Museum and Historic Site Interpretation: Principles and Practice

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Apply historical research and thinking to historic interpretation for the public, whether in exhibits, online, tours, or programs.

• Implement multi-modal, object-based, and/or site-based learning principles and practices to their public interpretation in exhibits, tours, or online projects.

• Curate a physical or digital exhibit for the public using historical research and best practices in exhibit curation.

• Deepen their knowledge of community engagement and will be able to implement best practices.

• Approach difficult histories with care and sensitivity, using the tools and best practices of the field.

• Write concisely, clearly, and creatively for public audiences, both digitally and for an exhibit.

• Work collaboratively with peers and community partners with sensitivity and a stance of listening and learning.

• Digital Design Skills: communicating creatively using images clearly, learning new software, and engaging your audiences. Specifically, you will learn Canva, basic principles of digital design, and Microsoft Teams project management software.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Class Participation	30%
Group Project	40%
Professional Development Activities	30%

Participation in online discussion boards and in class will be graded as part of this course.

Grading Scale

Percentage	Letter Grade
100% to 94%	A
<94% to 90%	A-
<90% to 87%	B+
<87% to 84%	B
<84% to 80%	B-
<80% to 77%	C+
<77% to 74%	C
<74% to 0%	F

Attendance/Participation:

Participation in online discussion boards and in class will be graded as part of this course.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

• Langer, Adina, ed. Storytelling in Museums. Rowman & Littlefield, 2022.

• Leftridge, Alan. Interpretive Writing. 2nd ed. National Association for Interpretation Series. Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2025.

• Rodley, Ed. Designing for Playful Engagement in Museums: Immersion, Emotion, Narrative, and Gameplay. Routledge, 2025.

• Schiavo, Laura, ed. U.S. Museum Histories and the Politics of Interpretation: Never Neutral. Routledge & CRC Press, 2024.

• Wang, Zida. Creating Digital Exhibitions: A Practical Guide. 1st ed. With Morgan Joseph Hamilton. Bloomsbury Academic & Professional, 2026.

• Williams, Margo Lee. From Hill Town to Strieby: Education and the American Missionary Association in the Uwharrie “Back Country” of Randolph County, North Carolina. With Marvin T. Jones. Backintyme Publishing, 2016.