Interpretation is a constant work in progress, embedded within the vivid workflows in the museum. It does not take one form, it´s an attribute that is always changing, it tackles what we achieve from attracting our audience and what we want our visitors to gain. It equips institutions with the possibilities to engage, to interact and to react with and for their visitors, and therefore stay flexible in their possibilities as an educational institution.
As museum-work turns its focus on visitor-needs, interpretation as a tool has become more important. Interpretation in its many forms can be used in most museum-fields. Examining this development we have chosen to write about interpretation in different museum fields, directly involved in our interests, professions and experiences for the SAWA MUSEUM ACADEMY - The Glossary Project.
In our group-work process, we agreed on how our ideas of interpretation meet, and instead of examining the holistic idea which implies all types of interpretation can take place in a museum on different scales, we concentrated on individual topics close to our professions. We talked about current interpretations and what should be considered in or around our personal work.
As interpretation can broadly be understood as construction of content or arranging of - mostly - Information. It is a main tool in museums. Friederike Eden therefore will talk about Interpretation-planning as tool, and a chance for museums regarding the need to change and adapt to modern topics, society and/or community needs, as well as visitor-needs. Huda Alteneiji will write about interpretation as a factor in research and exhibition creation, as well as in label and catalogue-texts, and general presentation.
Especially when interpretation of topics must deal with subjective considerations, transparency is needed to scope these important questions: Who speaks and who remains unheard? What topics / people / problems / works are represented and talked about? And who is the one talking, who is the one talked about?
...through my work I have recognized interpretation as the story behind the collection: by adding text, labels, videos, illustrations, panels, and even the museum's atmosphere.