Diffusion and Adoption of Thematic Interpretation at an Interpretive Historic Site

Abstract

Thematic interpretation has become a standard approach in both natural and cultural heritage interpretation programs and institutions across the world have begun the process of training their staff in the thematic approach. Depending on many factors, successful transition to this new way of thinking can be fast or slow, smooth or difficult. Using the recent experience of Sovereign Hill (a well-known outdoor museum in Victoria, Australia) as a case-study, this paper examines the diffusion and adoption of the thematic interpretive approach in order to explore the extent to which the process, from conception to adoption, is occurring at Sovereign Hill. At an organizational level, Sovereign Hill is seen as possessing an advantageous combination of factors that can facilitate and accelerate the adoption process, along with predictable barriers. Rogers7’ ‘diffusion and adoption model’ offers a useful conceptual framework for understanding how organisations like Sovereign Hill gradually embrace this new way of approaching interpretation. Implications for training and institutional adaptation are presented.