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HERM 361: Interpretive Programming (Rev. C3 & C4) Report a Broken Link

Heritage Resource Management 361: Interpretive Programming explores foundational and applied issues in interpretive programming through a range of readings and assignments that deal with the purpose of museum interpretation, its central concepts and terminology, as well as the significant issues and debates in the field.

Unit 1

Introduction to Museum Interpretation

Roberts, Lisa C. “Changing Practices of Interpretation.” In From Knowledge to Narrative: Educators and the Changing Museum, 60–79. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institute Press, 1997.

Silverman, Lois H. “Making Meaning Together: Lessons from the Field of American History.” Journal of Museum Education 18, no. 3 (Fall 1993): 7–11].

Hein, George E. “The Constructivist Museum.” in Learning in the Museum, 155–179. London: Routledge, 1998.

O'Connor, Molly C., Kristen C. Nelson, Amit Pradhananga, and Megan E. Earnest. "Exploring How Awareness-making Elicites Meaning-making in Museum Visitors: A Mixed-Methods Study." Journal of Museum Education 45, no. 2 (2020): 187–199.

Leftwich, Mariruth, and Amanda McAllen. "Be the Change: A Mindset for Museum Teaching." Journal of Museum Education 43, no. 4 (2018): 394–399.

Tran, Lynn Uyen, and Heather King. “The Professionalization of Museum Educators: The Case in Science Museums.” Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship 22, no. 2 (June 2007): 131–149.

Unit 2

Informal and Formal Learning Strategies

[Slideshow] Models of reconstructed buildings set into the floor at the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History at Pointe Callière. Photos: Blaise MacMullin These models appeal to many age groups and give visitors the chance to understand Montreal’s history and how it literally lies beneath their feet.

Csikszentmihályi, Mihály, and Kim Hermanson. “Intrinsic Motivation in Museums: What Makes Visitors Want to Learn?” Museum News 74, no. 3 (May/June 1995): 34–37, 59–62.

Herrmann, Douglas, and Dana Plude. “Museum Memory.” In Public Institutions for Personal Learning: Establishing a Research Agenda, edited by John H. Falk and Lynn D. Dierking, 53–66. Washington, DC: American Association of Museums Technical Information Service, 1995.

Falk , John H., and Lynn D. Dierking. “The Contextual Model of Learning.” In Learning from Museums: Visitor Experiences and the Making of Meaning, 135–148. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press, 2000.

Pitts, Phillippa. "Visitor to Visitor Learning: Setting Up Open-Ended Inquiry in an Unstaffed Space." Journal of Museum Education 43, no. 4 (2018): 306–315.

Luke, Jessica, Eileen D. Tomczuk, Susan Foutz, Nicole Rivera, Lisa Brahms, Kari Nelson, Barbara Hahn, Melissa Swank, and Kimberly McKenney. "What Caregivers Observe about Their Children's Learning During a Visit to the Children's Museum." Journal of Museum Education 44, no. 4 (2019): 422–438.

Falk, John H. “An Identity-Centered Approach to Understanding Museum Learning.” Curator 49, no. 2 (2006): 151–166. When on page, click on link labelled 'PDF' to access full article.

Unit 3

Interpretation in Museum Exhibitions

Black, Graham. “Applying the Principles of Interpretation to Museum Display.” In The Engaging Museum: Developing Museums for Visitor Involvement, 177–210. London: Routledge, 2005. Note: If you are not automatically directed to the appropriate chapter, please go to the first reading in Section 4.

Allen, Sue. “Exhibit Design in Science Museums: Dealing With a Constructivist Dilemma.” In In Principle, In Practice: Museums as Learning Institutions, edited by John H. Falk, Lynn D. Dierking, and Susan Foutz, 42–56. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press, 2007.

Lee, Charlotte P. “Reconsidering Conflict in Exhibition Development Teams.” Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship 22, no. 2 (2007): 183–99.

Lindauer, Margaret. “From Salad Bars to Vivid Stories: Four Game Plans for Developing ‘Educationally Successful’ Exhibitions.” Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship 20, no. 1 (2005): 41–55.

Simon, Nina. "Opening Up the Museum." November 7, 2012. TED X Santa Cruz, CA. YouTube video, 15:30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIcwIH1vZ9w.

Unit 4

Different Forms of Exhibition

Spencer, Hugh A. D. “Advanced Media in Museum Exhibitions.” In The Manual of Museum Exhibitions, edited by Barry Lord and Gail Dexter Lord, 234–57. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2002.

Gurian, Elaine Heumann. “Noodling Around with Exhibition Opportunities.” In Exhibiting Cultures: The Poetics and Politics of Museum Display, edited by Ivan Karp and Steven D. Lavine, 176–90. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1991.

McLean, Kathleen. “Do Museum Exhibitions Have a Future?” Curator 50, no. 1 (2007): 109–21. When on page, click on link labelled 'PDF' to access full article.

Luke, Timothy. “Memorializing Mass Murder: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.” In Museum Politics: Power Plays at the Exhibition, 37–64. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2002.

Dubuc, Elise. “Reproductions and Museums: A Question of Ethics?” Muse 9, no. 2 (Autumn 1991): 61.

Pedretti, Erminia. “Challenging Convention and Communicating Controversy: Learning Through Issues-Based Museum Exhibitions.” In In Principle, In Practice: Museums as Learning Institutions, edited by John H. Falk, Lynn D. Dierking, and Susan Foutz, 121–35. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press, 2007.

Duhamel, Karine. "Kanata/Canada: Re-Storying 'Canada 150' at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights." Journal of the Canadian Historical Association, 28, no. 1 (2018): 217–47.

Unit 5

Interpretation Using Print

Faherty, Anna. "What Makes a Great Museum Label?" Museum Next. Last modified May 13, 2022. https://www.museumnext.com/article/what-makes-a-great-museum-label/

Fraser, June. “Signs of the Times.” Museum Practice 7, no. 2 (2002): 50–3.

Kaye, Glen. “Why Johnny Won’t Read Labels.” Visitor Studies: Theory, Research and Practice 6 (1994): 20–3.

White, Peter. “Thoughts on Exhibition Publishing.” In Beyond the Box: Diverging Curatorial Practices, edited by Melanie Townsend, 3–11. Banff: Banff Centre Press, 2003.

Weaver, Stephanie. “From Toilets to Typefaces.” In Creating Great Visitor Experiences: A Guide for Museums, Parks, Zoos, Gardens, and Libraries, 85–93. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press, 2007.

Watson, Bill. “Writing to Learn in Museums.” In Visitor Voices in Museum Exhibitions, edited by Kathleen McLean and Wendy Pollock, 151–5. Washington, DC: Association for Science-Technology Centers, 2007.

Serrell, Beverly. “Ten Deadly Sins and 14 Helpful Research Findings.” In Exhibit Labels: An Interpretive Approach, 233–6. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 1996.

Serrell, Beverly. “Types of Labels in Exhibitions.” In Exhibit Labels: An Interpretive Approach, 21–36. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 1996.

Unit 6

Interpretation Using New Media

[Slideshow] New Media in heritage. Photos 1-3: LoicT (cc), Photo 4: Anna L Conti (cc)

Canadian Museum of Nature: Interactive Displays

McGrath, Jim. "Museums and Social Media During COVID-19." The Public Historian 42, no. 4 (2020): 164–72.

Baker, Stacy. "Identifying Behaviors that Generate Postitive Interactions Between Science Museums and People on Twitter." Museum Management and Curatorship 32, no. 2 (2016): 144–59.

Soren, Barbara. “Best Practices in Creating Quality Online Experiences for Museum Users.” Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship 20 (2005): 131–48.

Russo, Angelina, Jerry Watkins, Lynda Kelly, and Sebastian Chan. “Participatory Communication with Social Media.” Curator 51, no. 1 (2008): 21–31. When on page, click on link labelled 'PDF' to access full article.

Marty, Paul F. “Museum Websites and Museum Visitors: Digital Museum Resources and their Use.” Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship 23, no. 1 (2008): 81–99.

Ross, Ina. "A Guilty Pleasure? The Indian Museum as a Popular Backdrop for Selfies." Museum Management and Curatorship 34, no. 4 (2019): 433–47.

Unit 7

Bringing History Alive: First-, Second-, and Third-Person Interpretation

[Slideshow] Fortress of Louisbourg, National Historic Site of Canada, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Photos: Martin Cathrae (cc)

Veverka, John A. “The Language of Live Interpretation: Making Contact.” In The Languages of Live Interpretation: Animation in Museums, edited by Jean-Marc Blais, 80–6. Gatineau, QC: Canadian Museum of Civilization Mercury Series Directorate Paper 9, 1997.

Camhi, Jeff. “Pathways for Communicating about Objects on Guided Tours.” Curator 51, no. 3 (2008): 275–94. When on page, click on link labelled 'PDF' to access full article.

Markewicz, Lauren. "First Person Versus Third Person Interpretation." History Research Shenanigans (blog). August 31, 2013. https://historyboots.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/first-person-versus-third-person-interpretation/.

Bridal, Tessa. “Historic Interpretation.” In Exploring Museum Theatre, 149–57. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2004.

Malcolm-Davies, Jane. “Borrowed Robes: The Educational Value of Costumed Interpretation at Historic Sites.” International Journal of Heritage Studies 10, no. 3 (2004): 277–93.

Cheyney McKnight - video

Vice News. "The Man Who Relives Slavery through Food (HBO)." August 11, 2017. Video, 5:55. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AchlG09pq4U.

"Living History Programming." Sustaining Places (blog). https://sustainingplaces.com/interpretation/.

Unit 8

Visitor Studies

Hood, Marilyn. “Staying Away: Why People Choose Not to Visit Museums.” In Reinventing the Museum: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the Paradigm Shift, edited by Gail Anderson, 150–7. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2004.

Rand, Judy. “The 227-Mile Museum, or a Visitors’ Bill of Rights.” Curator 44, no. 1 (2001): 7–14.

Soren, Barbara J. “Audience-Based Measures of Success: Evaluating Museum Learning.” In The Manual of Museum Learning, edited by Barry Lord, 221–51. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press, 2007.

Worts, Douglas. “Gallery Enhancement: Forging a New Partnership with the Public.” In Visitor Studies: Theory, Research and Practice, 176–97. Albuquerque, NM: Visitor Studies Association, 1994.

Stein, Jill, Marianna Adams, and Jessica Luke. Thinking Evaluatively: A Practical Guide to Integrating the Visitor Voice. AASLH Technical Leaflet #238. Nashville, TN: American Association of State and Local History, 2007, 1–8.

Perry, Deborah. “The Museum Impact and Evaluation Study: How Visitors Relate to Science and Technology Museums.” In Visitor Studies: Theory, Research and Practice, 254–9. Albuquerque, NM: Visitor Studies Association, 1993.

Unit 9

Community Co-Creation and Interpretation

Shelton, Anthony. "Foreword." In Contested Representations: Revisiting Into the Heart of Africa, by Shelley Ruth Butler, 1–3. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2007.

Robinson, Jennifer Claire. "Institutional Culture and the Work of Human Rights in Canadian Museums." Museum Management and Curatorship 34, no. 1 (2018): 24–39.

Davis, Brian L., and Ariel Goldberg. "At Variance with Accepted Practice: Antiracist Pedagogies Within the Jewish History Museum." Journal of Museum Education 44, no. 4 (2019): 399–408.

Linden, Christina. "Stories that Center Queer California, and What Still Gets Left Out." Journal of Museum Education 45, no. 4 (2020): 389–402.

Hilton, Dale, Arielle Levine, and Janet Zanetis, “Don’t Lose the Connection: Virtual Visits for Older Adults.” Journal of Museum Education 44, no. 3 (2019): 253–63.

Theriault, Sam, and Beth Redmond Jones. "Constructing Knowledge Together: Collaborating with and Understanding Young Adults with Autism." Journal of Museum Education 43, no. 4 (2018): 365–74.

Unit 10

School Programs in Museums

[Slideshow] Displays at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Photo: Brigitte Hamon

Talboys, Graeme K. “The School Curriculum.” In Museum Educator's Handbook, 147–53. Hampshire, UK: Gower Publishing, 2000.

Mitchell, Allyson, Sarah Linn, and Hitomi Yoshida. "A Tale of Technology and Collaboration: Preparing for 21st-Century Museum Visitors." Journal of Museum Education 44, no. 3 (2019): 242–52.

Kruk, Elizabeth. “Glenbow Museum School: Visions of the Past: Envisioning the Future.” Alberta Museums Review 23, no. 4 (1997): 51–2.

Castle, M. Christine.“Teaching History in Museums.” Ontario History 94, no. 1 (2002): 1–18.

Downey, Stephanie, Jackie Delamatre, and Johanna Jones. “Measuring the Impact of Museum-School Programs: Findings and Implications for Practice.” Journal of Museum Education 32, no. 2 (2007): 175–88.

Manitoba Museum. "Spirit Lines." March 20, 2017. Video, 5:38. https://youtu.be/OjoB8pLePFI.

Kydd, Gillian. “The Chevron Open Minds Project and Current Research.” Alberta Museums Review 23, no. 3 (1997): 39–40.

Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives. "Museum School Documentary: Beyond the Classroom: The Open Minds Concept in Action." June 14, 2012. http://sunshinecoastmuseumandarchives.blogspot.com/2012/06/check-out-this-awesome-short.html

Assignment 2: Critical Review of Exhibition

Digital Museums Canada. http://www.digitalmuseums.ca.

Assignment 4: Interpretation Policy Framework

Bluestem Heritage Group. "Minnesota Lakes Maritime Museum 2015 Interpretive Plan" (St. Paul, MN, 2015).

Mahone Bay Museum. "Mahone Bay Museum Interpretive Plan" (Mahone Bay, NS, 2015).

Valdez Museum and Historical Archive. "Valdez Museum & Historical Archive Master Interpretive Plan" (Valdez, AK, 2016).

Canadian Museums Association. museums.ca.

Message, Bianca. “Designing for Specific Audiences: Working with Indigenous Cultures.” Muse (July/August 2018). Accessed July 7, 2022. https://www.museums.ca/site/designing_audiences.

Lines, Madeline. “Design for All.” Muse (September/October 2019). Accessed July 7, 2022. https://www.museums.ca/site/Muse_article_designforall_2019.

"LGBTQ2+ Inclusion in Canadian Museums." Canadian Museums Association. Accessed July 7, 2022. https://museums.ca/uploaded/web/docs/Introduction_LGBTQ2.pdf.