By the Whyte Museum Summer 2024 Interpreters, Alisa Serebrianaia, Brendon Timmons, Gia Fillipone, Helen Belcher, and John Fitzsimmons
Working as interpreters at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies has taught us a lot this summer: from how a museum operates and how historical artifacts should be handled, to how historical information can be transformed into engaging experiences for the public.
Ultimately, though, the heart of our role as interpreters has been about sharing stories – so here are a few brief reflections on what we’ll be taking away from our experience this summer.
One of the most central things we’ve learned during our time here is that local history runs deep. Just because Banff is a small town that has existed for less than 200 years doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a rich history. In fact, delving into the many resources within the galleries and archives has taught us that the more localized your focus is, the more you’re likely to find. We were amazed to see just how dedicated local writers and historians have been in documenting everything from the history of the mountains and wildlife here to the historic buildings and businesses in town.
Of course, we have also learned that there’s no one definitive version of this town’s history. This is another key point that has informed the work we do as interpreters: even though it’s our job to memorize the facts and provide the same information to whoever visits the Whyte Museum, each visitor comes in with their own fascinations and their own focus, which in turn affect how they receive the material we share with them. For some, this story is about the sweeping changes that rapidly impacted the way of life that was already known to the Indigenous people in this valley for thousands of years. Others may see it as a story of booming tourism and commerce. For others still, the focus is on the inner lives of a few well-known families. There are countless angles that people bring to this town’s history, and we’ve come to realize that it isn't about one being right while others are wrong. Rather, each of these perspectives is part of an interconnected web that can help bring the bigger picture into view.
Because there are so many ways for people to take an interest in these stories, we’ve also learned there are many ways to deliver a good tour. In many cases, this realization has come as a welcome surprise to us. After all, when you have delivered the same tour script a hundred times, you naturally look for ways to keep things fresh and entertaining for your audience. Luckily, our visitors often end up doing most of the work for us. Because each visitor is unique, the information lands a little differently each time and often leads to questions and conversations we couldn’t have anticipated beforehand. By taking the time to get to know people, where they’re coming from, and what sparks their curiosity the most, we have all become increasingly confident in our ability to make the museum a memorable experience for all who visit.
As our employment here wrapped up, it’s hard for us to believe that we’ll no longer have a daily use for all the detailed information that has taken up residence in our heads this summer. That said, I think we’re all pretty confident that if anyone brings up Banff in the future, we’ll have a lot to say.
Interested in learning more about captivating Canadian Rockies history? Inquire about booking a private tour today!
Comments