FW: [Bcma-l] Guided Tours with Headsets]
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:04:49 -0700
This shows my age, but the best audio tour I can recall was in upper New
York State in 1969 at Hyde Park, ancestral home of Franklin and Eleanor
Roosevelt. The equipment that guided you through the mansion room by room
was a shoulder strap-on wire recording device that was a bit awkward and
heavy, but it sure did its job.
The US National Historic Parks Service had recorded Eleanor as she
walked throughout the building. In each room she reminisced about their
family life (including the dreaded mother-in-law), and by the time the tour
ended, the mansion seemed alive from the 1920s to the early 60s, when she
died.
Here was one of my historic personages still "alive" and able to share
with me details of her daily life. The authenticity was dazzling!
So, record if you wish, and hire scriptwriters if you must, but always
try to locate and tape people who actually lived or worked there - and the
more recognizable an historic figure, the better!
Dan Gallacher
---- Original Message -----
From: <bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>
To: <bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2008 10:42 AM
Subject: Re: FW: [Bcma-l] Guided Tours with Headsets]
> The most effective "audio tour" I ever experienced was in a historic
> Kansas flour mill of several floors. Each floor had a taped voice
> speaking through a speaker system with information about that floor. The
> messages were 2.3 minutes each with 3 minutes of space between each
> repeat. It suited the place perfectly. You could hear the muffled voice
> sounds from other floors through all the openings, so there was a sense of
> animation to the whole place.
>
> However, the best part was that the messages were so succinct and
> interesting. Right to the point every time, and memorable. The museum
> director said they decided to hire the top Local Radio Disk Jockey to
> write and read the scripts, working in consultation with staff for
> information and accuracy. They figured a radio disk jockey knew best how
> to communicate effectively with an unseen general audience. It really
> worked.
>
> A bonus was that once he got into working on the project he became hooked
> on history and emerged as a dedicated museum supporter, giving lots of
> personal and air time to the place.
>
> Cuyler Page
> (a believer in live interpreters)
> Craigflower Historic Site
> 1806 Admirals Road
> Victoria, BC, V9A 0B2
> (250) 386-1606
> cpag@conservancy.bc.ca
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>
> To: <bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2008 9:16 AM
> Subject: Re: FW: [Bcma-l] Guided Tours with Headsets]
>
>
>
> I'm interested to know what you find out about the use of headsets. With
> our
> limited staff we find it difficult to give everyone a personal tour around
> our museum. In addition some people don't want the tour at all, but maybe
> they would use a headset??? It might be nice to provide another option to
> our visitors and doesn't necessarily mean that you don't offer tours.
> Having
> a pre-recorded tour would also be a good training tool for our summer
> staff.
>
> Lorna Dishkin
> Bella Coola Valley Museum
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>
> To: "BCMA-L" <bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca>
> Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 10:43 AM
> Subject: [Fwd: FW: [Bcma-l] Guided Tours with Headsets]
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
>
> I appreciate you comment HOWEVER, staff will have more of an opportunity
> to visit and chat with our visitors.
>
> Sites also need to start recognizing that it is going to become very
> very difficult to find staff, we need to be prepared for the change.
>
> We will always have staff, but need to be more strategic as to how we
> are going to utilize their expertise.Â
>
>
>
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>
> Debbie Arnott
>
> General Manager
>
>
> Community Futures Sun Country //
>
> Box 1480, 203 Railway Avenue Phone: (250) 453-9165
>
> Ashcroft, BC Fax:
> (250) 453-9500
>
> www.cfdcsuncountry.bc.ca Toll Free:
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>
> *From:* Historic Hat Creek Ranch [mailto:hhcr@telus.net]
> *Sent:* Friday, April 04, 2008 3:31 PM
> *To:* Debra Arnott
> *Subject:* Fw: [Bcma-l] Guided Tours with Headsets
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> *From:* bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
> <mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>
>
> *To:* bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca <mailto:bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca>
>
> *Sent:* Thursday, April 03, 2008 6:58 PM
>
> *Subject:* Re: [Bcma-l] Guided Tours with Headsets
>
>
>
> We eschew this form of touring as it does not involve human contact,
> also creates a situation where guides are no longer needed, not a good
> message to send to funding agencies.
>
> Live people are best!
>
> --
> Larry A. Ewashen
> Doukhobor Discovery Centre
> 112 Heritage Way
> Castlegar BC V1N 4M5
> www.Doukhobor-Museum.org <http://www.Doukhobor-Museum.org>
> 250-365-5327
>
>
> On 03/04/2008, *bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
> <mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>* <bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
> <mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca>> wrote:
>
> We are thinking of introducing 'Guided Tours' with the use of Headsets,
> for our visitors to the Historic Roadhouse. We would be grateful for
> the opportunity to contact anyone who is currently using this method of
> touring.
>
>
>
> Liza Curran
> General Manager
> Historic Hat Creek Ranch
> P.O. Box 878, Junction Hwy 97 & 99
> Cache Creek, BC V0K 1H0
> Phone: 250-457-9722
> Fax: 250-457-9311
> E-mail: hhcr@telus.net <mailto:hhcr@telus.net>
> Website: www.hatcreekranch.com <http://www.hatcreekranch.com/>
>
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