Heritage Tourism Visitor Experience Workshops

Is your organization ready to do more with your local history? Do your heritage tourism efforts need a jolt of creative energy?  

You’re in luck. The Texas Historical Commission’s Heritage Tourism team is hitting the road! 

In partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program, we’re launching the national traveling exhibit, “Crossroads: Change in Rural America” in August 2024. Seven lucky Texas communities have been chosen to host a leg of this year-long tour, which will bring thousands of visitors to your region over a six-week period, and we don’t want nearby towns to miss out on the fun!

To prepare for the occasion, we’re hosting public Visitor Experience Workshops across the state between February and June 2024. Learn how to bring local stories to life through visitor experiences that are interactive, authentic, and most importantly, memorable. During the workshop, we’ll cover: 

• How to cultivate more mindfulness in heritage travelers 
• The interpretive potential of historic sites and how to tell NEW stories with your local history
• How to create emotional set pieces using objects and places that result in more memorable heritage encounters
• Types of interpretive media that can be used to tell your local stories outside of a museum setting
• New trends in heritage travel that connect visitors and locals, including ancestral tourism, intangible heritage, and more!

The workshop will combine presentations by THC staff and group activities that underscore the importance of creative collaboration. 

The workshop is free and open to the public. Lunch will be provided to all participants at no charge. 

Register today, seats are limited!

RSVP