Interpreting for All

Who doesn't love an exclusive tour? An assemblage of interpreters shuffled through the sunlit halls of the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum as we followed their charismatic Director. We marveled at a depiction of indigo buntings, created to illustrate the way in which varying light sources alter our perception of the birds' "blue" feathers. We later toured a diverse exhibition of cut paper--some pieces mimicking doilies, others like highly dimensional coral. All the while, each of us gathered inspiration from the artwork, but our tour was far more impactful than just that. We came away with new ideas for interpreting our own collections, historic sites, or natural areas. The tours we took that day were not only exclusive, they were invaluable.

I'm going to make the assumption that while some in our group might have been fluent in more than one language, none of our work has to do with translating in the traditional sense. As professionals, each of us consider ourselves interpreters--we use a number of communications styles to connect people with natural, cultural, and historical resources. I interpret my surrounding natural landscape through specimen displays, carefully constructed signage, and educational programs. Others might use visual art, or even song. The important thing is that we find a way to effectively communicate with any person from anywhere, regardless of barriers. There are a number of tools we can borrow from each other in order to achieve this. 

Before beginning the tour of the museum, our group of interpreters spent a brisk morning at the Monk Botanical Gardens. A self-described urban sanctuary, the Gardens in Wausau, Wisconsin are known for an accessible tree house. The house is designed with wide ramps that lead to elevated platforms which host pleasant views of the landscaping below. 

The Monk Botanical Gardens in Wausau, Wisconsin recently
constructed an accessible tree house for visitors to take in the
beauty of their outdoor space.

I continued to notice accessible design once arriving at the Woodson Art Museum. It's a common misconception that museums are quiet spaces. I know from experience that even a small group of children left in an interactive exhibit soon turn into a pack of loud animals. It can be helpful to offer a quiet place for visitors who are not feeling as rambunctious. The Woodson Art Museum acknowledges this by providing a set of noise-cancelling headphones for anyone who might wish to have a sensory-friendly experience in one of their low-traffic corridors. 

A "Quiet Place" helps to create a sensory-friendly
space for visitors at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum,
including people who are on the autism spectrum.

I saw headphones again while viewing the cut paper exhibit. A silhouette of headphones next to a display label indicated that artist interviews or comments from Curators were available to visitors through the Woodson Art Museum's audio tour app. These tours  provide an enriching, auditory experience of the displays on a deeper level. 

The delicate cutting of paper to create an image of a flower
is displayed to create a shadow background. An audio tour
provides visitors with more information on the process.  

The last portion of the tour took place in a small wing containing a handful of bird statues that visitors could actually touch. Visitors to any museum should not be limited by their capacity for vision--we can experience art through our other senses too. In order to better interpret the tactile display for more visitors, the Curators created labels that could both be read in Braille, as well as with the assistance of a pen-like device that reads the label aloud. It was inspiring to learn how another museum creates experiences for people who need help reading, have limited vision, simply appreciate a different sensory experience, or otherwise. 

Visitors can flip between a Braille and written English
label, as well as use a reader device to learn more
about a touchable great blue heron statue. 

As we strive to foster meaningful experiences for our visitors, interpreters are always learning new methods. The regional workshop for the National Association of Interpretation provided me with many new insights, inspirations, and experiences this past week. I walked away with a renewed interpretive toolkit--and I can't wait to use it.