New museums, interpretive centers, nature centers, zoos, and other interpretive sites often worry about having a “wow” factor – something big and splashy and attention-getting that will cause visitors to stop in their tracks and later say to their friends, “that place had a sensational (fill in the blank here – could be building, exhibit,Continue reading “Worrying About the Wow”
Monthly Archives: October 2012
The Kigali Memorial Centre in Rwanda
George Bernard Shaw wrote “If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must Man be of learning from experience.” Museums of social conscience around the world remind us of tragic human errors in hopes we will remember and behave differently in the future. We just returned from eighteen days working in RwandaContinue reading “The Kigali Memorial Centre in Rwanda”
In a Word – Ubuntu
Our words define us in many ways. As I write this, we are in Kigali, Rwanda, doing work and being inspired by the people and the wildlife we’ve seen on our travels around the country. This evening, I noticed a Facebook post by Michael Barth regarding the word, “Ubuntu.” I went to Wikipedia andContinue reading “In a Word – Ubuntu”
Advance Organizers
Much of what we do in life, travel and tourism is about expectations. About twenty years ago, I was leading an ecotour in Belize. I had two very unhappy ladies at a four-star resort, who could not believe there was no bathmat in their room. The food was great, the rooms were beautiful, the bedsContinue reading “Advance Organizers”
A Place to Play
Last weekend we visited Vandalia, Illinois, where I was raised. My old house is no longer there, but the memories remain. As we drove down eighth street, my mind drifted to summer evenings playing Kick the Can in the street. Some of my neighborhood friends from the 50s were at the all-class reunion, anotherContinue reading “A Place to Play”