(July 27, 2017) Call it a hat trick. For the third year in a row the Delmarva Discovery Center & Museum has received project grant funding through the Maryland Heritage Area Authority.
Stacey Weisner, museum president and CEO, said the center was awarded a state grant of more than $40,000 for a project to improve the guest experience, which could also impact numerous nonprofits in the area.
“That’s for an interpretation and signage project,” she said. “There are many signs in the museum that some people don’t ever look at and we think it’s an opportunity to get better.”
Education is a key component behind the presentation upgrades, which will involve a weeklong training seminar for nonprofits and other area agencies, Weisner said.
Potential partners would include the Sturgis One-Room School & Heritage House, the Costen House Museum and the Mar-Va Theater, Weisner said.
“Anybody that can benefit from doing better interpretation,” she said.
Although still in the planning stages, Weisner said a training seminar would be scheduled during early 2018 with Jay Miller, president of the American Association of Interpreters.
“He is the national expert on interpreters,” she said. “He’ll teach us how to think as a visitor – not as a subject-matter expert.”
While proper signage may be an afterthought to some, Weisner said there is actually an art and science to word choice and presentation.
“Is it good for children and adults?” she said. “Just because we have signage doesn’t mean it’s the best wording [or] the best location.”
Recognizing an area of need, Weisner opted to pursue grant funding.
“We know enough to be mindful when we need help,” she said. “We knew we weren’t properly trained to do it right, so we wanted to go after this grant.”
The sign improvements will ideally be implemented in time for the nation’s longest-running traditional arts event, which will begin a three-year run in Salisbury next September, Weisner said.
“One of the big impetuses for this grant is the National Folk Festival’s coming to Salisbury in 2018,” she said.
In June the National Council for the Traditional Arts, which produces the festival, announced Salisbury had been chosen from 34 competing cities as the host site from the event from 2018-2020.
According to the group’s website, the festival has taken place in 28 cities since its inception in 1934. Festival producers said the three-day free, outdoor multicultural celebration draws upwards of 150,000 attendees with an economic impact ranging from $15-$30 million dollars.
“If they come to Salisbury they’ll come to Pocomoke,” she said.
Regardless of attracting overflow from neighboring events, Weisner said the end game is about the end user.
“We want to create the better visitor experience for everybody,” she said. “We want multi-generational families to come.”
The Delmarva Discovery Center is open seven days a week, 361 days a year. Hours of operation are Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 12-4 p.m. For more information, visit www.delmarvadiscoverycenter.org.
Stacey Weisner, museum president and CEO, said the center was awarded a state grant of more than $40,000 for a project to improve the guest experience, which could also impact numerous nonprofits in the area.
“That’s for an interpretation and signage project,” she said. “There are many signs in the museum that some people don’t ever look at and we think it’s an opportunity to get better.”
Education is a key component behind the presentation upgrades, which will involve a weeklong training seminar for nonprofits and other area agencies, Weisner said.
Potential partners would include the Sturgis One-Room School & Heritage House, the Costen House Museum and the Mar-Va Theater, Weisner said.
“Anybody that can benefit from doing better interpretation,” she said.
Although still in the planning stages, Weisner said a training seminar would be scheduled during early 2018 with Jay Miller, president of the American Association of Interpreters.
“He is the national expert on interpreters,” she said. “He’ll teach us how to think as a visitor – not as a subject-matter expert.”
While proper signage may be an afterthought to some, Weisner said there is actually an art and science to word choice and presentation.
“Is it good for children and adults?” she said. “Just because we have signage doesn’t mean it’s the best wording [or] the best location.”
Recognizing an area of need, Weisner opted to pursue grant funding.
“We know enough to be mindful when we need help,” she said. “We knew we weren’t properly trained to do it right, so we wanted to go after this grant.”
The sign improvements will ideally be implemented in time for the nation’s longest-running traditional arts event, which will begin a three-year run in Salisbury next September, Weisner said.
“One of the big impetuses for this grant is the National Folk Festival’s coming to Salisbury in 2018,” she said.
In June the National Council for the Traditional Arts, which produces the festival, announced Salisbury had been chosen from 34 competing cities as the host site from the event from 2018-2020.
According to the group’s website, the festival has taken place in 28 cities since its inception in 1934. Festival producers said the three-day free, outdoor multicultural celebration draws upwards of 150,000 attendees with an economic impact ranging from $15-$30 million dollars.
“If they come to Salisbury they’ll come to Pocomoke,” she said.
Regardless of attracting overflow from neighboring events, Weisner said the end game is about the end user.
“We want to create the better visitor experience for everybody,” she said. “We want multi-generational families to come.”
The Delmarva Discovery Center is open seven days a week, 361 days a year. Hours of operation are Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 12-4 p.m. For more information, visit www.delmarvadiscoverycenter.org.