English Heritage Appoint MEL Research To Evolve Interpretation Framework & Transition to Qualitative Evaluation
MEL Research are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded the contract for a groundbreaking interpretation evaluation project on behalf of English Heritage. The project aims to transform English Heritage’s approach to assessing the success of interpretation schemes and improving the visitor experience across its diverse range of historical sites.
English Heritage, each year, invests in a variety of interpretation projects to enhance how the stories of their historic places are brought to life for visitors. These projects range from smaller panel schemes to grand museum and site interpretation endeavours, with investments spanning from £3,000 to £450,000.
Historically, English Heritage has utilised both quantitative and qualitative visitor research to evaluate interpretation projects. However, moving forward, the organisation has decided to focus on qualitative research to develop a more comprehensive and robust understanding of the visitor experience of interpretation changes. This shift will allow for a larger-scale qualitative assessment that can delve deeper into the multi-layered and nuanced nature of interpretation, catering to the individual visitor and context of the site and the developments that were delivered in interpretation.
“English Heritage bring the story of England to life for millions of people each year and excellent interpretation is a key part of ensuring that visitors get the best of sites where interpretation exists. We are looking forward to helping ensure that English Heritage can measure and maximise the value of their interpretation projects as part of this hugely exciting brief!”
MEL Research’s role will be two-fold. First, to qualitatively evaluate a number of new interpretation schemes, providing learnings and insights at both site and EH levels. Second, to define a new qualitative regime that will assess the success of each individual interpretation project across English Heritage’s portfolio, this year and in the future. This new approach will become the core of English Heritage’s reporting on their investment in these schemes, facilitating better decision-making and more targeted improvements in the future.
The projects to be included in the research encompass a diverse range of English Heritage sites, including:
Wroxeter Roman City: The Heart of a Roman City
Marble Hill House: Marble Hill Revived
Richborough Roman Fort: Gateway to Britannia
Warkworth Castle and Hermitage: Secrets in Stone
Lindisfarne Priory: Illuminating Lindisfarne
Stonehenge – Circles of Stone temporary exhibition
Launceston Castle
Conservation in Action at Hurst Castle and Dover Castle and CiA camper van in the research.
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