Interpreting for All Minds: Synthesising Practices for Cognitively Inclusive Heritage Interpretation

Heritage interpretation’s primary aim is to educate visitors about historical sites, their histories, and their importance for today, which leads to the assumption that heritage interpretation needs to be cognitively inclusive for all visitors despite their educational backgrounds and learning preferences. Based on the theoretical framework, consisting of the research phenomena of inclusive tourism and heritage interpretation and the learning theories of cognitive load theory, schema theory, and Universal Design for Learning, I synthesised six cognitively inclusive heritage interpretation practices. Those practices were evaluated through different examples in semi-structured interviews with interviewees of different educational backgrounds, languages, cultures, and learning preferences. The findings let me restructure the six practices into four main areas of improvement in heritage interpretation, which are holistic structure and simplification, interpretive storytelling, alternative presentation methods, and visitor-centred infrastructure and 21 respective practices for making heritage interpretation more cognitively inclusive. In conclusion, the research suggests that cognitively inclusive practices can make heritage interpretation more accessible and engaging for a wider audience.