician?
Getting into the Park Service is a very competitive field. Keep at it; if you really want to make this a career, you will hear an assortment of no's. Don't let that stop you. You have to work to get in the Park Service, but it is completely worth it. With passion and fight and hard work, this career can become a reality to some people. It really shows that when you work hard for what you dream, you can achieve your goals. In addition: enjoy life as it is too short and take the opportunities as they come your way. 
This job is awesome because no two days are the same. I have met so many wonderful people in my career that have helped me over the years. The Park Service is like a second family. Some of my long lasting friends are from the Park Service. The Park Service has really pushed me out of my comfort zone and the growth I have seen in myself is amazing. Looking back between eight years ago and today, I am a completely different person. I wish you the best of luck on your journey in life!

People in the History Field: Director of Education

What is your name, position, and organization you work for?
Thomas Frezza, Director of Education, The National Museum of the US Navy. The museum is a part of the Naval History and Heritage Command, which is a command of the Navy, located at the Washington Navy Yard.

What does your job entail? What do you do on a daily basis?
My job entails a wide range of responsibilities. As Director of Education, I am in charge of all education programming in the museum. This includes tours, lectures, and outreaches. I am also in charge of developing content for said tours, online programs, and videos. Another huge part of my day to day is scheduling all of these events, along with guided and self-guided tours. I have two other staff members under me, who assist with everything and also cover visitor services duties. This goes on daily, monthly, and yearly. We also take part in outreaches to historic sites, museum ships, air shows, fleet weeks, and Navy weeks.

Do you think you need a degree to get this job?
Yes, I think you do need a degree to get this job. I have a Masters in History, though I think a Masters in Educator would also qualify a candidate.

How did you get started in this line of work?
I have a background in history that goes back several years. For almost three years, I worked for the National Park Service in the Education Department at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. From there I moved to the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, where I worked in several positions, working my way up. I applied to my current job two years ago through the federal process and was able to get it.

How did others get their start? Are there other ways in?
I think there are several ways to get your start. I always credit varied experience in the history field in giving me a step up above over candidates. Its a long way to do it, but you will be better rounded and ready for any situation.

How do you get a job in your position? What are the steps?
I searched for and applied on USA Jobs, which is where all federal jobs are posted.

How do you progress in this line of work?
Very slowly. Once you are in the federal service, you have to wait about three years before you can really move on (and up) with safety. And you have to do it yourself by applying for jobs that step you up.

Why do you like this position? What are the benefits? Are these typical?
I like this job because the education department is the public face of the museum. I enjoy talking with people, answering questions, and making sure they leave with a little more knowledge then what they came in with.

What do you not like about this position? What are some of the drawbacks? Are these typical? 
I don't like the fact that the museum is on an active military base and that can be difficult for the general public to visit. This is typical for most Department of Defense [DOD] museums. It is one of the reasons why I rely heavily on outreaches.

Is this a rapidly growing field? Is it possible to predict future needs for workers in this field? 
I don't think this is a rapidly growing field. Jobs, at times, can be few and far between, and entry level positions are even rarer. I think in the future that will change, with a whole generation reaching retirement age. But it all depends on the government continuing to fund the DOD museum. 

Consider the phrase: "Knowing what I know now, I would so something differently"? What would you do?
I would stay the course, but if I could, or had the choice, I would have stayed with the National Park Service. I enjoyed my time with the Green and Grey [the uniform of the NPS is a grey shirt and green trousers]

What would be the best thing you could suggest to someone if they wanted to be a Director of Education?
Get all the experience you can, and make sure that it is varied.

Is this a position that you would recommend to others as a line or work to get into?
Yes, without a doubt. I am able to reach many people, including veterans, and the experience is amazing.

A lot of people are concerned about what the pay would be for their jobs, what kind of answer would you give to answer that question?
I am doing very well. My position is a GS-11, and my wife and I are very comfortable. What blew me away is that I have retirement and health insurance, which I did not have when working for a private non-profit. 

Thank you Tom, for spending the time to answer my questions! You can see more about Tom's work at this link: https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nmusn.html