Interpreting Our Heritage | 
 enlarge | Author: Freeman Tilden
Creators: Russell E. Dickenson, R. Bruce Craig
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 253501
Media: Paperback
Edition: 4th
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.7
ISBN: 0807858676
Dewey Decimal Number: 363.680973
EAN: 9780807858677
ASIN: 0807858676
Publication Date: March 18, 2008
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Product Description
Every year millions of Americans visit national parks and monuments, state and municipal parks, battlefields, historic houses, and museums. By means of guided walks and talks, tours, exhibits, and signs, visitors experience these areas through a very special kind of communication technique known as "interpretation." For fifty years, Freeman Tilden's Interpreting Our Heritage has been an indispensable sourcebook for those who are responsible for developing and delivering interpretive programs. This expanded and revised anniversary edition includes not only Tilden's classic work but also an entirely new selection of accompanying photographs, five additional essays by Tilden on the art and craft of interpretation, a new foreword by former National Park Service director Russell Dickenson, and an introduction by R. Bruce Craig that puts Tilden's writings into perspective for present and future generations.
Whether the challenge is to make a prehistoric site come to life; to explain the geological basis behind a particular rock formation; to touch the hearts and minds of visitors to battlefields, historic homes, and sites; or to teach a child about the wonders of the natural world, Tilden's book, with its explanation of the famed "six principles" of interpretation, provides a guiding hand.
For anyone interested in our natural and historic heritage—park volunteers and rangers, museum docents and educators, new and seasoned professional heritage interpreters, and those lovingly characterized by Tilden as "happy amateurs"—Interpreting Our Heritage and Tilden's later interpretive writings, included in this edition, collectively provide the essential foundation for bringing into focus the truths that lie beyond what the eye sees.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Basic in Interpretation September 14, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
When one need to study and learn the basics, this is the original guidebook on guiding! The text is almost quaint (written in the 50's) as are the pictures, but there are still nuggets worth mining.
I found myself highlighting the "do"s and "don't"s that are now features in other fields such as marketing and customer service. There aren't many reference books on the subject of interpretation, so this is a good place to start.
 a nice dry introduction into interpreting May 4, 2004
0 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book is a nice BASIC introduction for those who know nothing about what interpretation is in relation to a museum. I found it very dry and outdated. The author tries to spice it up a bit with humor and examples of national parks but all in all, i would not recommend it.
 interpretation is an art form! March 21, 2004
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
Interpretation is the art of making what is presented meaningful to the audience. This book is useful for anyone who wants to get others interested in a subject, whether it is for a presentation, an art exhibit, or the local park's visitor center. If an exhibit, lecture, presentation, or tour does or does not get you interested in the topic, this book will explain most of the reasons why. This is all sound wisdom, offered in the context of museums and national parks. It's easy to read and engaging, employing the principles within.I. Talk about what is being desplayed/described to the personality or experience of the visitor.
II. Interpretation is revelation based on information.
III. Interpretation is an art.
IV. The goal is provocation, not instruction.
V. Try to present the whole instead of the part.
VI. Don't just dumb it down for kids.
Tilden elaborates on these beautifully, with nice examples. After reading this book not only do I know how to improve upon my own interpretation, but I can critique other interpretation and at least know when to appreciate a good display when I see one. Just remember that there are more than 6 principles. Use this book to start thinking about interpretation as a skill and an art, instead of the bible of interpretation. Interpretation for the 21st Century: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture is an updated version recommended to me but I haven't read it yet.
 Excellent January 26, 2002
3 out of 10 found this review helpful
Ok, so in parts you can definitely tell this book was written in the 50's. However most of it is still extremely valid, and extremely useful. I would not hesitate to reccomend it, a very good read for interpreters or interpreters in training.
Required Reading for National Park Service Rangers February 23, 2001
3 out of 8 found this review helpful
It's a decent, reasonable somewhat giddy book on interpreting the natural world. It is also practically required that National Park Service ranger's follow Tilden's principles for interpretation. So if you ever want to be a National Park Service Ranger, it'd be great to have this under your belt!
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