Class Year
2018
Document Type
Blog Post
Publication Date
Summer 7-28-2017
Department 1
Civil War Institute
Abstract
When I first read Freeman Tilden’s “Principles of Interpretation”, I was surprised to find that provocation was considered essential for effective interpretation. I reread it, to make sure I hadn’t read it wrong or misunderstood. Provocation? Why would the National Park Service want to provoke people? As an intern at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park last summer, I learned that Tilden didn’t mean angering visitors; he meant inspiring the public to want to learn more on their own. To paraphrase, Tilden wrote that instruction and information are not the same thing as interpretation. Interpretation is not a fact-based lecture. Effective interpretation uses information to make broader points. However, the end goal of an interpretive site or program should not be the communication of information, but cultivating an interest among the public. Hence, provocation is key.
Copyright Note
This is the author's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution.
Recommended Citation
Martin, Jeffrey R., "Provocation and Personalization: Sharing the History of Manassas Battlefield" (2017). The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History. 222.
https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/compiler/222
Comments
This blog post originally appeared in the Gettysburg Compiler and was created by students at Gettysburg College.