Interpretive signs - talking to visitors through text

Abstract

Interpretive signs are the signs that give us information about a place, object or event so that we can appreciate and enjoy that place, object or event, and understand its significance. A review of the available academic research supports twelve sets of best practice guidelines for designing effective interpretive signs for visitors. One of the challenges for researchers in this area is to find ways to inform practitioners of these best practice principles. This paper will describe the principles and then describe one recent Australian effort to inform practitioners about the best practice principles using a website offering information on the principles and training exercises. The paper will conclude with a discussion of the issues to be considered in developing training options for practitioners.