Interpretive planning is an initial step in the planning and design process for informal learning-based institutions like

museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make th ...

zoo A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes. The term ''zoological garden'' refers to z ...

s, science centers, nature centers,

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

s, heritage sites, parks and other cultural facilities where interpretation is used to communicate messages, stories, information and experiences. It is a decision-making process that blends management needs and resource considerations with visitor needs and desires to determine the most effective way to communicate a message to a targeted audience. Interpretation at informal learning institutions builds on

Freeman Tilden Freeman Tilden (August 22, 1883 – May 13, 1980) was one of the first people to set down the principles and theories of heritage interpretation in his 1957 book, ''Interpreting Our Heritage''. Tilden was born in Malden, Massachusetts, and devel ...

’s principles of

interpretation Interpretation may refer to: Culture * Aesthetic interpretation, an explanation of the meaning of a work of art * Allegorical interpretation, an approach that assumes a text should not be interpreted literally * Dramatic Interpretation, an event ...

, focusing especially on ''relating'' content in a meaningful way to a visitor's own experience, ''provoking'' emotion, thought or further inquiry into a subject. The communication goals of interpretation at mission-based institutions are based on achieving previously specified outcomes. Most interpretive plans are based on a thematic approach to interpretation, and therefore, place emphasis on which themes are important to communicate to various audiences. Interpretive planning may also guide how audiences will react to and interact with a particular site or exhibit. An interpretive plan establishes these specific goals for an institution's market(s) and builds a structured vision of how to achieve them by communicating to an audience through appropriate and meaningful experiences. It combines developing, organizing and analyzing content into relevant and engaging messages, with creating exciting ways for visitors to experience this content. An interpretive plan establishes the communication process, through which meanings and relationships of the cultural and natural world, past and present, are revealed to a visitor through experiences with objects, artifacts, landscapes, sites, exhibits and people. To effectively engage a visitor and achieve these objectives, as well as any other institutional objectives and requirements (financial, operational, environmental, etc.), an interpretive plan is built through addressing the following issues: # Why do you want to interpret something? # Who should be involved in the interpretive process? # What are you interpreting? # Who you are interpreting for? # What messages do you want to communicate? # What are your specific objectives? # What media will you use? # How will your interpretation be implemented? # How will it be evaluated? # How will it be maintained? The resulting product provides a vision for the future of interpretation,

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...

, and visitor experience opportunities. It identifies and analyzes interpretation, education, and visitor experience goals and issues and recommends the most effective, efficient, and practical ways to address those goals and issues. The plan guides the further design and development of the project, becoming a resource for

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...

, exhibit development and

fundraising Fundraising or fund-raising is the process of seeking and gathering voluntary financial contributions by engaging individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies. Although fundraising typically refers to efforts to gathe ...

References

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External links

National Associations of Interpretation

Interpretation Canada

Scottish Interpretation Network

Thematic Interpretation Planning Manual

Heritage Interpretation Centres - The Hicira Handbook
Museology Heritage interpretation Planning