Exhibits, Interpretation & Education

One important activity for any history-based organization that cares for collections is sharing those collections and the stories they tell with the public. There are a myriad of approaches to take, all of which may be customized to highlight the unique nature of your collections. 

Exhibitions, tours, interpreters, and educational programs are all excellent ways to tell your stories. General guidelines and tips for these methods appear in the following resources.

Overall Guidance

• Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko and Stacy Klinger: Interpretation: Education, Programs, and Exhibits
• Timothy Ambrose and Crispin Paine: Museum Basics

Exhibits

• Alice Parman and Ann Craig: Exhibit Makeovers: A Do-it-Yourself Workbook for Small Museums
• Barry Lord and Maria Piacente: Manual Of Museum Exhibitions
• Beverly Serrell: Exhibit Labels: An Interpretive Approach
• Canada Museums Associations: A Sustainable Development Guide for Canada’s Museums, Chapter 4 – Exhibition Materials
• Connecting to Collections Care: “WebWise Reprise Part One: Using Collections Images in Online Exhibits” Webinar (Presenter: Shalmar White, Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection)
• MuseumNext: “Designing an Exhibition: These 5 Tips Should Be Your Mantra”
• Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences: “Design Your Exhibition”
• Nina Simon: The Participatory Museum
• National Park Service
  • Museum Handbook, Part III – Chapter 7: “Using Museum Collections in Exhibits”
  • Museum Handbook, Part III – Chapter 8: “Using Museum Collections in Historic Furnished Structures”
• Northern State Conservation Center: Exhibit Mounts for Artifacts
• Western Australia Museum: “Developing and Planning Exhibitions – Step by Step”

Interpretation

• David B. Allison: Effective Costumed Interpretation and Enactment at Museums and Historic Sites
• Jessica Foy Donnelly: Interpreting Historic House Museums
• MLA Renaissance Yorkshire: 10 Top Tips for Museum Interpretation
• National Association for Interpretation
  • Interpretation Standards: A Pathway Towards Excellence
  • “What is Interpretation?”
• William Alderson and Shirley Payne Low: Interpretation of Historic Sites

Educational Programs

• American Association of Museums: Excellence in Practice: Museum Education Principles and Standards
• Anna Johnson, et. al: The Museum Educator’s Manual: Educators Share Successful Techniques
• Graeme K. Talboys: Museum Educator’s Handbook
• Katie Stringer: Programming for People with Special Needs: A Guide for Museums and Historic Sites