Displaying Values, Scripting Stories: Writing Narratives of Environment Citizenship through Permanent Educational Exhibits at Local Nature Preserves

Abstract

Many city, county, state and national parks and preserves in the United States have educational displays, which typically showcase collections of objects from within the park’s boundaries, e.g. bones, shells, rocks, skeletons, feathers, pelts, cones, taxidermy displays, etc., as well as exhibits presenting ecosystems and living elements of the environment. Park exhibits construct a narrative about nature and the human relationship to the environment. The displays and interpretative material speak to visitors of specific environmental values, suggest behaviours toward nature, and tell stories about the history, components and processes of local ecosystems.