In the past decade, the National Park Service (NPS) has shifted interpreter training to focus on an audience-centered approach to program delivery and development. One element of this approach emphasizes empowering audience members to share their own thoughts and experiences with each other to develop or reveal deeper meaning together. However, the extent to which visitors want this new style of program is uncertain. Through survey research at nine diverse NPS sites, this study provides insight into NPS visitors’ interest in attending programs that ask them to share their own ideas openly and/or listen to the ideas of other visitors during programs. Results from the 1,990 respondents suggest that visitors across the demographic spectrum (gender, age, visitation, race/ethnicity, and geographic origin) preferred more traditional programming over programs in which visitors share their own ideas. This paper discusses practical and theoretical implications of these findings, as well as opportunities for future research.
Many non-Native institutions—such as national parks, museums, and historic sites—struggle to interpret Indigenous cultures in culturally responsive ways. This qualitative study examined promising practices at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. Through onsite observations, interviews with staff, volunteers, partners, subject matter experts, Indigenous knowledge holders, and visitors, as well as an analysis of exhibitions and materials, we identified several culturally responsive approaches to interpreting Indigenous Plateau stories and cultures. Key practices included: maintaining ongoing readiness and reflection, fostering relational accountability with Indigenous partners, honoring and caring for Indigenous stories, and centering Indigenous worldviews. Together, these efforts advanced the museum toward a culturally sustaining model—recalibrating collections, celebrating Indigenous resilience, and building strong Native–non-Native partnerships. Based on these findings, we developed a Model for Culturally Responsive Interpretation to guide non-Native professionals in building and sustaining relationships with Indigenous communities.
Each year, millions of people visit national parks, unaware that many parks’ namesake features are in jeopardy. National parks in southern California and Alaska are experiencing the effects of climate change at an accelerated rate compared to other areas of the country. This paper examines the implications for site programming that emerge when the Four-Truth Framework, developed by the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, is applied to how people respond to climate change at Joshua Tree and Glacier Bay National Parks. Our research team collected data onsite and online in 2023 through observations, artifact analysis, and semi-structured interviews with staff, stakeholders, and visitors—using Reflexive Thematic Analysis to generate our findings. By harnessing the power of the Four-Truth Framework, interpreters can foster a sense of place, encourage critical curiosity, and ultimately shift the dynamics of climate change communication.
