A series of travel observations will be coming your way over the next few months as I have stockpiled quite a few of what I like to call “Ruminations and Revelations from the Road.” I hope they provide you with new perspectives and perform as idea generators that boost your interpretive output.
A recent journey to Portugal was the impetus to launch this series. Corners and corridors are often ignored or passed through too quickly, yet they can contain surprising elements for the wary eye. Don’t ignore the interpretive potential of your site’s “corners and corridors.” Here are four examples with the first one being explored a bit in depth and the other three being quick hits.
#1 One thing that struck my wife and I while travelling throughout Portugal was their habit of publicly memorializing their past citizens who excelled in the cultural realm - something our country Canada does not do very well. Authors, poets, painters, sculptors, dancers, film makers, opera singers have a presence in parks and on boulevards mainly through bust-like sculptural works, and sometimes by also including representative pieces of their work. By keeping this cultural aspect of everyday life alive, we provide a form of “hero” inspiration quite different from those commonly directed at military, political or sports personalities who seem to dominate our urban public places. Let’s not even start down the skewed gender path.
Then we noticed another type of personal tribute in a café corner. It caught our eye due to its personal nature. In the main salon of the Café Martinho da Arcada in Lisboa (Lisbon is the anglicized version), there was a table set aside in an unobtrusive corner, with a few objects on it.
Credit Bill Reynolds
This is where Fernando Pessoa (1888-1935), perhaps the most famous Portuguese poet of the 20th century, wrote pieces of his work after closing time. The corner table had a copy of one of his books, along with a coffee cup and a shot glass for anise-based aguardiente - two of his favourite pastimes while writing in the cafe. The corner wall was adorned with pictures of Mr. Pessoa. What a fitting tribute!
You were welcome to sit down and engage with a book, imagine a conversation with this poet, reflect upon what it would have been like at the turn of the century, even consume his favourite meal or libation at a nearby table. This simple “shrine” kept a memory alive. Caution: by shrine I do not mean a place of standoffish reverence but one of approachable involvement.
Think of the interpretive possibilities for your situation. First, we would need to think who then where & how best to design the space. Obvious who choices are those personas who have expressed a love of place and have spent a significant time at your site, in your city or country. But let’s not stop there, as there are many people who have contributed to humanity’s appreciation and understanding of natural and cultural heritage that should be recognized, and haven’t any direct association with your site. Who deserves a place of honour at your site? Who should your visitor become exposed to, know more about and be reminded of for their inspiring views, research, conservation or expressions of joy that capture the essence of your site?
By taking time to reflect on who might represent what our sites stand for it can better communicate what values our sites express. That way we assist our visitors in extending the inspiration they initially felt in our parks and heritage sites. We can provide a new human connection for them.
These people being recognized don’t have to always reside in the past. Maybe you just want to honour a living individual who could have a positive impact on your visitors by encouraging heritage appreciation and awe. Perhaps “a conversation” between two individuals - one living and one having passed away -could be designed.
Conversation-inducing railing
Credit Bill Reynolds
The designated WHERE could be an interior space like the restaurant example, or it could be a sofa in the giftshop/bookstore, an alcove in your exhibit area, a portion of a lab bench, a seat in the auditorium… The designated spot could be an exterior space like a conversational-inducing railing, a bench along a path, an Adirondack chair at a viewpoint, a treehouse in a forest, a picnic table in a botanic garden, an easel in a meadow, a driftwood enclosure at a beach...
HOW might we recognize these people who have shined a spotlight in various scientific or artistic ways, on significant aspects of our natural and cultural heritage? As in Pessoa’s case, if you have a literary “celebrity” who frequented your site an obvious application would be the setting aside of a table in your visitors’ eating area, if you have one. Remember, you do not have to possess such an individual, although this would have strong allure. You may simply know of someone (past or present) that you would really like to come visit because they have a strong connection to the site’s mission. You could create an invitational space designed to make your person of interest feel at home (if they ever were to visit) with objects that site visitors could also relate to.
Spaces can be perpetual but they don’t have to be. The people being celebrated could change every so often giving visitors a reason to be exposed to another noteworthy personality annually or throughout the year. You could have one at a time or many. You could make it an event where visitors come to experience a sampling of people’s perspectives who love your site and what it stands for.
#2 Again another form of tribute caught our eye – this time on a street corner. The plaque type signage format is familiar to most of us however this treatment, subject matter and placement were different. A friendly oval not a formal square shape was observed. The sign performed like a Warm Greeting due to the choice of informal attire and stance in a kitchen location.
street corner interpretive greeting
Photo credit Bill Reynolds
Street corners had been chosen in the old section of town, in Lisboa, to honour the lives of selected senior citizens. These were people known for their hospitality and community spirit - another form of celebrity or hero. This reflects a time when humans were intimately associated with their immediate environments and were a part of the sense of place. We need to recapture that feeling for visitors especially in our natural heritage environments – is there a role for more human tributes so visitors can see the relationships that others have had with nature, thereby planting seeds for experiences they could have?
Yes, we have our walls of fame but they are often sequestered away inside buildings and not out in the open where people will be reminded of them as they go about their daily lives or recreationally walk down a path. And who do we recognize? for what traits? The challenge to do better is out there. Grab it.
#3 Lisboa’s Bertrand Bookstore claims We are books since 1732 and profess to be the oldest bookstore in the world. It was bound to have something of interpretive value – and something novel as well. Lo and behold down a side corridor was a bulletin board with a relatively small poster mounted on it with the title “We Witnessed:” followed by a listing (see photo):
Bookstore poster
photo credit Bill Reynolds
Done from the perspective of the bookstore building and what it has witnessed over its long history since 1732 the list reflected historical events that would have happened in and around the walls and floor you are standing on. This was followed by a summary statement with a direct link back to why spending time in their business would be worthwhile- because they have the books that tell you all about these events. They hook you with a bunch of curiosities then inform you that within these walls you can begin to satisfy those curious itchings - if you stay awhile and explore. What a superb promotional piece! Just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to witnessing possibilities, as there are so many subjects to focus on - certainly not just major civilization upheavals.
This got me thinking about the interpretive ramifications.
What do we have on our sites that could have witnessed significant cultural happenings or natural events without having to rely on an actual person or a role playing individual?
What about inanimate objects?
I am sure you all have a wall or a floor, as in the above bookstore, or an artifact or a natural feature like a river or outcrop that could have witnessed interesting events taking place around or on them. If you are ok with a bit of fantasy on site, you may try introducing to your guests a specially trained interpreter with translation skills that can interpret “wallspeak” or “riverspeak” for your visitors. Have fun with it!
Share with us any imaginative ideas you have used in corners and along corridors in the comments section below. And please tell us about any innovative tributes you have seen employed.