Attachment N Interpretive Plan.pdf

Interpretive Plan

Update as of December 9, 2019

Capitol History Gateway Interpretive Plan Update December 9, 2019 ii

Table of Contents

Summary

Interpretive Goals and Messages

Key Changes to Context

Recommendations Introduction Pre-Visit Experience Travel Experience Arrival Experience Primary Experience Departure Experience Post-Visit Experience

Recommended Phasing

Appendix A: Ideas Gathered and Considered

Introduction The initial Interpretive Plan for the Capitol History Gateway was completed in 2014. Since that time several changes, most notably implementation of most of the strategies recommended in the first two phases of the plan, and the construction of the visitor space where the staff offices were previously located, have resulted in a need to update the Interpretive Plan to identify the next set of strategies to be implemented.

For the purposes of this document, the space recently created to house elements of the Capitol History Gateway is termed the ‘Welcome/Gateway Center.’ That is a working title only. The term ‘Welcome Center’ was considered, however Travel Oregon uses this title for their designated Visitor Centers on the Oregon border. Further discussion with Travel Oregon is required.

In reading this plan it is important to understand a few key points:

1. These are recommendations to Legislative Administration. It is not a plan reflecting what will be approved.

2. The Capitol was originally designed to house a working government. Space for visitor opportunities is limited, and any additional opportunities cannot interfere with the work that goes on in the building.

3. The context in which the visitor opportunities function is not static and can change at any moment. Thus, modular exhibit elements are preferred over those that are built in place.

4. Design concepts have not been included. Those will be developed on an as-needed basis when it comes time to implement a particular interpretive opportunity.

Process The approach to update the plan began with updating the ‘Gauntlet”, because it is the tool that is used to evaluate ideas. The Gauntlet consists of the following series of questions:

1. Will the suggested opportunity work for one or more of our target Audiences?

2. Will it help make progress towards Goals and Objectives?

3. Can it be developed and maintained under our Parameters, which includes the question of whether it can function well with the constraints of being in a working building and not a museum or similar type of facility?

4. Is it consistent with or does it help send the key messages?

5. Does it take advantage of opportunities (available visuals)?

Updating the Gauntlet began with working with the OSCF History Committee to confirm that the goals, messages and target audiences had not changed, and identify key changes in parameters that affect the Interpretive Network. All the key changes fell in the category of ‘Parameters.’ After updating the Gauntlet, a series of brainstorming sessions with the History Committee were held to gather ideas. In addition, a specialist in digital and other new information delivery technologies was retained to identify interpretive opportunities that could be more effective if more advanced technologies were used, and to estimate the cost for developing those opportunities. Stakeholder meetings were held with the Legislative Administrator, Chief Clerk of the House, Secretary of the Senate, and the Commission on

Summary

Indian Services Director, to gather additional ideas and information that would be used to identify key opportunities in the building.

All ideas were then evaluated using the updated Gauntlet. If the answer was ‘yes’ to all the questions, the idea was seriously considered. If the answer to any of the questions was ‘no,’ the idea was not included in the upcoming phases. That is not to say that all ideas were rejected entirely. Some, although good ideas, were not considered to be as effective as the ones recommended in this version of the plan.

A list of ideas considered is included in Appendix A.

Given the desire to move quickly on the Welcome/Gateway Center (the space created from office space used by Visitor Services), an initial document was developed, at the request of the Foundation, focusing on recommendations for the Welcome/Gateway Center and for closely associated interpretive elements, which included an application for touring the building and possible changes to the East side of the Galleria. There was no attempt in that document to cover all recommendations for future phases, such as interpretive opportunities for the vestibules created by the new secure entryways, or recommendations for the areas designated for interpretive opportunities in the House and Senate lobbies, although in the case of the latter an idea for an interactive was included.

Recommendations for the Welcome/Gateway Center were refined, and a Request for Proposal was put out to design, fabricate and install the interpretive elements recommended for that space. Also, the decision was made to continue the focus on Oregon’s cultural diversity for the 2021 Window Case Exhibit. Completing the plan required evaluating all other ideas to determine which ones would be most cost-effective, with effectiveness reflecting progress towards the goals of the Capitol History Gateway.

This submittal is the draft final version of recommendations to Legislative Administration. Following review, it will be modified to create a update interpretive plan document.

Summary of Recommended Interpretive Opportunities The complete list of major visitor interpretive opportunities recommended in this plan cover only the next 5 years. It is anticipated that at that time another update will be needed due to changes brought on by advancements in technology and on the presence of visitor opportunities that have been implemented. Recommendations are listed below in no particular order.

Recommended visitor opportunities

1. All visitor opportunities in the new Welcome/Gateway Center include the following:

• Oregon Map Interactive Exhibit for accessing information on other places to go in Oregon that relate to the history of Oregon and can provide additional supporting stories;

• Cultural Groups Interactive Exhibit for accessing information on other places to go in Oregon that provide supporting stories that relate more to a specific cultural group;

• Oregon Tribes Interactive;

• Welcome Wall; and a

• Visit Planning Station (this involves re-purposing a few of the exhibits currently on the pods in the Galleria).

2. Digital Interactive History Timeline (exact location and size TBD).

3. Senate and House Exhibits for the cut-out / closet areas adjacent to the House and Senate lobbies on the second floor that were identified in the original plan (refer to diagram on page 24).

4. 2021 Window Case Exhibit – focus on cultural groups with impact on Oregon’s history.

5. 2023 Window Case Exhibit – focus to be determined.

6. A ‘Selfie’ opportunity.

7. A CHG Explorer’s Augmented Reality Application (App) for use on a visitor’s iPad, iPhone or other device for gathering information by using images and features in the Capitol to activate on-line information.

8. Adapting the new universal access entrances for use in staging school tours (on a temporary basis).

9. Re-purposing interpretive content currently on pods in the East Galleria, some of which will be in the Visit Planning Station in the Welcome/Gateway Center.

10. Upgrades to the website subject to Legislative Administration’s Information Technology parameters.

11. Exhibits for the 3rd floor phone booths near the Senate and House viewing areas.

The following are the goals and messaging established for the Interpretive Network for the Capitol History Gateway. They were derived from the Purpose, Core Values, Mission, and Goals of the CHG that were established in the 2011 Strategic Plan, which was completed in 2011. They were reviewed but remain unchanged from the initial plan.

Primary Interpretive Goal and Associated Messages Working from the mandates of the Strategic Plan, the following was identified as the primary goal for the interpretive network:

Increase participation in Oregon's democracy.

The range of involvement in Oregon's democracy of those visiting the Capitol will include every level, from running for office to those who don't vote. Rather than identifying a specific level of involvement to be achieved, the program will focus on motivating each visitor to increase his or her level of participation.

Associated messages to communicate in the interpretive program For people to be willing to participate in Oregon's democracy they have to believe the following key points:

Message 1. The quality of my life has been and continues to be shaped by what happens in Oregon's government.

Message 2. It is people [like me] who make a difference by shaping history in ways that make a difference in the quality of life we [I] enjoy.

Message 3. It is easy to get involved in Oregon's democracy.

Discussion Basically, if people do not value government, and what government is doing according to their value system (which should be reflected in their lifestyles), they are not likely to take any action. They also have to believe that their actions can have impact.

To foster the belief in impact, the interpretive program must show how people from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds have made a difference in Oregon's past, present and future through involvement in Oregon's democracy, so every visitor will find someone represented that he or she can identify with.

To create the perception that the impact will be of value to that person, the interpretive program must

Interpretive Goals and Messages connect in some way with the beliefs, values and goals of people from differing backgrounds and cultural heritage. Finally, the easier it seems to get involved, the more likely someone will do so.

Desired Outcomes Specific quantifiable Desired Outcomes associated with this goal include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. An increase in the percentage of visitors who know their State Representative and Senator (facilitates involvement).

2. An increase in the percentage of visitors who are aware of the roles they can play in getting an idea in front of the legislature.

3. *An increase in the willingness of visitors to increase their level of involvement in Oregon's democracy. (This would be measured using a Likert-type scale on a pre- and post-implementation survey).

4. An increase in the percentage of visitors who perceive that they can have an impact through the democratic process.

5. An increase in the percentage of visitors who can identify three ways in which government has directly influenced their quality of life.

*We actually want an increase in participation, but that is difficult to test and so is not as useful as a desired outcome.

Secondary Interpretive Goal and Associated Messages As an important state historical site with significant attraction power located in the center of Salem, the Capitol History Gateway can function as a hub of a network of interpretive opportunities focused on Oregon's history, especially as it relates to government. In other words, it can function as a 'gateway' to Oregon's history by capitalizing on interest generated through telling the story of the history of Oregon's government to send people to other sites in Oregon to learn more. The additional effort in developing the interpretive program for the State Capitol is minimal, but the return could be significant. It could strengthen partnerships with other organizations involved in interpreting Oregon's history and help foster an interest in preserving that history, which could lead to support for preserving evidence (artifacts) of our history, including the State Capitol Building and many of the artifacts it contains. With that in mind, the following has been identified as a secondary goal for the interpretive network:

Increase interest in Oregon's history, and especially in the history of government.

The range of interest for those visiting the Capitol will include every level from those who have no interest and are not coming to learn anything to those who are already an enthusiast. Rather than identifying a specific level of interest to be achieved or a minimum of additional actions related to history, the program will focus on motivating each visitor to go beyond what they were planning or willing to do in regards to learning about Oregon's government or history when they entered the doors.

Associated messages to communicate in the interpretive program One way to increase interest is to increase the pride in the state. To that end, the interpretive program will communicate the following message:

Message 4: Oregon has long been a fertile ground for ideas and innovation, resulting in groundbreaking achievements that affect people within and outside the state.

Another approach to generating interest is to foster the belief that knowing their history is of value in their lives. To that end the interpretive program will communicate the following message:

Message 5: It is important and of value for you [me] to know Oregon's history.

A good approach for generating interest by children in any aspect of their world is for them to understand the following point:

Message 6: You can discover stories of the past by 'reading' it in the world around you.

Discussion Communicating Message 4, focused on the groundbreaking achievements of the state, will foster a geocentric view that is a basis for taking pride in Oregon, which may lead to an increased sense of value for the state and consequently more interest in the government. It may also cause people to re-consider ideas that they may have discarded as being far-fetched. Good storylines include passing the Bottle Bill and establishing the beach as belonging to the public.

Communicating Message 5, on the importance of valuing history, should increase a sense of value in preserving history and its artifacts, such as the Capitol Building. Ideally, the supporting stories would answer the questions: "Why is it important for a resident to know the history of the state?" Why would it be valuable for visitors to continue their education into Oregon's history by visiting other historic sites?" and "What is valuable about knowing your cultural heritage?" The answers must reflect the value system of the target audience.

Message 6, focusing on the connection between what we see and experience in our daily lives and past events, is often a focal point for getting children interested in history by making them 'detectives of the landscape.' Good storylines include the architecture of the Capitol, reflecting the social context of the time in which it was built; the old promenade to the west reflecting the original orientation of the Capitol building, and reflecting a time period when the river was the major highway; and the seam in the concrete reflecting the reinforcement of the dome after an earthquake.

Desired Outcomes Specific quantifiable Desired Outcomes associated with this secondary goal include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. An increase in the percentage of visitors expressing significant interest in the Oregon Story (this will require a pre-implementation survey to use as a baseline);

2. An increase in the number of visitors taking part in multiple interpretive opportunities in the Capitol within a single visit;

3. An increase in the percentage of visitors who engage in interpretive opportunities within State Capitol State Park during or as a result of a trip to the Capitol; and

4. An increase in the number of people who return, and/or bring family and friends specifically to participate in the interpretive opportunities.

Additional desired outcomes associated with this interpretive goal will be identified during this phase of the planning process through soliciting additional input from stakeholders and others involved with developing the plan.

Note: It is likely that if we are successful in achieving this goal, other organizations and historic sites will experience positive impacts in terms of more visitation and support in the form of memberships, donations and volunteers.

The following section notes key changes to the parameters, which constitute the context in which the interpretive network must be developed and under which it must function. Everything else that affects the Interpretive Plan – Goals, Messages, Target Audiences and Interpretive Features – remains essentially the same.

Significant Changes The biggest changes since the previous plan was completed include:

The new Welcome/Gateway Center. The staff offices became the Welcome/Gateway Center (working title) for visitors, and Room 148 became staff offices, which meant that the Timeline Exhibit originally identified for Room 148 needed to move to a different space. (Note that some elements of the Timeline Exhibit, such as the Gateway function and information on the history of the Capitol, have now been addressed in other interpretive opportunities recommended in this plan. However, the bulk of the information on history of Oregon still needs to be presented in some way.)

The new universal access entryways on each side of the main north entrance. These are large areas that could possibly be used in some way. However, the space has already been identified as a location to conduct security checks when warranted. In addition, people moving through these spaces may not feel they have begun their actual Capitol experience and may therefore be less willing to stop. As noted previously, the first location desired by visitors is typically the restroom, which adds to a potential reluctance to stop. Finally, only a small percentage of independent visitors, and students on school tours, will enter through these doors. Anything available in these spaces would need to be duplicated somewhere in a visitor Arrival Experience when coming through revolving doors on the other side of the building and when entering through State St. doors on the south side of the building.

Allowing visitors to walk approximately 5 feet into the House and Senate chambers when the Legislature is not in session. This experience gives people a better sense of the chamber, and perhaps a sense of the importance of the work done in the building.

Advancements in information delivery technology, and with it, audiences who are comfortable with forms of new media and who prefer to use them.

Designating part of the East Galleria for use by the Capitol History Gateway. Although the East Galleria still has a monitor to show hearings to handle overflow of people wanting to view a hearing, and a desk and copy machine used during legislative session, space is available for revolving exhibits, the environmentally controlled exhibit case, and possibly other visitor interpretive opportunities. Note that the interpretive pods are currently located in this space.

Implementation of most of the visitor opportunities identified in the original Interpretive Plan. This has significantly upgraded the interpretive experience for visitors and filled most of the floor spaces

Key Changes to Context available for exhibits and other interpretive opportunities. This is perhaps the biggest change to the context in which any new interpretive opportunities must function.

The following is a list of CHG projects implemented since the Interpretive Plan was completed:

CHG Projects implemented since the Interpretive Plan was completed:

• Branding Guidelines

• Self-Serve Orientation Station (pod)

• Visitor Map

• State Capitol Trip Planner

• Self-guided Walking Tour Guide

• State Capitol State Park Brochure (Designed and paid for by Oregon Parks and Recreation

Department)

• Capitol History Gateway Website

• Training Program for Tour Guides (National Association for Interpretation Certified Interpretive

Guide Training – CIG)

• Information Sourcebook for Tour Guides

• Pathway of Discovery Virtual Tour

• Window Case Exhibit “Oregonians Making a Difference” (2015-16)

• Window Case Exhibit “Our Shared Heritage” (2017-18)

• Window Case Exhibit “Out Shared Heritage” (2019-20)

• ‘Can You Find Me’ Exhibit (pod) and associated brochure

• ‘Legislation in Your Life’ Exhibit (pod)

• ‘You Can Make a Difference’ Exhibit (pod)

• ‘Getting Involved’ Exhibit (pod)

• Videos – Eight 60-second videos introducing the Capitol experience

• Phone Booth Exhibit

• 5th Floor Hallway Exhibit

• Teacher’s Resource Packet

• Exhibit Case Interior Remodel (replaced lining, removed dividers giving option (1-4 boxes per case), updated to LED, UV film on windows

• ‘Art of the People’ electronic Exhibit

• Tower and Observation Deck Interpretive Panels

• Repurposed “Oregonians Making a Difference” as a temporary exhibit for the

Welcome/Gateway Center

• Travel Beach Bill Exhibit

• Revolving Exhibit Program

Ongoing projects:

• Special Events

• Speaker Series

CHG Projects that are underway:

• 2021-22 Window Case Exhibit

• Legislative Database Project (Chief Clerk Project)

• Oral History Project (OSCF Contract)

• Outreach (Travel Salem, Travel Oregon, Heritage Forum, Festival Association, Go 365 Downtown, Streetscapes, Special Event Partners (20-25 per event)

• Advertising and Marketing Campaigns

• State Capitol State Park Interpretive Tour

• Art of the Time of the People Capitol Art Collection Interpretive Tour

Summary of Key Factors Affecting the Recommendations The following is a summary of key factors that affected the decisions for recommendations in this plan.

They include the changes to the Context just noted, plus additional factors that did not appear in the section on changes in context because they are more subjective in nature.

1. Virtually all interpretive opportunities recommended for Phase 1 and 2 of the initial interpretive plan have been implemented, which significantly alters the visitor experience.

2. A new space dedicated to a Welcome/Gateway Center experience was constructed. The space was formerly occupied by Visitor Services offices and will include significant trip planning, interpretive and extended learning strategies being developed for that space.

3. The Information Kiosk in the passageway between the old and new sections of the building was remodeled to accommodate twice as many staff at the same time, which – combined with the opportunity for visitors arriving from the north entryway to enter the new Welcome/Gateway Center without passing completely through the passageway between the old and new sections of the building – potentially will significantly decrease the congestion in that area.

4. The secure entryways in the front of the building contain vestibules with wall and floor space that could be used at least on a temporary basis as part of a visitor experience. Wiring was added to those spaces during the construction phase to provide the option to include visual programs of some sort. Note that this space was designed for equipment and personnel for conducting security screening, so that space may be taken for that purpose at any time.

5. Space in the Galleria immediately outside the doors to the Welcome/Gateway Center has been designated for use by a Revolving Exhibit. In addition, a climate-controlled exhibit case has been made available for use as part of the Revolving Exhibit and is now a free-standing element located in the East Galleria.

6. The Interpretive Exhibit Pods will be eliminated from the Galleria floor, although the information is likely to be repurposed and used somewhere else in the Interpretive Network.

7. During a meeting of the History Committee on May 24th, 2018, attendees seemed comfortable locating the majority of the interpretive opportunities in the Galleria area in the new section and the first two floors of the older building because these areas receive the most visitation. Consequently, interpretive opportunities in these locations would be most likely to be used by visitors. The exception is the area outside the balcony viewing galleries on the 3rd floor. These areas are frequented by school children and others who want to view proceedings in the legislature.

8. Daron Hill, Legislative Administrator, indicated that it was extremely unlikely that any interpretive opportunities would be allowed to be located in the 1937 historical portion of the building’s east and west side hallways in the first floor at this time, a possibility that had been suggested. He also felt that there was little, if any, physical space in the building that could be used for additional CHG interpretive opportunities at this time. The consequence of this factor is a need to determine how to deliver interpretive content without taking much, if any, physical space.

9. Interpretive opportunities that take up floor space in the Galleria will be limited to the East Galleria. In addition, at this time the East Galleria contains a monitor for viewing hearings (overflow space), an information desk and a copy station. Currently this renders most, of the east wall (copy station area) unusable for interpretive opportunities.

10. Areas outside the Senate and House Lobby on the 2nd floor (closets with wall cutouts - see page 24 drawing) remained after the new stairwells were installed and could potentially be used for the Senate and House exhibits recommended in the initial plan. Such exhibits will require working with members of the Senate and House, and the resulting exhibits will have to meet the approval of the Senate and House respectively.

11. The school tour currently includes spending a few minutes in the Chamber Gallery for the House and/or Senate. To access the door to the Gallery, groups pass by historic phone booths on the third floor, which are available for interpretive opportunities.

This section is organized based on the Visitor Experience for independent travelers, which begins before arriving at the State Capitol (Pre-Visit Experience) and ends after the visitor has left (Post-Visit Experience). A number of recommended visitor opportunities, notably those in the Welcome/Gateway Center, are already being developed, but have been included here because the cost involved in implementing all recommendations for that space is likely to require phasing, which affects the implementation schedule for the remaining elements.

Pre-Visit Experience

Current Experience The Pre-Visit Experience was upgraded significantly by changes to the Capitol History Gateway website, which now contains the following:

• A simple Visitor Map that includes the visitor areas of the building (within Self-Guided Walking Tours Guide).

• Self-Guided Walking Tours Guide. This publication provides orientation, wayfinding, and interpretive information for the self-guided walking tours.

• State Capitol Trip Planner. This publication is intended to contain suggested itineraries that include a menu of suggestions for experiencing the State Capitol, expanded itineraries that include local associated experiences and information on upcoming events.

• Audio Tour. This is an audio tour of the State Capitol using 360° photos.

• State Capitol Discovery Guide. This publication, geared to children and families, encourages users to 'detect' the stories of the cultural landscape by answering questions that require finding and viewing a feature.

• List of Special Events. The website provides information on upcoming events.

• Introductory Video. This provides an overview of the key stories told within the interpretive network, using features within the building and grounds as vehicles to tell the stories.

• Virtual Tour. This tour is more extensive than the Introductory Video. It offers a series of short programs focused on different areas/features of the Capitol and grounds to communicate the key stories and messages.

• A map and directions to the site.

• A gallery of photos.

• A teacher resource section.

• PDF versions of information about various places and features within the Capitol.

• Links that access the websites of attractions around the state that offer interpretive opportunities that offer complementary experiences to the ones in the Capitol.

• Links on the home page also access more detailed information for visitors to expand their understanding of Oregon's democracy and how to get involved.

Recommendations

Proposed Future Experience After implementing the recommended interpretive opportunities, in addition to the information already on the CHG website, potential visitors will be able to gather relevant information from the following:

CHG Explorer’s Augmented Reality Application (App) (or something similar). In concept, the App can be accessed on electronic devices, such as cell phones and tablets. The primary feature is an array of Augmented Reality opportunities that use existing images and features to trigger access to additional information. If technology allows, it could also contain wayfinding to the Capitol; wayfinding in the Capitol, and information on sites along the way to and from the Capitol that might be of interest.

Upgraded website The specialist in digital and other new information delivery strategies felt that the website could be improved further by implementing the following recommendations, all of which were explored as possibilities. Decisions based on the recommendations are included:

• Recommendation by New Media Specialist: Identify and move the Capitol History Gateway content out of the OregonLegislature.gov SharePoint site to its own external web platform. Note how Texas’ separate legislature (https://capitol.texas.gov) and visitor (https://tspb.texas.gov/prop/tc/tc/capitol.html) sites are tailored to each audience’s needs.

Decision / Comment: The recommendation was forwarded to Legislative Administration’s Information Technology Department (IT) for consideration

• Recommendation by New Media Specialist: Keep the OregonCapitol.com domain for the new website. Currently this domain redirects visitors to the Historic Gateway subsection of the Oregon Legislature site. (https://regonlegislature.gov/capitolhistorygateway).

Decision / Comment: As noted, the decision has been made that the Capitol History Gateway website will continue to reside where it is at this time.

• Recommendation by New Media Specialist: Improve the site’s organization, layout, and design to make it easier to find and get to all of its resources. The current website has a lot of great content and it’s kept very current, but a lot of the content feels buried. Moving to a separate site would enable significantly more flexibility towards improving the site’s design.

• Make the site multilingual. Consider using Google Translate to provide dynamic translations of the website.

• Make sure the site is ADA compliant and accessible to the visually impaired. This will also help search engines too.

• Include privacy and related policies on the website. The Texas Capitol site is a good example (https://tspb.texas.gov/spb/policies/policies.html).

• Think “mobile first” and use responsive web design to improve usability on mobile, tablet, and desktop. The current site does this somewhat, but there is room for significant improvement. Look to parts of the Texas Capitol (https://tspb.texas.gov/prop/tc/tc/capitol.html) and Travel Oregon (http://traveloregon.com) websites as benchmarks for usability and content.

https://regonlegislature.gov/capitolhistorygateway https://regonlegislature.gov/capitolhistorygateway https://tspb.texas.gov/spb/policies/policies.html https://tspb.texas.gov/spb/policies/policies.html

• Manage content using a Content Management System (CMS) such as Drupal, which is an open source (MySQL, PHP, Apache). Note that some content from the CMS would automatically feed the other Gateway interactives and signage (i.e. events and maps).

Decisions / Comments: The recommendations were forwarded to the Legislative Administration’s IT Department for consideration.

Travel Experience

Many visitors will use GPS to find the Capitol and then simply need to locate a parking space somewhere close to the building. For those not using GPS, the freeway contains limited signage indicating the exit to take to get to the Capitol. Although additional highway signage might be desirable, the Capitol already has the maximum number of signs possible along the freeway.

Proposed Future Experience The future experience is essentially the same because no new wayfinding elements are envisioned at this time.

Arrival Experience

The Arrival Experience was upgraded significantly by the redesign and relocation of the Information Kiosk, construction and development of the Welcome/Gateway Center, and development of visit planning opportunities, most of which are available on the interpretive exhibits in the Galleria. These include a new Oregon Map and a Plan Your Visit Exhibit. For visitors entering the primary entrance on the north side of the building, the word ‘Information’ on the surface above the passageway to the new section of the building is in line-of-sight, but is still relatively small and does not stand out significantly from the backdrop, so it can be easily missed. However, visitors are likely to see the Information Kiosk from the entry because it is also in direct line-of-sight. Because they can’t see restrooms or signs to restrooms, first-time visitors are likely to approach the kiosk with the location of the restrooms as one of their primary questions. Some may be diverted into the new Welcome/Gateway Center, while others may spot the Self-Serve Orientation Station Exhibit in the Galleria and try to get necessary information there instead of asking at the Information Kiosk.

Visitors entering from the south encounter the Self-Serve Orientation Station Exhibit first, so they are more likely to use it than visitors entering from the north. The Information Kiosk is in direct line-of-sight of visitors entering through these doors also so confusion on where to go is probably minimal at most.

Proposed Future Experience The Arrival Experience (and the Departure Experience) will be enhanced significantly by implementing the interpretive and visit planning opportunities recommended for the Welcome/Gateway Center, most of which are currently the focal point of a contract to develop and implement at least some of those visitor interpretive opportunities. The interpretive exhibits in the Galleria will be eliminated, but the visit planning information on the interpretive exhibits will be re-purposed and located in the Welcome/Gateway Center. In addition, the new universal entrances may contain elements that support the Capitol History Gateway.

New Universal Access Front Entrances The new universal access entrances are not major entrances but will be a part of the visitor experience for those who choose to enter this way. In the future the entrances may be part of the visitor experience for all visitors if everyone is eventually required to go through security screening. The areas are large spaces that could be used as part of a visitor experience. However, this space may be needed at any time for security screening, so use for part of the visitor experience must be considered temporary, and no infrastructure can be added that would make conversion to security screening difficult. In addition, since the entrances were constructed for universal access, staging groups cannot interfere with traffic flow and/or cause congestion in this area. The following recommendations reflect those parameters:

1. Add a branding element (such as the ‘waves of color’ currently used adjacent to the window cases as a backdrop for pictures depicting different people on their way to the Capitol. The pictures should reflect the diversity of Oregon’s population. (A similar concept is used along the walkways in the Eugene airport near the gates.)

2. Use part of the entrances as a staging area for school groups, while still providing universal access. This does not require any fixed features of any kind, other than a monitor on the wall, so it could be easily modified for security screening. Although no elements will be added to the floor, ideally each space would have a monitor that could display recorded greetings from Senators and Representatives from the same district as the school group. (As with all the strategies recommended for the Capitol History Gateway, use of this space for any purpose requires approval.)

Welcome/Gateway Center Note: Most of the opportunities identified in the following description of the visitor experience are currently being implemented.

Due to this space’s prime location and design, it is likely to be most effective in serving as part of the Arrival (Entry) Experience and the Departure (Exit) Experience. The following is a description of the Arrival Experience with associated visitor opportunities. The other elements in this space are included in the section on the Departure Experience.

As part of their Arrival Experience, the space must make visitors feel welcome, excite them about visiting the Capitol, and facilitate the visit by providing visit planning and orientation information. A typical Visitor Experience is not likely to include a long stay in this space because, as part of the Arrival Experience, visitors are motivated to move through it to begin their desired experience. As part of the Departure Experience, visitors have already made the decision to leave, and are not likely to linger. That works well because the space will function more effectively as part of the Arrival and Departure Experiences if it is not crowded. To further avoid congestion, this area was not considered as one to be used for interpretive strategies since it was likely to hold visitors for a longer amount of time.

Visitors approaching the new Information Kiosk are drawn into the new Welcome/Gateway Center (see figure 1 on next page) by a Welcome Wall just inside the glass doors. Located within the space will be a ‘Plan Your Visit,’ interactive exhibit which highlights the visitor experience including different self-guided and guided tour options of the Capitol and State Capitol State Park. The interactive exhibit will include existing content from the ‘Pathway of Discovery’ and ‘Can You Find Me’ brochures. Visitors will have the option of picking up printed materials or opening the self-guided tour app. After planning what they want to do and gathering whatever information they need, visitors move into the East Galleria to continue their experience.

*Note: One concept is a 3-dimensional feature with attraction power will help pull visitors into this space. It is not intended to have interpretive information because that could cause congestion in the middle of the room, which in turn would reduce its effectiveness as part of the Arrival and/or Departure Experience. The element should represent Oregon today rather than the Oregon of 1937, which precludes using a miniature version of the Oregon Pioneer. No matter how much it is presented as representing the pioneering spirit, it is still a Caucasian EuroAmerican.

Figure 1: Visitor Arrival Experience pathway

Welcome Wall This is not an interactive wall. The reasons are twofold. First, this is close enough to the visitor pathway that if people congregate in that location, it would cause congestion. Second, the cost for creating an interactive wall is significant, and this is not the highest priority for an interactive wall.

Interpretive Element: Plan Your Visit Station The Plan Your Visit Station will let people know that the tours start at the State Seal in the Rotunda.

Visitors can also download the CHG Explorer’s App, and obtain the publications available to support tours, such as the Walking Tour Brochure and ‘Can You Find Me’ brochure, along with information on how long each tour takes. (We may want to consider a publication-version of the ‘How an idea becomes a law’ Tour.) Information offered in those tours is also available on the Capitol History Gateway App.

In addition to tour information, the Station has the following:

• A Calendar of Events supported by a collage of images associated with upcoming events. As with other opportunities in this area, a visitor can obtain more information by pushing on one of the images. Also, as with other opportunities, information on events can be emailed to a visitor upon his or her request.

• Pathway of Discovery. This exhibit is designed to pique interest in taking a self-guided walking tour.

• Can You Find Me? This exhibit, associated with or integrated into the Pathway of Discovery exhibit, is designed to pique a child's or family's interest in finding intriguing features and learning their stories through the State Capitol Discovery Guide.

Note: This covers the tasks previously covered in the Self-Serve Orientation Station that was part of the current interpretive exhibits in the Galleria.

Additional Element Option: 3-Dimensional Element The purpose of this element is to help define traffic flow, and ideally helps communicate the ‘Oregon of Today.’ In other words, it cannot be a smaller image of the Gold Pioneer.

Note: This element is not a part of the contract for developing interpretive elements for the Welcome/Gateway Center.

Primary Experience

In addition to continued offering of special events and speakers, the Primary Experience was upgraded significantly by implementing the following opportunities recommended in the initial Interpretive Plan:

• Self-guided Walking Tour Guide

• Pathway of Discovery Virtual Tour

• Window Case Exhibits focusing on our cultural diversity (a new exhibit is already planned for

2021, and it is assumed a new exhibit will replace the 2021 exhibit in 2023)

• ‘Can You Find Me’ Exhibit (pod) and associated brochure

• ‘Legislation in Your Life’ Exhibit (pod)

• ‘You Can Make a Difference’ Exhibit (pod)

• ‘Getting Involved’ Exhibit (pod)

• Videos – Eight 60-second videos introducing the Capitol experience

• Phone Booth Exhibit (2nd floor)

• 5th Floor Hallway Exhibit

• Teacher’s Resource Packet

• Updating of the Window Case Exhibit area, which included replacing lining, removing dividers giving options for 1-4 box spaces per case, changing to LED lighting and putting UV film on windows

• ‘Art of the People’ Exhibit (on website)

• Upgrade of Guided Tours by a Guide Training Program, microphones for guides, modification of tour content to focus on the messaging established for the CHG, Tower Interpretive Panels, exhibits in the 5th floor hallway accessing the walkway to the Tower, and ‘didjaknows’ along the route.

• Tower and Observation Deck Interpretive Panels

• ‘You Can Make a Difference’ Exhibit (temporary exhibit in the Welcome/Gateway Center).

• Special Events

• Speaker Series.

In addition, a Revolving Exhibit Program is already underway, and an environmentally controlled exhibit case is located in the Galleria for displaying artifacts (typically, documents).

Proposed Future Experience After implementing the opportunities identified in this plan, visitors will be able to take advantage of any or all of the following interpretive opportunities:

• Digital Interactive Oregon History Timeline (exact location and size TBD – currently envisioned for partial walls on the northeast side of the Galleria).

• Senate and House exhibits for the wall cut-out / closet areas adjacent to the House and Senate lobbies (2nd floor) that were identified in the original plan.

• A ‘Selfie’ opportunity for visitors to get their picture taken with the Oregon Pioneer, a historical figure featured in one of the exhibits, or perhaps a legislator from where they live.

• A CHG Explorer’s Augmented Reality Application (App) or something similar for use on a visitor’s iPad, iPhone or other device for gathering information by using images and features in the Capitol to activate on-line information.

• Re-purposed interpretive content currently interpretive exhibits pods in the East Galleria, some of which will be in the Visit Planning Station in the Welcome/Gateway Center.

• New exhibits for the historic phone booths on the third floor in the area where visitors enter the Gallery y for viewing the legislative chambers. These exhibits would focus on actions taken by school children that ended up having an impact on the quality of life of Oregonians, with emphasis on ideas that became laws. Since school children will be in a group and won’t have much time in this space, the exhibits will be primarily visual and visible to people in the back of a group.

• Programming for the Revolving Exhibit (underway) that includes an element for the environmentally controlled exhibit case.

CHG Explorer’s Augmented Reality Application (App) One of the key new strategies covering all parts of the Capitol and possibly the grounds (in partnership with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is an Augmented Reality App, or the appropriate technology available when this project is implemented. It can be opened on a visitor’s personal device such as a smart phone or tablet and used to help bring Oregon’s Capitol and history to life. Possibilities for opportunities with the App include, but are not limited to:

• Pointing the device at a portrait of a governor (or anybody else), which would trigger a short audio presentation, which could be delivered in first person. Note that clips from some oral histories may be relevant.

• Pointing the device at one of the four historic murals in the Rotunda, which would trigger visuals of murals depicting the diversity of Oregon’s population today.

• Pointing the device at a visual of Native Americans, which could trigger general information about the contributions, hardships and perseverance of Native Americans in Oregon. It could also trigger information about a specific tribe.

• Creating an opportunity to take a picture of a family member with the Oregon Pioneer or a historical figure from one of the exhibits (the ‘Selfie’ opportunity).

• A Scavenger Hunt where visitors have to find objects and artworks in the building and ‘discovering’ a tidbit of information about that item.

• A tour focusing on How an Idea Becomes a Law, working forward or backward, with an emphasis that ideas start with people.

2021 Window Case Exhibit The Window Case exhibit continues to change every two years. An Advisory Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the Legislative Administrator regarding exhibit development and design. Ideally, a four-year plan will be developed so the focus of the next two Window Case exhibits is always established. This avoids the potential issue of limited time for design because of time taken to choose a focus. The 2021 version will continue to focus on Oregon’s cultural diversity.

2023 Window Case Exhibit The focus for the 2023 Window Case Exhibit has not be determined.

Revolving Exhibit The Revolving Exhibit is a new program that is managed by Visitor Services. The space allocated for the Revolving Exhibit is located in the Galleria just outside the doors to the Welcome/Gateway Center, so visitors will encounter it immediately upon leaving the Welcome/Gateway Center. The space for the Revolving Exhibit includes an environmentally controlled exhibit case (see Figure 2). The program is currently scheduled through February 2021. Ideally, each exhibit could be tied in some way to the key messages of the CHG. This may require creating a supplemental element.

Figure 2: Location of Revolving Exhibit space and Environmentally controlled exhibit case

Re-purposed Content from Interpretive Pod Exhibits Currently, visitors to the Galleria have the option to view exhibits located on movable pods, including two that are recommended to be re-purposed for the Welcome/Gateway Center – ‘Pathway of Discovery,’ and ‘Can You Find Me?’ Most of the other elements on the pods focus on one of the following topics:

• Legislation in Your Life - These exhibit elements use existing legislation to communicate the idea that what happens in this building affects the quality of life of Oregonians.

• You can Make a Difference - These exhibit elements focus on legislation that improved our quality of life that was the result of people deciding to get involved in Oregon's democracy.

• Getting Involved - This exhibit highlights the array of possible ways people can get involved in Oregon's democracy.

The content in those exhibits should be repurposed, perhaps with some of the recommended exhibit elements. Space for repurposed content has not yet been identified. The opportunities recommended in the next phases should be implemented, and then – assuming the content has not yet been repurposed, the possibilities for appropriate space for the repurposed content should be assessed. Note that it is also possible for some of the exhibits to be re-purposed for traveling exhibits.

Digital Interactive History Timeline

This exhibit provides an opportunity to engage visitors in Oregon history, and bring to light the role of individual people and the government in shaping the quality of life we enjoy now. The 2012 Strategic Plan called for a moveable Oregon History Timeline that had the capability to evolve. Although a fixed timeline is a classic way of presenting a continuum of history, and one that can be quite effective, the Capitol currently lacks continuous spaces within the public areas that are conducive to a fixed version of this exhibit, given in part that it would cause congestion if in a major traffic flow area. Consequently, this exhibit is currently envisioned as a digital interactive exhibit containing several layers of information so a person can dig deeper into stories of interest.

To make it as effective as possible, the Digital Interactive History Timeline should be located in a place frequented by most visitors, which is the Galleria. Because it is an opportunity that could hold visitors for a significant length of time, it is not recommended for the Welcome/Gateway Center because it could reduce the effectiveness of that space by creating congestion. In the East Galleria, only part of the north wall is available because the east wall is made less accessible by the information desk and copy center.