Interpreting collections
Interpretation can take many different forms such as labels, panels of text, audio guides or live demonstrations. Effective interpretation enables museums to explain the wonder of their collections, connect with visitors, and draw and inspire diverse audiences.
We've developed a series of advice sheets covering many aspects of interpretation and have also worked with Interpret Scotland to produce practical guidelines, all of which can be downloaded from the right hand menu on this page.
Community involvement
Involving people with a personal or working experience of particular collections in the production of interpretive material provides a critical advocacy role. By communicating their knowledge or enthusiasm for a subject or site, they can add enormously to the visitor experience.
The Collections Trust's ‘Revisiting Collections’
Over the past year we have been working with Collections Trust on a pilot project with four member museums, using the Revisiting Collections Methodology to engage with local communities to reveal and record new information about exisiting collections.
The feedback from participants has been encouraging - East Lothian Council Museums Service found that 100% of participants (including staff) felt that they learnt something new from the project, and 100% of focus group participants felt that the Museum Service had learnt something from them. In addition, staff felt that it had increased awareness of, and interest in, the sector as a whole.
We are planning to hold an additional training workshop with a Collections Trust consultant, later in September. We will confirm the date and venue as soon as we can but if you'd like to register your interest in attending this workshop, please contact the Collections Development Manager. In the meantime you can find an introduction to the UK-wide Revisiting Collections project, along with information on how to get started, on Collections Link.