Interpretation and Master Planning
Interpretation is sharing the stories of an area in meaningful ways. It is more than just giving people facts or information. Successful interpretation relates to someone on a personal level, inspiring them to explore and respect the resource.
An interpretive master plan is a document that serves as a framework for developing facilities, sites, media, and programs that contribute to a meaningful visitor experience.
Every site has an incredible diversity of natural and cultural history stories. To aid in successful planning, these stories are organized into a logical hierarchy of themes and messages.
- Themes are the "big ideas" that we hope people will internalize while visiting the area.
- Messages are the individual stories that flesh out the themes.
Our goal as planners is to provide a positive meaningful experience for visitors. Themes and messages guide the development of programs, media, facilities, trails, and other site improvements in a way that is meaningful to the visitor.
Visitors enjoying a wayside exhibit at Denali Viewpoint South. August, 2007