Interpretive center
An interpretive center or interpretation center , in the USA more often a center , is an institution whose objective is to impart knowledge and understanding of certain sections of the natural and cultural sciences, as well as their objects and relics. Interpretation centers follow the principles of nature and culture interpretation and serve less scientific claims than regional educational, educational and tourism destinations. Most of the time, they are thematically dedicated to the place where they were set up for this purpose (previously sometimes referred to as museum in situ or site museum ). Often they see the surrounding natural or cultural landscape as a kind of associated “ museum ”.
Their demarcation to institutions such as museums, science or discovery centers, natural history, but also self-presentation institutions of companies is often blurred. This is especially true when they keep original objects, as museums do.
In addition, they are often subject to traditional political conceptions and, for example, focus on the deeds of American pioneers and explorers in a naive, euphemistic way. The illusion of reliving is explicitly used, for example, to recreate the “visions” of previous presidents and the “invincible spirit of human discovery”.
They are often located in the area in which there is an important historical or natural site, often in connection with a visitor center, which is mainly concerned with tourism. Some of these centers also conduct research, as well as preservation and exhibition, so they only differ in degree from museums, others do not offer exhibits of this type and therefore do not conduct any research.
In addition, these centers do not use purely exposing presentation techniques, but often resort to means such as those used in museum education. More or less independent experimentation and experience are in the foreground, plus multimedia and cinematic processing. In addition, changing exhibitions offer different approaches to the main theme of the house.
In many cases, the overlap of issues in rural areas means that state institutions that are responsible for nature conservation, such as the US Forest Service or Parks Canada, maintain Interpretive Centers. Another reason to build an Interpretive Center is the often difficult acquisition of funds and staff in areas far from the city that would allow the operation of a museum.
The same applies to the often remote Indian communities , both in Canada and in the USA, which increasingly recognize the economic advantages of these institutions and, moreover, can present their culture in this way at their scattered places of residence. The more the natives of North America succeed in retrieving their historical objects, which are often scattered around the world in museum and collector hands, the closer they are to the actual museums when looking at original objects. At the same time, the demarcation to so-called cultural centers is becoming more and more blurred, since cultural events with and without public participation are increasingly taking place in the premises.
In particular, specialized museums devoted to topics that are difficult to understand through mere presentation occasionally call themselves Interpretive Centers . This is all the more true for phenomena of intangible culture such as narration, music or dance.
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Remarks
- ^ As in 1965 in the report by the Conseil international des musées on the Musées de site archéologiques
- ↑ For example the Canadian Petroleum Discovery Center in Alberta .
- ↑ Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Center or the Johnstone Strait Killer Whale Interpretive Center
- ↑ This is how pathetically the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center puts it
- ↑ For example the Wickaninnish Interpretive Center ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. whose name is reminiscent of a Nuu-chah-nulth chief .
- ↑ On July 7, 2007 , the National Post reported a number of new centers.
- ↑ For example the Celtic Music Interpretive Center , which exposes the Celtic music traditions in Nova Scotia .
