Following a review and recommendations report (undertaken March 2017) this project involved some upgrades and new additions to the interpretation experience at the Ballycroy Visitor Centre in the Wild Nephin National Park (installed January 2018). A suite of acrylic graphics added fresh content and encourage more cross-themed exploration. A bespoke interactive exhibit demonstrating the effects of light pollution was designed and installed by W19 Design in response to the Park gaining International Dark Sky Park status in 2016. Changes in the foyer saw a new ‘live content’ zone with whiteboard and interactive digital map and a redesign of a previous exhibit, the Conservation Station, to allow visitors to explore the work of the Rangers. Designs were also produced for a suite of education activity upgrades in the exhibition gallery and education classroom, including mobile activity stations to create changeable hands-on content in the gallery and improved access to artefacts and resources in the education room.

Having developed and delivered the original interpretation between 2007/9 for Ballycroy National Park – the sixth Irish National Park operated by the National Parks & Wildlife Service before the name change to Wild Nephin National Park – and having assisted with subsequent additional interpretation for the Claggan Mountain Coastal Trail whilst employed by WWT Consulting, it was an absolute pleasure to return and work with the team again to further enhance the visitor offer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This 60 second video shows the fit-out of the original exhibition in 2009, which I managed whilst employed by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) Consulting: