into a piece of tainted food; the shock sticks with us long after the journey is completed. What ties the two together, good or bad, is the experience. The experience we have within an exhibit can change us, in unexpected ways. The experience is what makes an exhibit memorable. If we have a positive one, we will retain the message; if it’s negative, we try to forget the time as quickly as possible. Technology has dramatically changed exhibit design, but that can be seen from two perspectives. Push buttons and auditory messages are wonderful ways to involve the audience, especially those who learn in nonvisual ways. However, if the buttons don’t work properly, visitors get frustrated. If they tune out the message because the auditory isn’t functioning, we’ve lost them. Designers are great for bringing an exhibit to life, but they can only portray the message we ask them to send. We, as interpreters and the experts on our mission, are the ones who are ultimately responsible for reaching our audience with the vision we want them to have. Experience is more than whether the design is good or bad; it’s about how people feel about the exhibit when they leave the site. Are they intrigued? Do they want to know more about what they saw? Do they talk with their family and friends, debating the content or the signage? If these things happen, then we have reached our audience through our exhibit. Do your visitors experience your exhibit or do they just shuffle mindlessly through it? Truly interactive exhibits engage the brain as much as the body. They don’t have to have the latest bells and whistles to be effective; they need to connect the visitor to the message. Emotions are a provocative way to do that; effective exhibits touch a chord within the audience. Remembering what it’s like to be a child, being awed by the immensity of a life-size blue whale; these exhibits resonate with their viewers, and the experience is what they will remember.
National Association for Interpretation 11