Maggie Schmidt Rejoins 106 Group
Maggie Schmidt has rejoined 106 Group as Interpretation & Design Manager. In her new role, Maggie will lead our team in interpretive planning and exhibit development projects for cultural sites, parks, and museums.
Tag: Interpretation & Exhibit Design
How to Create Accessible Wayside Exhibits
How do you ensure that you are providing visitors with inclusive and accessible experiences? Where do you start when planning for interpretive waysides that are accessible to all?
What Does It Take To Plan And Design An Exhibit?
The creation of a long-term exhibit is a multi-step process. Take advantage of these steps to maximize opportunities for discovery that lead to brilliant, unique experiences for your visitors.
A Hybrid Model to Exhibit Design/Build
Working with the designers, fabricators, media companies, and artists in a single contract can be both efficient and creatively fruitful.
Exhibit Process Models: Considerations and Tips
So, you want to create an exhibit. How should you structure your planning process and contract? Here are some things you should know about Design versus Design/Build process (even if your contracting office doesn’t give you a choice).
Interpretation at Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
How do you interpret the history of a place older than the U.S.? Listen to our team’s conversation with the National Park Service at the 2020 National Association for Interpretation National Conference.
When is Historic Preservation Radical?
History is radical when it gives voice to a people whose history has been erased from the texts of human memory. This inspiring and provocative discussion was framed by the work and visions of Poindexter Village in Columbus, Ohio and the Alabama African-American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium.
Tips to Ease Overcrowding at Parks and Sites
National, state, and regional parks have seen overwhelming numbers of visitors amid the pandemic. A dream on paper, this has a downside. Interpretation can be a part of the solution. Consider these strategies used by parks to protect the resources and keep visitors safe.
Flying Cloud Drive Project Wins Environmental Excellence Award
Award from the National Association of Environmental Professionals for NEPA and Planning Integration.
Interpretation at Peavey Plaza
Recently members of our team met outside our office to review a prototype for a bronze tactile that will be installed at Minneapolis’ Peavey Plaza.
We Are Here For You: COVID-19
In light of concerns related to COVID-19, we wanted to reach out with a message of support to clients and colleagues.
NAI Conference 2019: Accessible Exhibits
Your audiences have increased expectations and deserve unique experiences. Operating budgets are tight. How do you ensure that you are providing visitors with inclusive and accessible experiences? With thoughtful planning, one can create engaging exhibits designed for multi-generational, multisensory-attuned, and culturally and linguistically diverse audiences.
AASLH Presents Award of Excellence to 106 Group
We are honored to have been a contributor to the Saint Paul African American Historic and Cultural Context. The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) recently recognized this document with an Award of Excellence.
Poplar Forest: Truth and Reconciliation at Thomas Jefferson’s Retreat Home
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission that emerged during the dismantling of South Africa’s apartheid system acknowledged four kinds of truth as part of a societal healing process. See how these truths are reflected in recent interpretive planning at Thomas Jefferson’s retreat home, Poplar Forest.
Julie Davis Joins 106 Group
Julie Davis, PhD, has joined 106 Group as a Senior Interpretive Planner. In her new role, Julie will lead interpretive planning and exhibit development projects for cultural sites and museums.
National Park Week
Our interpretive planners and designers share some sights from their recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park, where we are developing new wayside exhibits.
Reclamation through Interpretation: One Community’s Path to Healing
Our historian follows one community’s path to healing in the wake of destruction by transportation infrastructure.
Arlington House: Telling a Wider Story at a Historic Site
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial is a place of study and contemplation of some of the most difficult aspects of American history, including military service; sacrifice; citizenship; duty; loyalty; slavery, and freedom. New interpretative exhibits provide a more complex view of the historic site.
Accessibility in Design: A Journey through a Visitor’s Senses
What is accessibility and why is it so important? Through the lens of human senses, explore how you can be more effective at making exhibits for everyone.
St Paul African American Context: A Case Study
At the heart of Saint Paul’s African American history is the Rondo neighborhood. That history is often excluded from mainstream documentation. Now, the Aurora Saint Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation is trying to change that.
A Lifetime of Revealing Forgotten Perspectives
Steve Boyd-Smith, Creative Director at 106 Group, is the recipient of the NAI Heartland Region’s 2018 Master Interpretive Manager Award. Steve’s decades of interpretive experience have enriched 106 Group’s work around the country. In this interview, he shares his thoughts on his long career and what interpretation might look like in the future.
Top Tips for Community Engagement
Regine Kennedy shares her top community engagement tips after attending the Minnesota Transportation Conference. After years of experience in the fields of engagement and interpretation, Kennedy brings new light to this incredibly valuable service.
Interpretation in Museums
Our very own Chris Evans reflects on the state of interpretation in museums. With interviews from industry leaders, Evans discusses the common practice of leaving exhibits intentionally void of interpretation, where interpretation has a foothold in the museum industry, and tips for interpreters who find themselves working with/for museums.
Translating “–ologist” into Great Interpretive Writing
This past week our team led a workshop-style session at NAI’s National Conference in Corpus Christi, TX.
Finding Common Ground
The Interpret Europe: Mechelen 2016 conference recently explored how heritage interpretation can help evolving communities approach issues such as human rights, peace, and active citizenship. Anne Ketz’ paper, “Interpretive Planning Methods and Processes as an Effective Mechanism for Community Building,” was presented at the conference.
Keep the Conversation Flowing
106 Group senior designer Chris Evans joined a team of panelists to present “Stronger Together: How Digital Media Adds Layers to Guided Interpretation” at the National Association for Interpretation’s 2015 Annual Workshop in Virginia Beach. This packed session generated a lively discussion among interpreters about the rising use of digital media.
How to Choose Interpretive Media for Your Outdoor Site
Many people have the same questions about choosing interpretive media. Which media is best for my story? What resources do I need? How do I get started? Let’s ask a few key questions, consider some details, and point you in the right direction to select media for your outdoor site.
Great River Gathering in St. Paul
We have been participating in the Great River Gathering for many years. Over this time, 106 Group has been a proud participant in dozens of successful redevelopment projects in St. Paul.
Interpreting Sites of Conscience
What does it mean to call a place a site of conscience? While the word conscience has associations with fairness and justice, the stories surrounding these sites most often describe situations where there was an overwhelming lack of both these things.