Heritage Interpretation in the Public Realm

Geraldine Mathieson MAHI
May 2022

This guide is written for heritage professionals, urban planners, landscape architects, local authority officers and design teams working in outdoor or public spaces. It explains how to plan and deliver interpretation in the public realm – where audiences are passing, projects are embedded in townscapes or landscapes, and attention is limited. You’ll learn how to identify opportunities, manage constraints, select appropriate media and settings, and embed interpretation within everyday environments so that heritage stories reach broader and more incidental audiences. With this resource, you’ll gain insight to create interpretation that adds meaning, place value and visitor engagement beyond traditional indoor settings.