Preliminary Ideas.

1. What is heritage?

Rather than tackle this broad question head on, it is probably better to enumerate a range of things that are counted as 'heritage':

1.1 Heritage as Leisure and Tourism Sites.

When heritage is referred to in the context of leisure activities, it usually implies a site to be visited (and usually paid for) and a place where people gather to be educated or entertained.

Collections.

• National museums of rare artifacts of historical significance, e.g. the British Museum.
• Themed national museums, e.g. the Imperial War Museum.
• National art galleries, eg. the Tate Gallery.
• Regional variants on the above, on a smaller scale and with more local focus, e.g. county museums.
• Specialised museums run by enthusiasts on small budgets, e.g. steam railways.
• Open air museums which show artifacts in their settings, e.g. museums of rural life.
• Living museums, with 'actors' role-playing people from the past.

Themed Heritage Centres.

• Animatronic 'experiences', e.g. Jorvik, the Oxford Experience, a Day at the Wells.
• Centres for recreating past events and lives, e.g. Kentwell Hall.
• Theme parks with a historical emphasis, e.g. Fritton Countryworld.

Other Sites.

• Country houses and grounds, e.g. Audley End.
• Cathedrals, abbeys and churches, e.g. Canterbury Cathedral.
• Heritage landscapes, e.g. Hatfield Forest.
• Sacred sites, e.g. Stonehenge, Glastonbury Tor.
• Battle sites, e.g. the Battle of Maldon site.
• Historic streets and town houses.
• Public art works and monuments.

Some local examples for you to think about:

• Collections: Chelmsford and Essex Museum, Colchester Castle Museum, Braintree Museum, Billericay Cater Museum.
• Country Houses: Audley End, Ingatestone Hall, Layer Marney Towers, Hylands House.
• Heritage landscapes: Hatfield Forest, Norsey Woods, Marks Hall Estate, Hylands Park.

There are many others - go to the tourist office in the County Council headquarters, or consult the Essex Record Office.

The group assignment specifies that you must choose a site such as those listed above for your subject. Get together in groups of 3 or 4 and choose a local or easily accessible site for you to study. It is probably best to draw up a list candidates under each of the headings above and gradually whittle it down until you think you have a suitable site. Remember, it should be a site associated with a fair amount of interpretative material for you to study, and it should also be possible for you to take plenty of photographs. Keep your list, as we will use it again next week.

1.2 Heritage as Cultural Inheritance.

Any set of objects, ideas, art, literature, etc. that come down from the past and give us a sense of identity and place in the world. This includes personal effects handed down over the generations of a family.

The individual assignment allows you to broaden your range of subjects to general cultural inheritance if you wish. Go through the same selection procedure individually as you did in your group. Again, remember that you will have to rely heavily on pre-existing interpretative material, so choose your subject with this in mind.

2. Why Does Heritage Require Interpretation?

Objects from the past do not carry a meaning on their own. They have to be set in some context if they are to make sense for a visitor and give an experience of having 'touched history'. An object from the past can usually be interpreted in many different ways and give different impressions and feelings. The design and management of this process is the subject of specialised subjects such as 'museology' or 'heritage studies', and effective heritage interpretations have to be carefully thought out.

3. What Role Can Multimedia Play in Heritage Interpretation?

Multimedia has several key features in the interpretation of heritage:

• large amounts of interpretative material can be made available at small, convenient points of delivery (at kiosks, in museum education rooms, on web sites, for sale on cd-rom, etc.);
• interpretative materials can be structured more flexibly than in a physical exhibition;
• conflicting interpretations can be given equal prominence and be the subject of exploration;
• a wide range of media can be used to give vivid experiences and impressions;
• 'unofficial' interpretations of sites (e.g. new age views of Stonehenge) can be given a fair hearing without causing conflict;
• rare archival materials can be made available without risk;
• restricted sites (those which might be damaged by visitors) may be made available for 'virtual tours', as can destroyed sites;
• a 'virtual visit' may be made available to anyone, irrespective of geographical location or physical disability.