Category Archives: Historical interpretation

Designing for Impact: Why Reflection Should Be at the Heart of Your Museum Experience

In today’s fast-moving, attention-fragmented world, museums are under pressure to do more than just deliver content–they need to make it stick. Whether it’s an online program, a guided tour, or an immersive performance, professionals are increasingly asking: How do we create experiences that matter? Three recent studies point to a clear answer: if you want to deepen impact, design for reflection.

Reflection Creates Meaningful Museum Visits

A recent study by Pieter de Rooij and colleagues at the Dutch Open Air Museum in Arnhem investigated what factors contribute to a memorable, meaningful, or transformative museum experience. Using surveys from over 500 visitors, they found that reflection was the strongest predictor of all three outcomes, while sociability and joy had a smaller yet significant effect. Visitors who were prompted to think about new ideas or connect the experience to their own lives were significantly more likely to report lasting impact.

Interestingly, traditional design features—such as beautiful displays, freedom to roam, or relaxing environments—were not strong predictors of impact. While those elements may support comfort and enjoyment, they don’t on their own foster deeper engagement.

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AASLH’s Interpreting History Series Now on Sale

If you’re looking to expand your bookshelf this summer, now’s a great time to explore the Interpreting History series from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH). Bloomsbury is currently offering 10–15% off the entire series—an excellent opportunity to add fresh perspectives on interpretation to your library.

Among them is my newest title, Interpreting Christmas, co-authored with Ken Turino. We examine how museums and historic sites can thoughtfully interpret winter holidays in ways that are inclusive, community-centered, and grounded in historical research. If you’ve ever struggled with how (or whether) to “do” Christmas at your site, this book offers a framework—and lots of practical examples.

Even better: AASLH members always receive 20% off all titles in the series, including those not currently on sale. If you’re not already a member, it’s a great time to join.

This sale also comes at a turning point for AASLH’s publishing program. Earlier this year, Bloomsbury acquired Rowman & Littlefield’s academic publishing business, expanding the reach of the Interpreting History series to a much broader international audience.

Of course, most of us don’t write museum books for the royalties (we know we’re not Nora Ephron—or even Nora Roberts). The real reward is seeing our work spark ideas, inspire change, and shape the way history is shared with the public. So whether you’re an interpreter, educator, or site manager, pick up a volume or two—and join the conversation.

Webinar: Interpreting Winter Holidays with Your Community

The winter holidays are some of the most beloved and heavily attended times of year for museums and historic sites—but interpreting them can be a challenge. Whose stories are told? What traditions are represented? How can we ensure our programs are welcoming, accurate, and relevant to our communities?

If you’ve been asking these questions, join me at an upcoming webinar hosted by the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH):

  • “Interpreting Winter Holidays with Your Community”
  • Wednesday, June 12, 2025, 3:00–4:00 PM Eastern
  • $45 / $25 for AASLH members
  • Register here

I’ll be speaking alongside Ken Turino, Martha Katz-Hyman, and Morgan Lloyd, each of whom brings experience and insights into crafting more inclusive, community-centered holiday programs. We’ll explore ways that museums and historic sites can move beyond nostalgic or monolithic narratives and instead embrace a richer variety of traditions and histories—from Hanukkah to Kwanzaa, from secular seasonal festivals to the complexities of Christmas. Whether you’re revamping long-standing programs or launching something new, this session will offer fresh ideas, examples, and practical steps for engaging your community during the holiday season.

In my portion of the webinar, I’ll share strategies for refreshing an existing Christmas event by incorporating research on state and local history, helping organizations better connect with their communities and interpret traditions in a meaningful context.

The webinar is inspired in part by the recent book Interpreting Christmas at Museums and Historic Sites, which Ken and I co-edited and which features contributions from many practitioners grappling with these same questions. As a bonus, webinar attendees will receive a 30% discount on the book.

What is the Future of Interpretation at Historic House Museums?

The world of historic house museums has been grappling with fundamental questions about purpose and sustainability for many years. Two significant gatherings, the Kykuit II Summit in 2007 and the recent 2025 Historic House Summit, highlight key moments in this ongoing discussion. Bridging these two events is the American Association for State and Local History’s (AASLH) STEPS program, particularly its standards for interpretation, which emerged directly from the needs identified in that earlier period. Looking at these three points in time reveals not only evolving ideas but also the increasing urgency and specific challenges facing interpretation today. 

The Kykuit II Summit: The Call for Sustainability and Standards

The Kykuit II Summit, held in April 2007 at the John D. Rockefeller estate, brought together leaders to discuss “the sustainability of historic sites.” This was a follow-up to a similar meeting five years prior. The discussions focused on finding ways for historic sites, the largest segment of the museum community, to thrive. Key questions included the challenging, “unmentionable” ones: “Does America need another house museum?” or “Can America support the existing historic sites it now has?”

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Interpreting Historic House Museums Today: Reflections on the 2025 AASLH Summit

By Mary A. van Balgooy, Vice President, Engaging Places LLC

Last week, I attended the 2025 AASLH Historic House Museums Summit, “Interpreting Historic House Museums Today,” held at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan. Over 100 museum professionals from across the country came together to assess where interpretation stands today and how it should evolve over the next decade. The Summit’s objectives were clear: attendees would examine the current scope of historic house interpretation, identify trends for the next 10-15 years, and define the major issues shaping the field. Through keynotes, breakout sessions, and informal discussions, attendees tackled major questions about our roles, responsibilities, and hopes for the sector.

Big Ideas from the 2025 AASLH Summit

One of the most powerful themes to emerge was the need to embrace “whole history.” Instead of narrowly focusing on furniture, technology, or architectural details, participants stressed telling a full, human-centered story. This includes voices often left out of traditional interpretation: women, people of color, laborers, and marginalized groups. The idea is not merely to add these perspectives but to reframe interpretation through them, reflecting the complexity and moral ambiguity of historical figures and events.

A second major idea was that historic house museums must move beyond passive presentation into active engagement. Museums should create dialogic experiences where visitors reflect, question, and even challenge the past. Skills like listening, civil discourse, and conflict navigation were identified as essential for future staff training.

Finally, participants stressed the importance of using interpretation as a tool for healing and community building. At a time of social division, historic sites have a unique role to play in fostering empathy, historical curiosity, and nuanced understanding.

Findings and Recommendations

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Webinar: Interpreting Winter Holidays on June 12

I know, we’re barely out of winter and we’re talking about winter holidays?? If you work at a museum or historic site, I know you’re already planning and we’re here to help!

Building upon the AASLH publication Interpreting Christmas at Museums and Historic Sites and our 2024 webinar on Maximizing Your Museum’s Holiday Potential, this webinar will explore how historic houses and history museums can transform the holiday season into a powerful opportunity for community engagement, inclusivity, and innovation. Focusing on Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, this presentation will offer case studies of successful programming and exhibits from across the country and brainstorming on how participants can scale and adapt these ideas to fit their local contexts and community needs.

Presenters include:

DATE: June 12, 2025

TIME: 3:00 – 4:15 pm EASTERN (Remember to adjust for your time zone)

COST: $25 AASLH members/$45 nonmembers

To register or for more details, visit the AASLH Resource Center.

What if the Executive Order Applied to Us? Imagining the Impact on American History Museums

Last week, President Trump issued an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History”. Aimed at federal cultural institutions—especially the Smithsonian—it calls for more patriotic presentations of American history, emphasizing unity, greatness, and optimism while discouraging exhibits that focus on racism, inequality, or gender identity.

Right now, the order applies only to federal museums. But what if it didn’t?

Let’s imagine the impact on non-federal museums and historic sites across the country—many of which have spent years expanding their stories to include previously marginalized voices and difficult truths.

What the Executive Order Says

The order encourages museums to promote “our extraordinary heritage” and to avoid what it calls “ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives.” It criticizes content that is “inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed” and that “deepens societal divides and fosters a sense of national shame.” Instead, it wants museums to emphasize “American excellence” and the “progress America has made.”

While these directives may be aimed at the Smithsonian Institution, many worry they signal a broader trend—one that could influence funding, public opinion, and professional standards.

Site by Site: Imagined Impacts

George Washington’s Mount Vernon (Virginia)

Current approach: Includes honest depictions of slavery and Washington’s complicated legacy.
Potential impact: Decreased focus on the lives of enslaved people; Greater emphasis on Washington’s military victories and presidency; Shift toward a more heroic and simplified narrative

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Warning: Objects in Museums May Be More Complicated Than They Appear

Today, the White House issued an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History”, which aims to reshape the presentation of history within federal institutions—particularly the Smithsonian. The directive calls for the removal of “divisive or anti-American ideology,” restoration of monuments that have been “improperly removed,” and new restrictions on federally funded exhibits that “degrade shared American values.” While some may see this as a return to patriotic education, as a historian and museum professional, I see troubling implications for our field.

The Illusion of a Single Truth

At the heart of the order is the assertion that a “true” version of American history must be restored. But history is not a static set of facts—it is a discipline grounded in evidence, interpretation, and debate. Historical understanding evolves as new sources emerge, as questions shift, and as voices long excluded are brought into the conversation. There is no single, timeless narrative to return to—only a continuing effort to make sense of the past as honestly and inclusively as possible.

Independence Under Threat

The Smithsonian Institution, like many of our most trusted public history institutions, relies on scholarly rigor and curatorial independence. By assigning Vice President JD Vance a role in overseeing content and linking congressional appropriations to ideological compliance, this executive order politicizes museum interpretation and undercuts professional standards. When history is shaped by political power instead of evidence, public trust erodes.

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History Redacted? What Museums Can Do About Censorship and Content Restrictions

Across the United States, museums and historic sites are feeling the pressure of growing efforts to limit how history is interpreted and shared with the public. Whether it’s school boards restricting curricula, exhibitions removing stories about women or African Americans, or state legislatures targeting specific narratives, the landscape for public history is shifting. Two recent statements—one from national associations of professional historians and another from a leading association of history organizations—offer timely guidance for navigating this challenge.

Upholding Academic Freedom and Public Access to History

In their joint statement, the American Historical Association (AHA) and the Organization of American Historians (OAH) raise alarm over federal directives aimed at censoring public-facing historical content. Specifically, they object to restrictions on the use of terms like “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion,” as well as efforts to remove access to resources about gender, race, and immigration history across government platforms. These actions, the associations argue, “deny the American public access to the complex, nuanced, and evidence-based historical knowledge that is essential to democratic society.”

For museum professionals, this serves as a reminder that we are not only stewards of collections but also of public understanding and trust. AHA and OAH call on historians–including those in museums and historic sites–to resist these pressures by reaffirming their commitment to historical accuracy, critical inquiry, and public service. The practical takeaway? Review interpretive plans, online content, and programs to ensure they are grounded in evidence-based scholarship, even–and especially–when the topics are politically charged.

Standing with the National Park Service: A Sector-Wide Response

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Rethinking Goals in History Organizations: A New Framework for Internal and External Impact

For many years, history organizations—including history museums, historical societies, house museums, and historic sites—have measured success using a traditional planning framework focused on outputs (what an organization produces). By the 1990s, there was a growing recognition of the importance of outcomes (how visitors change because of that work), over merely completing tasks.

While the confusingly-named outputs and outcomes framework have improved museum projects, they often overlook how history organizations themselves evolve—how their staff, volunteers, and boards gain knowledge, shift perspectives, and take action to improve their work.

I’d like to introduce a new way of thinking about goals in museums, distinguishing between internal change (within the organization) and external change (within the community and visitors). Using the Know, Feel, Do framework, this model helps history organizations better understand their impact—both inside and outside the institution.

The Know, Feel, Do framework is a structured approach to understanding how individuals and organizations learn, experience emotions, and take action. It is based on Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Domains, which classifies learning into three categories:

  1. Cognitive (Know) – Intellectual engagement and knowledge acquisition.
  2. Affective (Feel) – Emotional and attitudinal responses.
  3. Behavioral (Do) – Actions taken as a result of learning.

This model is widely used in education, marketing, nonprofit management, and project evaluation to design experiences that lead to meaningful change.

The Traditional Model: Outputs vs. Outcomes

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