Living History in Museum Interpretation

At its very simplest it is a grandparent recollecting their childhood adventures, the Armistice Day religious service of remembrance, collecting antique furniture, going to one of Shakespeare's plays at the Globe Theatre, Well Dressing , visiting an English Heritage castle or a National Trust stately home and imagining the life of the inhabitants all those years ago, Cheese-Rolling at Cooper's Hill Gloucester , Morris Dancing or Bonfire night on the 5th November . In fact anything that recollects the past.

Nowadays many people, called “Re-enactors” or “Living Historians”, recreate the past either as a hobby, a business or as a museum or heritage site interpreter. They use a selection of methods, often in combination:

Workshop Activity,
Demonstration,
Drama,
Role-playing,
Discourse or
Re-enactment.

Of course Museums use many other forms of interpretation of their collections as well as Living History such as: Labeling, Articles, Display Boards, Room guides, Computer displays, the World Wide Web, Audio guides, Video and Film, Working Models, Dioramas, Animatronics, assistance for the visually and hearing impaired, and Foreign Language information. We have all seen the Museums which has rows and rows of cases (and sometimes no cases at all) of virtually identical items with no labeling. No attempt is made to put things in context or offer information. A combination of forms of interpretation offers the best.

Of course there is no such thing as one size fits all in Living History. There is a plethora of available techniques and you are overwhelmed by choice.

So will it be:

First Person
Third Person
Using a "Prologue", out-of-character person, to comment on the actions of those remaining in role, or a combination depending on necessity?

Do you want:

A spectacle, such as battle re-enactment or to convincingly populate your location
A "family" group or
An individual interpreter?

Are you looking for:

Somone to interpret your site or items already in your collection
A portrayal of a character, e.g Lord Nelson, Queen Victoria, Frank Sutcliffe (photographer)
The re-creation of a historic event
Experimental archeology or a craft demonstration
An extra attraction to bring visitors back to your site and/or to create publicity or
An activity which works well with school children?

What is the amount of interaction:

None: watching a blacksmith or bookbinder make something in the historic manner
Dialogue: The interpreter describes the contents of the room or a selection of artifacts
Converstation: Where the interpreter talks about "their" life or the life of the person they are representing, with the visitors
Workshop: Where the visitors are encouraged to make something.

What is the motivation of your target audience:

Students come to learn about the past as part of the curriculum
Families who are seeking outings that are fun and educational
Those who enjoy historic settings and have an interest in how their ancestors did things.

Bibliography:

Past Into Present, Stacy F. Roth, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill & London, clothbound: ISBN 0-8078-2407-0, paperback: ISBN 0-8078-4710-0, Museum Interpretation.

A Brief History of Re-enactment By Howard Giles, published on the web.

http://www.heritage-interpretation.org.uk/journals/j2c-shell.html

Jump Back in Time: a living history resource, Carol Peterson, activities for schools

Brassey's Master Class Living History (Brassey's Master Class Ser. ) by Elliott-Wright, Phillipp J. C., ISBN: 185753283X, Battle re-enactment.