ABSTRACT
Interpretation—who is it for? You? Me? A first-time visitor? An expert? Children or adults? Or both on a family trip? Do museums and galleries give sufficient thought to the needs of the majority of their visitors when creating front-line interpretation: the humble label or graphic panel? Museums and galleries should be at the forefront of helping visitors to develop their skills and knowledge. Many offer inspiring talks, tours, workshops or hands-on areas (though the latter are rarely aimed at adults), but do not provide labels and graphics to match. Yet this is where most visitors get their information—or strive to. Relatively few people have extensive prior knowledge of art, yet many are drawn to visit museums and galleries and seek guidance about the works they see. Why should there be a problem with providing engaging and inspiring interpretation for new visitors on the galleries, and backing it up with tours and resources for more expert visitors?
