Interpretation Planning and Development
Interpretation planning sets the foundation for an authentic visitor experience. Stono History Consulting works with organizations and stakeholders to plan an environment that cultivates curiosity and creates avenues for visitors to recall or discover personal connections to the people, objects, places, and events of the past.
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Interpretation development places it all into action. Using the plan as a guide, Stono History Consulting develops interpretation with organizations and stakeholders that draw upon a variety of methods to achieve the organization's goals and reveal to visitors history's relevance and significance to the present and future.
Comprehensive Interpretive Planning
Interpretive plans are long range mission-based plans that state the purpose and vision of a site, explain its significance, summarize its history, sets interpretive goals, and reveals themes connected to the resources being interpreted. It also identifies key stakeholders, target audiences, visitor experience opportunities, and interpretive services that might be offered. Comprehensive plans are critical to creating cohesive visitor experiences, and inform business, marketing, capital improvement, and other plans. Stono History Consulting believes comprehensive plans are best if key stakeholders are engaged as collaborators during the process.
Interpretive Prospectus
Stono History Consulting recognizes organizations may only need the "bare bones," or framework, of an interpretive plan while funding is sought for a comprehensive plan, or for sites belonging to a parent organization where a full plan is not necessary. Whatever the need, often an interpretive prospectus is most appropriate. A prospectus is an abbreviated and/or interim plan which identifies interpretive goals, themes, and more broadly describes resources, audiences, stakeholders, and potential visitor experiences.
Interpretation Development
Stono History Consulting can be an important member of teams developing interpretation, whether delivered directly by interpreters to audiences on tours or programs, or delivered via exhibits and other media. Using the interpretation plan as a roadmap and collaborating with key stakeholders to advance projects from concept to implementation is at the heart of the development process. Services include content research, exhibit and program development, and project management.
Best Practices
Stono History Consulting's interpretation planning and development services are guided by Freeman Tilden’s principles for heritage interpretation, principles for ethical interpretation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation's rubric for engaging descendant communities, and standards for interpretive planning as outlined by the American Association for State and Local History.