National Property Board - Sweden

It looks like it will be an interesting autumn. I've been invited to present a seminar on interpretation to the National Property Board of Sweden. They're responsible for the palaces, royal parks, embassies, wild nature and historical buildings in Sweden. I will be doing the seminar for them at the end of September. You can visit their web site at: www.sfv.se/cms/english.html.

Lakeshore Museum Center Training

We completed our 3-day workshop with the Lakeshore Museum Staff/interpreters and what a great group. At the end of the workshop the final presentations included staff trying their hand at 2nd and 1st person historical interpretation - and did they excell. With an average score of 95% on the course post test, and outstanding presentations, the staff at the Lakeshore Museum diserve a standing ovation. Here are some photos - including a depression era housewife talking about the challenging times of the depression, and meeting a "hobo" who talked about losing his job and being on the searh for work while his family stayed with relatives - and outstanding presentation.

UK Association for Heritage Interpretation Annual Conference

I am honored to have been asked to provide a keynote presentation at the upcoming Association for Heritage Interpretation annual conference to be held in Huby (near York, UK) from 19-21 October 2011. The theme for the conference is "Interpretation - A survival guide" - My presentation will look at ways heritage sites can generate more new and repeat visitation using innovative interpretive planning and marketing strategies. Working smarter, not harder.
For more information on the conference and AHI, visit their web site at http://www.ahi.org.uk/. Hope you can make it - should be an important conference.

Habit-Change Workshop in Slovenia

I have been invited to present several workshop sessions for the Habit-Change workshop in October to be held at Triglav National Park in Slovenia. My sessions will focus on developing climate change exhibits for National Park exhibitions. Habit-Change is an international organization dedicated to the adaptation of management in protected areas related to climate change issues. You can visit Habit-Change at: www.habit-change.eu.

Lakeshore Museum Center, Michigan

Lakeshore Museum Center, Muskegon, Michigan. JVA will be providing a three day interpretive training program and "secret visitor" tour and critique of the Lakeshore Museum Center's facilities and programs. The interpretive training will focus on the basics of planning and delivery of professional interpretive tour presentations based on Tilden's Interpretive Principles and developing interpretive themes and tour objectives. You can visit the museum's web site at: http://www.muskegonmuseum.org/. The training course will be conducted August 14th - 17th, 2011.

Henry Ford Estate Interpretation

Here's an interesting and important new heritage project. I have been asked to provide interpretive planning consultation for the Henry Ford Estate. Ownership of the estate has been transferred from the Univ. of Michigan to the same folks that manage the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House (Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan). They are looking for innovative ways to "reinterpret" the estate.

New technologies for interpretation

We are looking at the use of QR Codes for self-guiding interpretation options. Here is the QR Code for my website. These codes can be scanned with a smart phone with a bar code/QR code reader, and be directed to client videos, web sites, articles, or anything else. I am looking at using these for some up coming projects. Lots of new projects on the horizon, just waiting for the official notices to proceed to post them. Enjoy July... JV