Interpretation in Museums
A Select Bibliography
November 2007This bibliography covers a range of topics relating to interpretation in museums. It has an indicative selection of material covering signposting, display, education, studies and reports.
Although extensive, this bibliography is necessarily a work in progress, and it is hoped that readers will advise the National Museum of Australia Library of omissions or deficiencies. All such communications should be addressed to National Museum of Australia library.
Some hyperlinks are to subscription services available in the NMA Library. Readers at NMA can access them directly by clicking on the link. External readers can only do this if their institution also has a subscription to the relevant service.
'`Make 'Em Laugh, make 'Em Cry!': Reinventing the House System', National Trust Tasmania Newsletter (127), October 1990, pp.1.
The problems of the `reconstructed' approach to the presentation of period rooms in historic homes as museums of social history in the United Kingdom are discussed. It is argued that such presentations are antique showrooms reflecting the values of their arrangers and evoking materialism in the viewers, or hero-worship if the original owner was a well known person. Patriarchal and invariably ruling class viewpoints are seen to prevail and the static arrangements are considered anti-history rather than history, with complete exclusion of the consideration of social issues and change. Suggestions are made for improved interpretation to provide social and historic perspective, and examples are given of successful `living' museum projects offering appropriate participatory activities and experiences for patrons. (BW)
American Association of Museums, Exemplary Interpretation: Characteristics and Best Practices Seminar: Sourcebook, (Washington, D.C.: American Association of Museums, [2001]) [NMA 069.15 EXE]
Anderson, D, KB Lucas and IS Ginns, 'Theoretical Perspectives on Learning in an Informal Setting', Journal of Research in Science Teaching v.40 (2), February 2003, pp.177-199.
Research into learning in informal settings such as museums has been in a formative state during the past decade, and much of that research has been descriptive and lacking a theory base. In this article, it is proposed that the human constructivist view of learning can guide research and assist the interpretation of research data because it recognises an individual's prior knowledge and active involvement in knowledge construction during a museum visit. This proposal is supported by reference to the findings of a previously reported interpretive case study, which included concept mapping and semistructured interviews, of the knowledge transformations of three Year 7 students who had participated in a class visit to a science museum and associated post-visit activities. The findings from that study are shown in this report to be consistent with the human constructivist view of learning in that for all three students, learning was found to be at times incremental and at other times to involve substantial restructuring of knowledge. Thus, it is argued that the human constructivist view of learning has much merit and utility for researchers investigating the development of knowledge and understanding emergent from experiences in informal settings. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings for teachers and staff of museums and similar institutions are also discussed. [Author abstract, ed]
Beck, L and TT Cable, Interpretation for the 21st Century: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture, 2nd edn, (Champaign, Ill.: Sagamore, 2002), 204 pp.
Bedford, EF, 'An Examination of how Australian Art Gallery Educators Perceive their Role: Two Case Studies', (unpublished PhD thesis,University of Melbourne, 2003)
This study investigates six art educators working in two Australian art galleries at the turn of the millennium. The study examines how they perceive their role as reflected in the beliefs they hold, the type of lessons they present, and the kind of techniques they use to teach secondary school students in a gallery environment. The study also explores the influencing factors and institutional processes that have acted to inculcate existing attitudes and practices or to instigate change. Research in the area of gallery education indicates that whereas gallery educators twenty years ago felt obliged to analyse and explain artworks for viewers, gallery educators today see the viewer as an active agent in the construction of meaning. This implies that gallery educators seek to empower students by encouraging them to interpret artworks. This notion is based on the premise that knowledge is socially constructed, determined by the individual's respective background and experiences. The six case study subjects explain their roles as complex and demanding. Each offers a different account of the strategies they use to `engage' students and to involve them in the process of interpretation. All utilise a `floortalk' approach but with considerable variation. Different approaches such as drama, humour, stories and questioning are used by the teachers. However, the key link between all six case subjects is that they perceive their key role as being to `engage' students and to stimulate them to actively construct meaning for themselves. In Bourdieu's terms this involves a process of providing students with `cultural capital', namely the kind of knowledge pertaining to the field of art education, its language, content, logic and aesthetic `grammar'. Such art language is needed for. students to think, act and talk in relation to the social orthodoxies and heterodoxies established by the field. It was therefore these objectives and the strategies each case subject used to achieve them that are the focus of this study. [Author abstract]
Black, G, The Engaging Museum: An Interpretive Approach to Visitor Involvement, (London ; New York : Routledge, 2005) [NMA 069.1 BLA]
Blatti, Jo ed. Past Meets Present: Essays about Historic Interpretation and Public Audiences, (Washington, D.C: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1987) , 169 [NMA 069.9973 PAS]
Brochu, L, Interpretive Planning: The 5-M Model for Successful Planning Projects, (Fort Collins, Colorado: InterpPress, c2003), 166 pp. [NMA 790.068 BRO]
Brochu, L and T Merriman, Personal Interpretation: Connecting Your Audience to Heritage Resources, ([Fort Collins, Colorado]: National Association for Interpretation, c2002), 100 pp. [NMA 790.068 BRO]
Burcaw, GE, Introduction to Museum Work, 3rd edn, (Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira Press, c1997), 237 pp. [NMA 069.5 BUR]
Clark, J, 'Girl's Stuff?: Gender in Interpretation: The Gendered Representation of Public Culture, especially in Museums.', Museum National v.2 (4), February 1994, pp.4-6. [NMA S 069.0994 MUS]
Cook, D, 'Interpretation Plans', Musing Autumn 2007 <http://www.museumsaustralia.org.au/dbdoc/s%20full%20article.pdf>
Interpretation – what does it mean and why is it important? Respected interpretation specialist Professor Sam Ham says that interpretation is meaning making that will instil in people a newfound empathy and reverence for their own natural and cultural place in the universe. So what is the role of the interpretation specialist? Professor Sam Ham’s answer would be to find ways to make the visitor to your place connect with it and the people associated with it so that they come to realise the significance of that place on an emotional as well as a mental level.
Council of Australian Museum Associations, 'Australian Museums: Collecting and Presenting Australia', McMichael,D F ed. Canberra (Melbourne: Council of Australian Museum Associations, 1991) [NMA 069.0994 COU 1990]
The sixth Conference of the Council of Australian Museum Associations held in Canberra in November 1990 sought to reexamine the role of museums in reflecting national identity through their collections and programs. Papers covered the formation of collections, art collections, interpretation and presentation, travelling exhibitions, addressing community needs, culture-specific museums and specialist sessions held in association with the conference. (JD)
Dean, D, Museum Exhibition: Theory and Practice, (London: Routledge, 1994), 177 pp. [NMA 069.5 DEA]
Contents 1. The exhibition development process -- 2. Audiences and learning -- 3. Designing exhibitions -- 4. Controlling the exhibition environment -- 5. Exhibition administration -- 6. Exhibition evaluation -- 7. Storyline and text development -- 8. Computers in the exhibition environment -- Appendix 1. Infestation report -- Appendix 2. Exhibition request form -- Appendix 3. Checklist for exhibition development
Drew, GJ, 'Development of the Burra Mine Museum', Conference Series - Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy 30 March 1993 through 4 April 1993, pp.377-386.
The Burra Mine was the most significant mine of Australia's earliest mining era, which took place in South Australia between 1841 and 1851, the decade prior to discovery of gold in eastern Australia. Between 1845 and 1860, Burra was the largest metalliferous mine in Australia and employed up to 1000 men and boys, most of them Cornish. Today the site is also important in a physical and archaeological sense as it contains extensive remains of mining and processing operations of the period 1850 - 70. Most significant are three enginehouses which housed Cornish beam engines. The Burra Mine Museum was established to preserve and interpret these remains in an historic park environment. The museum began to take shape in 1986 when Morphetts Enginehouse became the first Cornish enginehouse in the World to be reconstructed. This was followed by the retimbering of the upper section of the adjacent shaft, and excavation and retimbering of a drainage adit. The enginehouse with its interpretive displays now forms a focal point for visitors in the mine area. The project continued in 1987 - 88 with archaeological excavation and conservation of various ruins and fencing of sensitive areas. Car parks and walking trails have been established taking visitors past sites of interest. A feature of the museum is the interpretive signposting which creates an understanding of the historic evidence remaining using historic photographs and reconstructions. The major themes interpreted include pumping, winding and hauling, ore dressing and administration. The result has been the creation of an open air museum - a museum of archaeological sites and historic buildings that is authentic.
'Encouraging Understanding - a Resource Kit', National Trust Journal Queensland (8), October 1997, pp.20-21. [NMA 0502]
Staff at the Cobb and Co Museum in Toowoomba, Queensland, have prepared a resource kit, which provides alternatives to the teaching of local history. The kit incorporates background information on aspects of the history of Toowoomba and the Darling Downs, skill development activities in mapping, historical and botanical studies, photographic and artefact interpretation, awareness of heritage and the built environment, and observation and data recording. (Au, AM)
Faggetter, R, 'Making a Place for Interpretation', Museum National v.5 (2), November 1996, pp.6-8. [NMA S 069.0994 MUS]
Foot, R, 'The Grand Narratives of the National Museum', Quadrant (Sydney) v.48 (3), March 2004, pp.37-39. < http://www.quadrant.org.au/php/archive_details_list.php?article_id=704>.
Gilligan, B, 'More than a Museum, it's a Miraculous Journey: Inside Mary MacKillop Place', Public History Review (4), 1995, pp.127-133.
Mary MacKillop Place, a new museum dedicated to the beatified Mary MacKillop , is criticised for its manner of portraying her life. Her historical and contemporary status has been interpreted for the public in the Mount Street Convent and former Josephite Novitiate in Sydney. Authenticity, authorship and historic credibility of the displays are questioned. The author contends that theatrical spectacle replaces accurate representation, with Mary MacKillop being assimilated into an Australian masculine mythology. (Au, LT)
Gray, PC, Public Learning and the Art Museum: Future Directions, (Werrington NSW: University of Western Sydney, 2002) <http://library.uws.edu.au/adt-NUWS/public/adt-NUWS20030617.150139>
The question of the art museum's failure to engage wider audiences remains relatively unexamined and has neither widely catalysed nor changed professional practice either in curatorial, educational, or public program domains. In this study, the educational aim of the art museum is discussed. The work of Pierre Bourdieu is examined. Bourdieu argues that museum display principles, interpretive strategies, and educational techniques, propagated within the paradigm of modernism, implicitly assume possession of cultural literacy skills which are the sole privilege of the educated. The author concludes that working within and across the curatorial and educational environments of an art museum, while avoiding the pitfalls of the modernist tradition, is also a significant step toward engaging wider audiences than the cultural 'elite' in the development of visual literacy skills. [ADT abstract]
Grinder, AL and SE McCoy, The Good Guide: A Sourcebook for Interpreters, Docents, and Tour Guides, (Scottsdale, Ariz: Ironwood Press, c1985), 147 pp. [NMA 069.1 GRI]
Groundwater-Smith, S and L Kelly, 'Seeing Practice Anew: Improving Learning at the Museum', In Educational Research, Risks and Dilemmas: NZARE/AARE Conference 2003, Anonymous Auckland New Zealand (Auckland: New Zealand Association for Research in Education, 2003) <http://www.aare.edu.au/03pap/gro03195.pdf>
This paper reports upon a joint project undertaken with the Australian Museum and the Coalition of Knowledge Building Schools, a network of seven schools of varying size and from varying socio-economic locations, that is hosted by the Centre for Practitioner Research in the Faculty of Education and Social Work, at the University of Sydney. The project has been designed to examine ways in which the museum's presentation of its collection and special exhibitions may assist or inhibit learning. The project has been undertaken in two phases. In the first instance education staff and interpretive officers of the museum have collected photographic images which they see to relate to learning in the museum. These have been constructed as conceptual posters. Posters have been discussed in small groups, using a strategy that ensures that each participant's voice is documented. In the second phase school students and their teachers have engaged in school based learning workshops and have then, as a result of visits to the museum, followed the same procedures as those undertaken by museum staff. The posters from both groups have been compared and contrasted and formed the basis for a discussion regarding ways in which the museum might better support learning. The project is of interest both in terms of its substance and its methodology. While image based research is now being increasingly recognised in the qualitative research community as a legitimate means of documenting social phenomena, there is still some hesitancy in adopting it. In this case the research tool which is principally in the hands of practitioner researchers, in the schools and the museum, is seen as a means of contributing to professional learning in both settings. It also contributes, more broadly to a wider understanding of how learning is apprehended when it takes place in contexts other than classrooms. [Author abstract]
Ham, SH, Environmental Interpretation: A Practical Guide for People with Big Ideas and Small Budgets, (Golden, Colo: North American Press, c1992), 456 pp. [NMA 333.7014 HAM]
Hems, Alison and Marion Blockley eds. Heritage Interpretation, (London: Routledge, 2006) , 211 [NMA 363.690941 HER]
Introduction: Beyond the graveyard : extending audiences, enhancing understanding / Alison Hems -- Interpreting urban heritage / Brian Goodey -- Highland Interpreting Strategy Project / Rona Gibb -- Live interpretation / Andrew Robertshaw -- Interpreting historic Scotland / Chris Tabraham -- Heritage interpretation and Cadw / Peter Humphries -- Constructing pasts : interpreting the historic environment / Tim Copeland -- The National Trust / Ruth Taylor -- Interpreting industrial heritage / Jon Price -- Public art : its role as a medium for interpretation / Carol Parr -- Jessie's cats and other stories : presenting and interpreting recent troubles / John Schofield -- The use of new technology in the interpretation of historic landscapes / Brian Bath -- Tilden's children : interpretation in Britain's national parks / Margi Bryant -- Thinking about interpretation : changing perspectives at English heritage / Alison Hems.
Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales, Elizabeth Bay House, (Sydney: Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales, 2000), 104 pp.
Built between 1826 and 1837 Elizabeth Bay House was to provide 'the finest house in the colony' for the former Colonial Secretary, Alexander Macleay and his family. Macleay developed Elizabeth Bay as a celebrated landscape garden. The site of the house was chosen for its vistas across Sydney Harbour. The native bush was retained and planted with exotics to enhance its botanical interest and the dramatic topography was embellished with picturesque structures: a turretted stables, cottages, a rustic bridge, terrace walls and grottoes. Macleay's development of his garden reveals his informed taste and romantic enthusiasm. Plans for Elizabeth Bay House were in hand by 1832 but construction was delayed until 1835, probably as a result of the expense incurred in developing the garden. Elizabeth Bay House opened to the public as a museum on 12 March 1977. In 1981 it became one of the first properties of the Historic Houses Trust. In 1988, the Trust adopted a policy to interpret the house according to the evidence available of its occupancy by Alexander Macleay and his family between the years 1839 to 1845. The interiors continue to be refined to this end. (Au)
Hooper-Greenhill, E, Museums and the Interpretation of Visual Culture, (New York: Routledge, 2000), 195 pp. [NMA 069.01 HOO]
Visitors' Interpretive Strategies at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, (Leicester: Research Centre for Museums and Galleries, 2001), 34 pp.
Hooper-Greenhill, E and T Moussouri, Visitors' Interpretive Strategies at Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery, (Leicester: Research Centre for Museums and Galleries, 2001), 43 pp.
Howard, P, Heritage: Management, Interpretation, Identity, (New York: Continuum, 2002), 278 pp. [NMA 363.69 HOW]
Ireland, T, 'The Quest for the True Endeavour: Archaeology, Authenticity and the National Sacred', in Lyndon, J and T Ireland (eds.),Object Lessons: Archaeology and Heritage in Australia, (Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2005), pp.31-49.
Between 1999 and 2002 archaeologists from the Australian National Maritime Museum were involved in underwater excavations seeking the remains of Captain Cook's ship HMB Endeavour. How do archaeologists and the public interpret the material traces of stories that form the heart of nationhood and identity? (Au)
Jones, S, 'New Life for an Old House: The Interpretation of a Museum House', Heritage Australia v.5 (4), Summer 1986, pp.10-12. [NMA S 994 HER]
Interpretive measures at Elizabeth Bay House are constantly being reassessed to preserve its integrity as a museum while allowing it to come alive as a house. Restoration ideals and some interpretive activities to date are described. (JS)
Kyi, A, 'Acts of Collaboration [use of Oral History in Museum Exhibits]', Oral History Association of Australia Journal (21), 1999, pp.56-61.
The mission of the Immigration Museum in Melbourne is 'to record and interpret the migrant experience of people to Victoria and Australia, and to promote and celebrate cultural diversity and resulting Australian identity'. This paper looks at how oral histories were applied in the 'spotlight' component of the exhibition. The 'spotlights' could be described as discreet elements within the exhibition, which represent individual and family stories of migration. The renarration of oral history in museums raises fundamental questions concerning who has the authority over how the tale should be told. Oral history guidelines and policies can seek to prevent disempowerment and limit conflict, by outlining the roles and responsibilities of both parties and ensuring that collaboration continues.
Lane, R, 'Forest History at the National Museum', In Australia's Ever-Changing Forests II: Proceedings of the Second National Conference on Australian Forest History, Dargavel,J and S Fearyeds (Canberra: Australian National University. Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies, 1993), 273-282 pp. [NMA 333.750994 NAT]
Five examples of ways in which forest history might be presented by the National Museum of Australia are presented. The first is an entire structure: the communications shed from which the Franklin River blockade of 1982 was coordinated. The personal camping equipment of Myles Dunphy, bushwalker and national parks lobbyist, is held by the museum. A collection of primary school environment posters illustrates growing community concern over resource use and the concept of green consumerism. The development of Australian teaching materials for biology is shown through the notebooks of a school teacher and text book author. Lastly, the paintings of Ian Abdulla, Aboriginal artist from Barmera, reflect the transmission of traditional knowledge about the environment. (JD)
LookEar, Polly Woodside: Melbourne Maritime Museum Interpretation Strategy, (Northcote Vic.: Look Ear, 2001), 38 pp.
Launched in 1885, the Polly Woodside sailed as an international trade carrier for 40 years. In 1977 the former site of Duke's and Orr's dry dock was ceded to National Trust of Australia and modified to permit berthing of the barque Polly Woodside. The Melbourne Maritime Museum functions are housed in the historic 1930s wharf buildings. The interpretation strategy proposes to focus on people rather than objects so the stories will become more meaningful and accessible to the general public (Au,CA)
Ludlow, C, 'A Tour of the Rogues Gallery: Interpreting the Relics of Crime and Policing in New South Wales', Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society v.77 (3), Dec 1991, pp.41-56.
Mallos, M, Young Childrens' Interactions in Art Museums: Exploring Engagement, (Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology, 2003)
How do young children engage with works of art in a museum environment? This study documents the experiences and behaviour of children aged 6-9 years in three Queensland art museums. In each case, three interactive components were investigated for their value in promoting young children's engagement with art: child-centred programs, novel exhibition designs and responsive social interaction. Recently art museums have invested heavily in the design of innovative interactive exhibition programs to enhance young children's experiences of art. While child-centred programming and novel exhibition designs contribute to children's enjoyment on their art museum visits, this study reveals that it is responsive social interaction, specifically children's interactions with adults, that determines the quality of their aesthetic encounters. Through photographic evidence, the study documents children's emotional reactions to art. The personal nature of these experiences is highlighted in children's interviews and drawings about their museum interactions. Such findings raise questions about the current views of aesthetic development which underestimate young children's capabilities for engaging with works of art. Photographic evidence used in this study clearly documents young children's emotional reactions to works of art. The social dimension is the most salient factor in young children's ability to interpret the museum environment and its exhibits in personally meaningful ways. This has implications for the design, installation and programming of exhibition programs for young children in art museums. The research reveals that greater collaboration between early childhood professionals and museum staff (educators and designers) significantly enhances young children's encounters with art. Information about children's responses to interactives enables designers and education staff to design effective innovations to empower young children to understand, appreciate and engage with art. [Author abstract]
Mason, R, 'Museums, Galleries, and Heritage: Sites of Meaning-Making and Communication', in Corsane, G (ed.), Heritage, Museums and Galleries: An Introductory Reader, (London: Routledge, 2005), pp.200-214. [NMA 069 HER]
It is important for heritage, museums and gallery professionals to be aware of the complexities of communication and interpretation processes. No longer can these processes be viewed in terms of simple and linear transmission models, where fixed messages are produced by an author and transferred to a passive audience ... visitors need to be seen as users and consumers who are actively involved in these processes.
McManus, Paulette ed. Archaeological Displays and the Public: Museology and Interpretation, 2nd edn, (London: Archetype Publications, 2000) , 168 [NMA 069.1 ARC]
McShane, IA, 'Museums, Multimedia and History Education', Southern Review: Communication, Politics & Culture v.38 (1), 2005, pp.18-32.
The development of digital technologies, particularly multimedia, has been a site of intense activity for museums over the past decade or so. While the impact of multimedia on museums and museum interpretation has been widely debated, their use in museum education programmes — those designed against specified curriculum outcomes — has received less critical attention. Multimedia have radically altered relationships between education authorities and museums, teachers and learners, the physical museum and the virtual. The Australian National Inquiry into School History, which reported in 2000, called for the increased use of the resources of museums and other cultural heritage institutions in the teaching of school history, particularly through online programmes. While this call requires renewed consideration of the distinctiveness of the museum learning environment, the Inquiry’s conceptualisation of historical literacy and the pedagogical uses of new communication technologies can assist the work of museums in their response to these contested domains.
Messham-Muir, K, 'Affect, Interpretation and Technology', Open Museum Journal v.7 Nov 2005 < http://nla.gov.au/nla.arc-10293>
"What place ... can this technology have within this rise in affective experiences in museums? In this paper, I will address this question by first considering current museum display strategies that aim to employ affective interpretive modes, focusing on the mportance of the physicality of space and the materiality of artefacts. Indeed, the emergence of this mode is seen in context of the broader general trend towards ‘experiential’ display practices within museums in general. In the latter part of the paper, I consider this trend in relation to the rise of multimedia technologies in museum displays." (Author)
Moscardo, G, 'The Tourist/ Resident Distinction: Implications for the Management of Museums and Other Interpretive Settings', Journal of Tourism Studies v.3 (2), Dec 1992, pp.3-19.
This study examines differences between international and domestic tourists and resident visitors, in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles and their evaluations of four interpretive settings. The research found the international and domestic tourists had greater needs for both physical orientation such as maps, and conceptual orientation which outlines the ideas and purpose of the exhibits, than resident visitors. Implications for management of the museums and similar settings are briefly given.
http://www.interpnet.com/National Association for Interpretation, http://www.interpnet.com/ [accessed Nov 2007],
The National Association for Interpretation (NAI) is a professional organization dedicated to advancing the profession of heritage interpretation, currently serving about 5000 members in the United States, Canada, and over thirty other nations. Individual members include those who work at parks, museums, nature centers, zoos, botanical gardens, aquariums, commercial tour companies, and theme parks. Commercial and institutional members include those who provide services to the heritage interpretation industry.
Nolan, G, Designing Exhibitions to Include People with Disabilities : A Practical Guide, (Edinburgh: NMS Publishing, , 19 pp. [NMA PAM 069.53087 NOL]
"Tackles the specific problems of exhibition access and interpretation - the complex design and integration of route planning, orientation, graphics, object displays, interactive exhibits and lighting ... by providing a variety of practical measures"
Oliver, B and A Reeves, 'Cross Disciplinary Boundaries: Labour History and Museum Studies', Labour History (85), Nov 2003, pp.1-7. < http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/lab/85/oliver.html>
Why should the interpretation of working culture on industrial sites and in other contexts be of consequence to labour historians? In making forays into the world of the curator, are we not departing from our own comfort zones and fields of expertise? Perhaps so, but there are many good reasons why we should be proactive in continuing to broaden the definition of 'labour history'. Firstly, we could perhaps reflect profitably upon why a discipline, which, at the end of the twentieth century, in the words of Irving and Scalmer, is 'a popular, collective, democratic, regional, and political form of history-writing [which has] grown out of the popular history written by labour activists earlier in the century' 3 has been so inadequately translated into the curatorial field. Beyond the random display of union banners — often for their 'artistic' or 'cultural' value as much as examples of working-class struggle, solidarity and pride — how often have museum displays attempted to represent the historic concerns and realities of organised working people? The answer is: not often. Work is impersonally defined as technology; machines are as conspicuous as working people are absent.
Peter Root and Associates, Hyde Park Barracks Museum: Asset Management Plan, ([Sydney]: Peter Root and Associates for the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales, 1996)
The Hyde Park Barracks numerous occupancies included convict barracks from 1819-1848, female immigation depot and asylum from 1848-1886 and courts and legal offices from 1887-1979. The Hyde Park Barracks Museum opened in October 1991. The report recommends studies to confirm the provisional estimates associated with preventative maintenance, interpretation and capital works. (Au)
Rosander-Yencken, E, 'Audience Participation in Exhibitions', In Museum of Australia Conference on Australian History 24-25 April 1982, Anonymous (Canberra: Interim Council of the Museum of Australia, 1982), 63-78 pp. [NMA 994 CON (2 copies) and REF 994 CON]
A critique of the traditional exhibition, on its aim and method. Some guidelines of the newer approach of audience participation and exhibitions with participation. (CW)
Rouette, G, Exhibitions: A Practical Guide for Small Museums and Galleries, (Carlton South, Vic: Museums Australia (Victoria), 2007), 1 CD-ROM (4 3/4 in.) 132 pp. [NMA 659.152 ROU]
The CD-ROM contains templates for a variety of exhibition-related documentation. Chapter 3 deals with interpretation.
Scoullar, RM, 'The queensland museum interpretive service: An evaluation', (Masters of Educational Studies, University of Queensland, 1993) [NMA THESIS 069.5 SCO]
The Queensland Museum in Brisbane introduced an interpretive service in 1986 to assist the visitors enjoyment and understanding of the displays in the newly opened building in the Queensland Cultural Centre. An evaluation of that innovative program was undertaken to assess the value of the service to the clients of the Queensland Museum, to provide guidelines for organisations contemplating similar services and to investigate the processes of institutional self evaluation. A responsive/illuminative stance was taken for the study, using an action research approach to maximise the participation of the stakeholders, that is, the visitors to the Museum, the organisation itself and the interpretation officers who provide the service. This approach was particularly appropriate as the evaluation was performed by the supervisor of the interpretive service. The results show that the service was generally successful and a worthwhile model for other organisations. The involvement of representatives of all the stakeholders in the study allowed for maximum contribution of ideas to be appraised for inclusion in the program. Several recommendations were introduced immediately and others have been included for consideration in future planning. Changes that have occurred since the initiation of the service were usually in response to the perceived requirements of the position and the needs of the recipients of the service. The major concerns related to the areas of adequate preservice and inservice training, internal communication and projecting a positive public image of the service. This report details the history of the Queensland Museum, the background of evaluation studies in museums, and the possible stances for addressing the study. It then examines the range of techniques and tools used to extract the required information and analyses the data using basically qualitative methods as favoured by the style of research. Finally, recommendations and conclusions are outlined for appraisal by the planners at the Queensland Museum or other organisations for future considerations regarding interpretive service programs
Serrell, B, Exhibit Labels: An Interpretive Approach, (Walnut Creek, CA: Alta Mire Press, c1996), 261 pp.[NMA 069.53 SER]
Contents : Foreword / Neil Postman -- 1. Behind It All: A Big Idea -- 2. What Are Interpretive Labels? -- 3. Types of Labels in Exhibitions -- 4. Who Is the Audience (and What Do They Want)? -- 5. Learning Styles -- 6. Levels of Information and Modalities -- 7. Writing Visitor-Friendly Labels -- 8. Selecting the Right Reading Level -- 9. Bilingual Labels -- 10. Labels That Ask Questions -- 11. Getting Started (and Getting It Done) -- 12. The Number of Words -- 13. Evaluation During Development -- 14. Making Words and Images Work Together -- 15. Labels for Interactive Exhibits -- 16. Electronic Labels and Hypermedia -- 17. Typographic Design -- 18. Production and Fabrication -- 19. Evaluation After Opening -- 20. Ten Deadly Sins and 14 Helpful Research Findings.
Smith, C, 'North Head Quarantine Station', Public History Review (4), Public history review 1995, pp.134-139. [NMA S 994 PUB]
Representations of the past in museum exhibitions and heritage sites impact on the meaning and the audience's understanding of a history. The presentation to visitors of the North Head Quarantine Station is examined in this context, focusing particularly on the physical organisation of the site, the way in which the past is demarcated, and the accompanying oral and visual interpretive material. Interpretation is criticised for the priority given to a narrow selection of processes, actions and experiences, separated from the natural environment and form any Aboriginal communities present at the site. (Au, LT)
Spencer, HAD, 'Interpretative Planning', in Lord, B and GD Lord (eds.),The Manual of Museum Exhibitions, (Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira Press, 2002), pp.373-392. [NMA 069.5 MAN]
Stanley, P, 'Diversity of Visitors, Diversity of Interpretation: The Australian War Memorial's Second World War Gallery', In Negotiating Histories: National Museums: Conference Proceedings, Anonymous 2001), 63-69 pp.
Stansfield, G, Effective Interpretive Exhibitions: A Report, (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Countryside Commission, 1981), 63 pp. [NMA 069.5 STA]
Stone, P, 'Presenting the Past: A Framework for Discussion', in Corsane, G (ed.), Heritage, Museums and Galleries: An Introductory Reader, (London: Routledge, 2005), pp.215-227. [NMA 069 HER]
Strange, C, 'From 'Place of Misery' to 'Lottery of Life': Interpreting Port Arthur's Past', Open Museum Journal v.2 2000 <http://pandora.nla.gov.au/tep/10293>
In this article the Curator describes the historical and interpretative challenges posed in trying to sustain a broad audience for the Gaol and its museum against the backdrop of the conflict in Northern Ireland and the debate about the nature and meaning of nationalism that has emerged over the years of that conflict.
Styles, C, 'Dialogic Learning in Museum Space.', Australian Journal of Adult Learning v.42 (2), July 2002, pp.169-191.
At this historical juncture, many museums articulate their cultural function in terms of dialogue rather than instruction, and develop innovative educational programs to attract diverse communities of visitors. What is understated in recent museum theory and practice is the fact that exhibitions are a fundamental form of (informal) learning in museums. In order to realise their rhetoric about facilitating dialogue among communities, museums need to implement techniques for responsive or self-reflexive representation in their exhibition spaces. Models of best practice in this regard remain rare, but the author here describes one exhibition that engaged her in a dialogue, and offers suggestions for how the Australian War Memorial could engage visitors more actively in the process of interpreting the site and the collection. [Author abstract]
Sunter, A, 'Contested Memories of Eureka: Museum Interpretations of the Eureka Stockade', Labour History (85), November 2003, pp.29-45. < http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/lab/85/sunter.html>
Unger, I, 'Gender bias in science and technology museums and science centres', (Master of Arts, Monash University, 1997)
This thesis is a study of Australian science and technology museums and science centres and the way in which they deal with collection objects and how these objects and the story of science and technology is interpreted to the public through exhibitions and displays. A distinction is made between museums and science centres for the two institutions function in a different manner which is reflected in their approach to science and technology and the interpretation of these topics. Museums represent the traditional methods of collection management, interpretation and display but even here modern cultural theories are influencing the way science and technology is interpreted and presented. The much newer and very popular science centres have responded to a perceived need by society to a new and different approach to the teaching of science and technology. This thesis examines the different approaches to scientific and technical knowledge within the context of museum and science centre. Current feminist critiques of science and technology are used to frame this discussion of the approach to scientific and technical knowledge as well as gender representation within the work structure and practices such as collection management, and interpretation and display. The results of this research are some suggested policies for future development to encourage a gender equitable presentation of science and technology within museums and science centres.
Uzzell, D. L. ed. The Visitor Experience, (London: Belhaven Press, 1989) , 223
Visitor satisfaction is seen as comprising marketing, research and integrated heritage management. These aspects are covered in the papers presented in this volume. The editor stresses the need to examine effective interpretation as a factor for change in attitudes and behaviour, to ensure the future of the heritage industry. The subject of funding heritage is discussed with particular reference to museum retailing, the value of catering, and the role of charities. Marketing is seen not just as a packaging for interpretation, but as a necessity as time runs out for the environment. Special interest tourism can benefit a whole community and encourages local pride. Tourist experiences which touch the heart have a lasting impression. There is detailed coverage of specific places such as Warwick castle, of science museums, outdoor education and the social benefits from heritage visits. The closing address praises the growing tolerance of heritage interpreters and their genuine application of their audiences. (OH)
Walker, M, Interpretation and Small Museums, 1995)
An inventory of museums and other interpreted heritage sites in Australia is required to assess the range of sites being interpreted and whether they give a full picture of Australian history and society. The author recommends that the Register of the National Estate be upgraded in such a way to categorise heritage properties in terms of their interpretation opportunities. Other problems for small museums such as the lack of professional staff and funds are also discussed. (Au, ET)
World Congress of Heritage Interpretation International, 'Congress Proceedings: 5th World Congress Heritage Interpretation International', In Facing the Future using Interpretation, Anonymous Sydney (Collingwood, Vic.: Interpretation Australia Association, 2001)
Heritage interpretation is a means of communicating ideas and feelings which help people understand more about themselves and their environment. The various papers examine interpretation undertaken in national parks, museums, zoos, botanic gardens, Aboriginal keeping places, galleries, historic sites, science centres, state forests, urban parks, and reserves. (Au,CA)
Zeppel, H, 'Who were Bennelong and Pemulwuy?: Museums in Sydney and Interpretation of Eora Aboriginal Culture', International Journal of Heritage Studies v.5 (3 and 4), Winter 1999, pp.182-187.
The Eora Aboriginal people are the original inhabitants of the Sydney region. Some museums in Sydney now acknowledge the traditional Aboriginal owners and use Eora words to name their exhibitions. This paper reviews the Eora Aboriginal exhibits at the Museum of Sydney. It questions whether visitors to Sydney learn about Bennelong and Pemulwuy, two key Aboriginal figures in the early European settlement around Sydney Harbour. Sydney Aboriginal discoveries on their Dreamtime cruise of Sydney Harbour provide another interpretation of Eora history and culture. The paper suggests that the Eora heritage of Sydney should be more widely interpreted in museums, national parks and other public venues to rightfully acknowledge this Aboriginal history. (Au, AM)