I don't think there's a lot of difference in technique when evaluating in a
museum vs on a historic site.  Audiences may be slightly different, but the
techniques still work.

I've recently undertaken a pilot survey of site interpretation as it is
used by older people; haven't quite written it up yet, though I gave it as
a conference paper two weeks ago.

However, my conclusion is that apart from some important considerations
about awareness of the presence of older visitors among the mass (site
managers and interpreters are defintely ageist - but then so is our
society), the important aspect in the effectiveness of interpretive media
is not deteremined by age but by character or psychology or whatever.  This
is moving into a field I'm not expert in, but it seems clear to me that
it's visitors' timidity or boldness that most affects how they use and
enjoy different interp[retive situations.

Anyone interested in the written paper (one of these days), contact me direct.


Linda Young
Cultural Heritage Management
University of Canberra
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