Engaging your visitors

This Interpret Europe guideline document introduces the essential principles, planning stages, and practical methods behind high-quality heritage interpretation. Designed for site managers, museum teams, rangers, and project leaders, Engaging Your Visitors explains how to craft meaningful stories, create interpretation plans, design visitor-centred content, and operate interpretation sustainably. It is an accessible yet authoritative introduction to the fundamentals of interpretive practice.

Contents Summary

Introduction – The purpose of interpretation, its educational role, the difference between information and interpretation, and the legacy of Freeman Tilden.

1: Establishing Your Project – Purpose, fit within site management, concept development, budgeting, stakeholder value, and securing support.

2: Defining Your Project – Objectives, audiences, interpretive themes, measuring success.

3: Creating Your Project – Working with consultants, planning processes, integrating interpretation into site development.

4: Designing Content – Storytelling techniques, selecting media, structuring content, writing and editing guidance.

5: Operating the Project – Maintenance, evaluation, staff/volunteer roles, long-term sustainability.
Further Resources – Links to more literature and Interpret Europe programmes.