Interpretive Plan.pdf

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INTERPRETIVE

PLAN

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Mission

Vision

Purpose

What is Interpretation?

Why Do We Need an Interpretive Plan Now?

What is an Interpretive Plan?

The Maritime Aquarium’s Interpretive Planning Process

The Maritime Aquarium’s Interpretive Plan Framework

The Interpretive Plan in Practice

C O N T E N T S

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M I S S I O N

The Maritime Aquarium inspires people of all ages to appreciate and protect the Long Island Sound ecosystem and the global environment through living exhibits, marine sciences, and environmental education.

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V I S I O N

The Maritime Aquarium is the only aquarium focused on Long Island Sound.

From this core, it explores related animals and conservation issues from around the world. Its exhibits, admired for their quality and dramatic elegance, are carefully designed to give people of all ages entertaining, educational, and emotional experiences with animals in order to instill a sense of wonder in the diversity of nature.

A constantly evolving facility, The Maritime Aquarium offers visitors personal interactions with animals and interpretation by knowledgeable staff and volunteers. With its welcoming atmosphere, focus on service to visitors, and outstanding amenities, the Maritime Aquarium is the premier family destination in the region, attracting large numbers of return visitors. As it grows, it retains its intimate scale, and remains a beloved institution with deep ties to its community.

Anchored by its collection, The Maritime Aquarium offers a preeminent visitor experience and educational program widely admired for its depth and innovation. The Maritime Aquarium supports an active collaborative research program on species and natural systems related to its collections. It is a regional forum for the dissemination of information related to Long Island Sound and the global ocean.

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P U R P O S E

As a mission-driven organization, The Maritime Aquarium is dedicated to impact. There are many ways to define and measure that impact, but regardless of how it is characterized, the Aquarium’s success relies heavily on communication and inspiration. Ideally, our living exhibits are designed to provide close proximity to live animals in order to communicate key messages, to inspire guests to care, and to motivate our constituencies to participate in stewardship. The marine science conducted by our staff achieves conservation goals when its results are shared with scientists and policy makers; when those results invite participation by community scientists and motivate the public to support environmental protection. Our education programs are intended to teach, grow, and empower an engaged and science-literate citizenry, one able to understand issues related to the environment and motivated to support conservation action in all of its forms.

Each of us should consider this plan, and specifically its goals and themes, and integrate them into the delivery of results.

This interpretive plan is for everyone—Aquarium staff, volunteers and stakeholders.

• It is intended to be a guide to decision-making.

• It will be relevant to senior staff charged with strategic programmatic and budgetary decisions.

• It will be a relevant guide for staff implementing those decisions in all sorts of ways: collection planning, exhibit design and signage, education programs, facilitating guest experiences, social media, fundraising campaigns, marketing, interactions between volunteers and guests on the aquarium floor.

The Maritime Aquarium’s interpretive plan is intended to:

Emphasize consistent goals and themes throughout all we do in support of the Aquarium’s mission.

According to the National Association for Interpretation (NAI), interpretation is "a purposeful approach to communication that facilitates meaningful, relevant, and inclusive experiences that deepen understanding, broaden perspectives, and inspire engagement with the world around us." In essence, the purpose of interpretation is to help individuals develop awareness, appreciation and understanding based on what they are experiencing. Successful interpretation creates connections with an audience’s hearts and minds, and answers the question “Why should I care?”

Interpretation promotes an individual’s understanding of, and ultimately connection to, an organization’s mission.

Despite a popular misconception, interpretation is much more than exhibit signage. The ways in which the aquarium interprets— communicates with and inspires its diverse audiences—come in many forms: overt and covert, conscious and subliminal, intellectual and emotional. And these messages and inspirations are delivered in all sorts of ways: through our living exhibits, marine science, and environmental education; and also through social and paid media and the Aquarium’s website; in the interactions guests have with staff and volunteers on the Aquarium floor; via donor outreach and relationships; by virtue of policy and advocacy; and more.

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An interpretive plan is a type of communications plan—one that relies on, in our case, animals, habitats, artifacts, interactive displays, our dedicated corps of staff and volunteers, our science and conservation work; our social media, marketing tools, and education programs—to tell effective and captivating stories about Long Island Sound and the global environment.

As in education and marketing, with interpretation deep impact is not achieved through a single exposure. To maximize impact, contacts with our audiences must be repetitive, and what is conveyed through those repetitions should be consistent and scaffolded, creating synergy across experiences and delivery platforms. Therein lies the rationale for an interpretive plan. An interpretive plan is intended to help staff at all levels make thoughtful and wise decisions that produce synergistic impact across the many ways in which The Maritime Aquarium interacts with its audiences. An interpretive plan is intended to be a living document that informs choices about the Aquarium’s collection, its exhibits and signage, its education programs and talking points, its science and conservation activities, its social media and advertising, its fundraising priorities, and more.

Finally, the interpretive plan flows from the strategic plan and needs to work in harmony with other guiding documents including, but not limited to: branding guidelines, communications plans, philanthropic recognition guidelines, conservation strategy and animal collection plans. In this way, the interpretative plan encourages staff, across functions and levels, to create and deliver mutually reinforcing messages and stories that connect our guests with our mission.

Because the plan should be flexible, our staff has a framework with which to develop relatable and enjoyable experiences depending on the particular audience.

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Throughout its history, The Maritime Aquarium has been a beloved family destination, and that role has been key to its success. But we aspire to—and our mission demands— much more: for the Aquarium to be seen as a principal force in understanding the science of local ecosystems and advocating successfully for the protection of Long Island Sound and the global ocean; for it to be a valued education leader contributing to a more engaged and informed citizenry; for it to be a community member, partner, and leader.

And it has become clear that delivering on this mission is not only an aspiration, but is key to the Aquarium’s well-being. Recent studies have demonstrated that those institutions seen as delivering on their missions are healthier financially.1 In fact, in data gathered by Impacts Experience on the most important elements contributing to an aquarium or zoo’s reputation, “mission execution” ranked even higher than the onsite guest experience.

“The most trusted and admired organizations are considered more than attractions. They are considered to be entities that tie directly to their missions. And they also experience the greatest financial health.”2 Thus, an effective interpretive plan will not only help the Aquarium achieve its ambitious mission, it will also enhance its institutional health.

1 https://www.colleendilen.com/2019/10/23/reputation-is-more-than-tripadvisor-reviews-your-mission-matters-data/ 2 https://www.colleendilen.com/2019/10/23/reputation-is-more-than-tripadvisor-reviews-your-mission-matters-data/

In January, 2021, The Maritime Aquarium created a cross-departmental Interpretive Planning Team comprised of 10 staff members from Animal Husbandry, Development, Education, Guest Services and Marketing. The team met approximately every two weeks over six months to:

(1) Learn NAI’s framework for interpretation;

(2) Review interpretive plans from other visitor-serving institutions;

(3) Develop interpretive goals and themes to guide the development of future exhibits, educational programs and other activities that support our mission;

(4) Identify current Aquarium activities that support the newly developed interpretive goals and themes, as well as new activities that might be implemented in support of them.

(5) Gather feedback from internal stakeholders;

(6) Discuss next steps and create a draft interpretive plan; and

(7) Gather feedback on the draft interpretive plan and finalize the document.

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The Aquarium’s interpretive plan is anchored by Goals and Themes.

Goals are big ideas that flow from our mission and vision. They describe key priorities—the ultimate purposes of interpretive activities.

This interpretive plan identifies six overarching interpretive goals.

Goal 1: Welcome Embrace audiences of all backgrounds, abilities, ethnicities, genders and orientations, demonstrating that the Aquarium is an accessible place both intended for, and representative of, the rich diversity of our community and larger world.

Goal 4: Relevance Integrate the economy, recreation, arts, culture and history, health and justice into the “story” of Long Island Sound and the global ocean, emphasizing relevance to our constituencies and the communities of which we are a part.

Goal 5: Stewardship Provide a wide range of opportunities for audiences to engage in the Aquarium’s mission, through Aquarium visits, participatory science, education, donation, advocacy and more.

Goal 6: Leadership Lead by example, demonstrating how we provide the best possible care for our animals, serve our community, rely on science in the pursuit of conservation, and strive for excellence in all we do.

Goal 2: Wonder Use the Aquarium’s unique resources to create immersive experiences that inspire wonder in audiences of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

Goal 3: Empathy Draw our audiences into our mission by creating appreciation and empathy for Long Island Sound, the global ocean, and the animals that inhabit them.

The Aquarium’s interpretive plan is anchored by Goals and Themes.

Themes support the interpretive goals. They connect the goals to our particular resources, providing a conceptual focus and general approach for specific interpretive activities. Themes establish an overall tone and direction, and imply the desired outcomes interpretation should have on audiences’ knowledge, attitudes and behavior.

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Themes:

Embrace audiences of all backgrounds, abilities, ethnicities, genders and orientations, demonstrating that the Aquarium is an accessible place both intended for, and representative of, the rich diversity of our community and larger world.

Goal 1: Welcome

Themes:

Use the Aquarium’s unique resources to create immersive experiences that inspire wonder in audiences of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

Goal 2: Wonder

Draw our audiences into our mission by creating appreciation and empathy for Long Island Sound, the global ocean, and the animals that inhabit them.

Goal 3: Empathy

• The Aquarium is a safe and supportive space for all. Our visitors are our guests; we treat them with respect and gratitude.

• We offer a wide range of accommodations, so the Aquarium, its programs and platforms are accessible—and meaningful—to all our audiences.

• As protecting biodiversity is key to our mission, promoting and celebrating diversity in our guests, staff, and volunteers is key to our practice. It is essential that engagement with the Aquarium reflects the diversity of our community and wider world.

• Our Immersive exhibit spaces create a sense of wonder for life above, on, and below the surface of Long Island Sound and the global ocean.

• The Aquarium provides opportunities to discover the wonders of the Sound and the ocean beyond our walls: through our vessel, our platforms, our community engagement and more.

• Our collections and programs reveal the astonishing adaptations of animals and the amazing interrelationships within healthy ecosystems.

Themes:

• The Aquarium’s animals are ambassadors for their wild kin. They help us to appreciate nature’s marvels and to empathize with the challenges they face.

• The wellbeing of animals in our care is paramount; we treat them with dedication, affection and compassion, relying on science and best practices to meet their health, environmental and intellectual needs.

• There are many threats to the delicate balance between humans, Long Island Sound, and the ocean. Wild animals, and humans, suffer as that delicate balance is interrupted.

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Themes:

Integrate the economy, recreation, arts, culture and history, health and justice into the “story” of Long Island Sound and the global ocean, emphasizing relevance to our constituencies and the communities of which we are a part.

Goal 4: Relevance

Themes:

Provide a wide range of opportunities for audiences to engage in the Aquarium’s mission, through Aquarium visits, participatory science, education, donation, and advocacy

Goal 5: Stewardship

Lead by example, demonstrating how we provide the best possible care for our animals, serve our community, rely on science in the pursuit of conservation, and strive for excellence in all we do.

Goal 6: Leadership

• The past, present and future of Norwalk and coastal communities are connected to the health of Long Island Sound.

• Long Island Sound and the ocean have value that transcends science. The watery world is central to our culture, our economy, our health and our history.

• Social justice and the health of the Ocean are intertwined.

• Climate change is an unprecedented local and global threat to nature and to human wellbeing. All of us can play a role in solving the climate crisis.

• The Aquarium is a mission-based, non-profit, organization. We are dedicated and committed to protecting Long Island Sound and the global ocean. A visit to the Aquarium is an act of conservation—a way of joining in our mission.

• Everyone can be a “Sound Steward.” The aquarium offers all sorts of opportunities to participate in our science, contribute to our efforts, share our messages, advocate for change.

• The future of Long Island Sound and the global ocean relies on varied and diverse people and communities working together toward shared goals. A strong foundation in science education is key to this work.

• Through our interactions with our guests and wider audiences, we invite participation; we emphasize why and how “Your Choices Matter” and the role “You” can play in conservation.

Themes:

• We hold ourselves to the highest ethical and operational standards in all we do, inspiring others to join our mission.

• The Maritime Aquarium uses robust research to establish its authority on issues related to the health and protection of Long Island Sound.

• Effective conservation relies on individual action as well as on systemic change. The Maritime Aquarium advocates for change in laws and policies related to the health of Long Island Sound and the global ocean.

• The Aquarium inspires participation in environmental action by building community confidence and social awareness.

The Aquarium’s interpretive plan is anchored by Goals and Themes.

Themes support the interpretive goals. They connect the goals to our particular resources, providing a conceptual focus and general approach for specific interpretive activities. Themes establish an overall tone and direction, and imply the desired outcomes interpretation should have on audiences’ knowledge, attitudes and behavior.

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When applying the interpretive plan to an exhibit, a program, a campaign or a collection planning decision, the most relevant goal(s) and theme(s) should first be identified from the overarching framework. Then, each theme should be tied to interpretive outcomes that are specific to the project—what we most want the audience to Think, Feel and Do as a result of interaction with our work:

•Think: What do we want audiences to know and understand?

Example: After visiting the Flutter Zone, most people will be able to list three ways climate change has impacted butterflies.

• Feel: What emotion(s) we want people to take away?

Example: After visiting the exhibit, the majority of visitors will feel a sense of sadness about the decline of these beautiful creatures.

• Do: What activities do we want people to engage in?

Example: After visiting the Flutter Zone, many people will want to grow a pollinator garden, sign a petition, donate or advocate...

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The value of this plan is inextricably tied to the effectiveness of its implementation.

This interpretive plan has value only if and when staff are aware of what it says and are committed to implementing it. Implementation will depend on the following steps, which may be addressed concurrently:

A. Holding cross-departmental trainings to introduce staff to the interpretive plan, to encourage them to consider how their particular responsibilities relate to it, and to build enthusiasm for it.

B. Creating an interpretive design process dedicated to producing more consistent, uniform and engaging messages and content. This process must be rigorous enough to ensure the interpretive plan serves as a guide to future exhibits, programs and collection plans, signage and interpretive activities; yet it must be flexible enough to account for the wide range of those activities in terms of their purpose, scale, and delivery mechanism. It is recommended that a new interdepartmental team be established to address the steps above and guide implementation.

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