Museums and historic sites are magical places where people come to explore and learn and interact. But history should never be limited to these buildings. There are myriad ways to tell stories across the urban and rural landscape. Here are a few of our favourites. This one was especially impressive. The footprint of the now-vanishedContinue reading “Steal this Idea: History on the Street”
Tag Archives: Heritage
Steal This Idea: Themed Playgrounds
At North Wind we are a big fan of the maxim “sufficiently advanced learning is indistinguishable from play” (even if we don’t remember who originally said it!). Recently we have started to see a lot of museum-adjacent playgrounds and museum playspaces who have created infrastructure for play that resonates with appropriate themes. Ship-shaped play structureContinue reading “Steal This Idea: Themed Playgrounds”
New training module: Tools for Inclusivity and Accessibility for Neurodiverse Audiences in Heritage Interpretation
How do you prepare your interpreters, tour guides, and educators to support neurodiverse students and audiences? We have a new module that can help. Through our careers, Barbara and I have met and associated with many diverse professionals with expertise and presenting skill. One of them has recently developed a presentation that will be ofContinue reading “New training module: Tools for Inclusivity and Accessibility for Neurodiverse Audiences in Heritage Interpretation”
New training presentation: Beyond the Box and Panel
Barbara and I have relocated to New Zealand, but we’re still finding ways to continue training tour guides and telling stories. Having recently assumed the Manager position at Mangawhai Museum, I was asked by the local Rebus club to fill in for a cancelled speaker. The talk I gave was a new one. Beyond theContinue reading “New training presentation: Beyond the Box and Panel”
New training module: Giving Great Guided Tours
It’s interesting that some of our best modules come out of museum’s specific requests. In this case, Barbara’s new workplace, the Kauri Museum had a specific need. They only had two staff-members who knew how to give an introductory tour to the frankly massive facility, yet demand was only increasing. Tom sat down with BarbaraContinue reading “New training module: Giving Great Guided Tours”
New history talks: 30 minute exciting presentations for when you’ve only got a brief slot to fill
Don’t have time for a whole hour of history? Based on some specific requests, we have added two more 30 minute presentations to our menu. I suspect these will just whet your whistle for a longer talk, but sometimes you just need a few good stories! TOSS ‘EM INTO THE RIVER: Vigilantes in 19th CenturyContinue reading “New history talks: 30 minute exciting presentations for when you’ve only got a brief slot to fill”
New History Talks: BC and Christmas History
We’re very happy to announce a few new historical presentations available. A TALE OF TWO VANCOUVERS: 1846, BC, Washington, Oregon and the West That Wasn’t. Length: 1 hour.Recommended audience: 3-30 personsDelivered via: Zoom; Google Meets. Where does British Columbia’s name come from? How was Washington state nearly part of Confederation? What is the connection between one of Canada’s greatest blues-rock bands, anContinue reading “New History Talks: BC and Christmas History”
Two new interpretive training modules!
We just enjoy the virtual medium so much, we can’t stop. Check out our training page, for two new interpretive training modules. THE INTERPRETER’S TOOLBOX: Tours, Demonstrations, Conversations and When to Use Them Length: 1 hour. Recommended audience: 3-10 persons Delivered via: Zoom, Google Meets. To a tour guide, everyone looks like an audience withContinue reading “Two new interpretive training modules!”
Interpre-Memes: Part 2
More training tools for interpreters that go beyond a dry text-heavy document. Find the other Intrepre-Memes here. This is one is one of my favourites, even if it comes from the author of “White Man’s Burden”. The next was a recent discovery while reading Tolkien’s Letters. It is, I will admit, written a very OxfordContinue reading “Interpre-Memes: Part 2”
Review: A Tale of Three Hills and Two Monuments
I want to tell you about the three kopjes in South Africa, each with its own museum on top. (You could visit my 2017 travel blog here if you were so inclined). The Voortrekker Monument atop a tall hill (or kopje) caught my eye because of its colonial and “pioneer” narrative and I wanted toContinue reading “Review: A Tale of Three Hills and Two Monuments”
North Wind Heritage Consulting 