How much information should you put on your heritage signage? How can you create interpretation panels to help visitors understand the site while avoiding visual clutter, or worse, frustration? And is it worth investing in physical signs at all when you could put more information behind a QR code?
If you’re responsible for signage at a castle, estate or historic house, these are decisions you might be tussling with. You want to balance visitor experience and accessibility to historic sites with practical limitations and, of course, your budget.
Here are five ways to use heritage signage to give patrons information that enriches their experience.
1. Use heritage interpretation panels to tell a clear story
An interpretation panel needs to have a distinct headline, succinct sections, and eye-catching images. Good graphic design for information boards can help establish a clear hierarchy, so visitors know where to look first. But when you have centuries of history to share, deciding what to leave out can be hard.
Visitors to your site are unlikely to absorb a huge wall of text. Instead, give them the information they need to understand about the zone they’re in, then make it easy to explore the story further (see the next section!).
What should an interpretation panel include?
Keep your interpretation signage easy to scan with:
- A clear headline and key message
- Short sections of accessible copy
- Historic photographs or archive material
- Maps and timelines where they aid understanding
- Illustrations or reconstructions of lost or altered features
- QR codes for additional content
Key takeaway: Think of each panel as a doorway into the story, rather than a display of everything there is to know about it.
2. Combine interpretation panels with QR codes and digital content
QR codes are an asset for interpretation panels. They let you keep information on the panels essential while giving visitors a place to gain deeper understanding, if they wish.
A QR code might lead to:
- Audio guides and commentary
- Archive images
- Video
- Spoken histories
- Translations
- Detailed historical information
Worth noting: Not every visitor can or wants to use a phone while exploring. Plus, rural locations may also have limited connectivity. Digital content gives visitors the option to delve deeper, but should it replace interpretation panels altogether? Absolutely not.
3. Choose heritage signage that complements historic surroundings
Consider the size, colour, material and mounting method of your signs so they’re sympathetic to the architecture and landscape around them. For example, for rural estates and other natural settings, wooden signage and interpretation panels can provide an alternative to aluminium that sits more naturally within the landscape.
New signage has to provide useful information without detracting from the place your visitors have come to experience.
Where should you position heritage signage?
Signage solutions need to match their surroundings. Here are some suggestions for how to do that well:
Yes — if you mean adding a visible border around the whole table and each cell, use this version:
| Location or requirement | Signage option to consider |
|---|---|
| Beside a viewpoint or historic feature | Signage lectern |
| Along walking routes | Wayfinding signage |
| At entrances and key stopping points | Interpretation panels |
| Where wall fixing is appropriate | Wall-mounted signage |
| Where historic fabric can’t be altered | Freestanding signage |
4. Improve visitor journeys with heritage wayfinding signage
Good wayfinding signage helps people understand where they are, where they can go next and how to get there. If you’re sorting signage for a large or complex historic site with multiple buildings, paths, entrances and accessible routes, pay attention!
Plan signage around the visitor journey
Walk through the site and pretend you’re a first-time visitor to identify:
- Decision points where directions are needed
- Entrances, exits and key facilities
- Important attractions or features
- Accessible and step-free routes
- Locations where a map would provide useful context
- Areas where visitors naturally stop
Key takeaway: Clear, consistent wayfinding can reduce confusion and help visitors spend more time exploring the site confidently.
5. Choose durable outdoor heritage signage for long-term value
Make sure your outdoor signs can withstand years of rain, sunlight, frost and dirt exposure, not to mention thousands of passing visitors.
Durability is a big factor when budgeting for heritage signage. So, what specifications should you consider when procuring it? Think about:
- UV and weather resistance
- Scratch and vandal resistance
- Cleaning and maintenance requirements
- Expected lifespan
- Whether individual panels can be replaced
- Whether existing frames or signage lecterns can be reused
Think ahead: Changeable information such as opening times, prices, and temporary visitor information may need frequent updates. Don’t include these permanently within a larger sign to avoid unnecessary replacement costs.
Find the right heritage signage for your site with Noticeboard Company
We know every historic site comes with its own practical considerations, from the information you need to display to the space available for installation. Taking time to define these requirements can make choosing the right solution much easier.
Explore our range of lecterns and interpretation panels, with standard and bespoke sizes available. Not sure what will work best for your site? Contact our team for help choosing the right option.