Project Overview

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Greed...Lust...Mystery...Love...Power... For people around the world, diamonds have meant these things and much more. If, for a small fee, you had the opportunity to look for diamonds in a place where rough diamonds are found nearly every day and keep what you find... wouldn't you?

Crater of Diamonds State Park, in Pike County, Arkansas, is a truly unique place. This 887-acre site is the only public "mine" in North America where people can search for diamonds and keep what they find, including other rocks and minerals. Each year visitors discover more than 600 diamonds; this quest for gems is the primary motivator for most park visitors. Over 40 different rocks and minerals make Crater of Diamonds appealing to anyone with an interest in geology.

The park has experienced a decline in annual visitation over the past twenty years; statewide tourism studies have indicated that few visitors plan to return to the park. Site managers believed that the majority of visitors at Crater of Diamonds are disappointed with their experience because of their lack of success in locating any diamonds. During the summer months, the extreme heat and dusty fields leave visitors feeling dirty, sweaty, and exhausted.

The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism is in the process of evaluating and upgrading the facilities and programs at Crater of Diamonds State Park. Their goals include improving visitor satisfaction and more effective communication of the themes and stories that they feel are essential to the site.

This project produced an Interpretive Media Concept Plan for Crater of Diamonds State Park. The Plan provides an overview of visitor characteristics and expectations, identifies unifying interpretive themes and messages, and develops interpretive media designs for several major features at the park. This information will form the basis of recommendations for changes that will improve the visitor experience and fulfill agency goals for the park.