Designing History Walking Tours - Virtual Workshop

Webinar Description

Leading outdoor history walking tours of your site or town can draw in new audiences, deepen community engagement, and help visitors appreciate historic resources in the world around them and your organization's role in preserving and interpreting them. But designing good tours is different from putting together an exhibit or indoor public program, even if you're sharing similar information.

Tours can be multi-generational or tiered by age; topic specific or more general; a relaxed ramble or a long hike; a small group or a whole class; and involve photos, oral histories, technology, and more. Like all of your offerings, they need to be accessible, appropriate, and engaging, but with the added considerations of weather, time of year, terrain, construction, and other logistics.

How do you help visitors imagine the historic landscape and integrate your site's collections into the experience? How do you manage crowds and safety concerns? What technology can make booking and delivering tours easier? How can tours help you connect with new audiences and your community? We'll cover all this and more, mapping out an example route together.

Join Aja Bain, AASLH’s Director of Professional Development and Publications and a Nashville walking tour guide for ten years, for a nuts and bolts look into what makes a great historic walking tour, and how your site can develop memorable and immersive experiences for visitors no matter your location or budget.

Details

DATE: August 27, 2026

TIME: 1-4 pm EASTERN (Remember to adjust for your time zone)

COST: $100 AASLH Members / $150 Nonmembers /10% discount for STEPS participants with promo code found in the online STEPS Community

CLASS SIZE: 35 participant limit

ACCESS: You will be provided with instructions on how to access the live event upon registration.

Learning Outcomes

During this workshop, participants will learn about:

● Tour logistics like selling tickets, planning routes, and managing groups

● Technology like ticket sale platforms, amplification devices, and visual aids

● Developing engaging scripts that highlight your site's assets and the landscape

● Modifying routes and presentations for different ages, abilities, and interests

● Training guides and presenters

● Creating tours to go along with exhibits and special events

Participants will also receive a copy of AASLH Technical Leaflet #306: Creating Engaging History Walking Tours (2024).

Workshop Logistics

FORMAT: Online via Zoom

LENGTH: One 3-hour workshop

MATERIALS: All workshop materials are provided.

TECHNOLOGY: We recommend downloading the Zoom mobile or desktop app for this course. Participants will need access to internet and a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet to participate in this course. We recommend having access to a camera and a headset, earphones, or other audio and microphone device. Automatic captioning is available in the Zoom discussions.

Connecting the Content

This webinar will especially help organizations enrolled in STEPS address multiple standards under the Interpretation and Audience sections of the STEPS program.

The Standards and Excellence Program for History Organizations (STEPS) from AASLH is a self-study, self-paced assessment tool designed specifically for small- to mid-sized history organizations, including volunteer-run institutions. Through a workbook, online resources, and an online community, organizations enrolled in STEPS review their policies and practices and benchmark themselves against national standards.

Having issues registering? Please contact learn@aaslh.org

How to Register for this Event

Cancellation/Refunds for onsite workshops must be submitted in writing via email to learn@aaslh.org or mail to 2021 21st Ave S., Suite 320 Nashville, TN 37212. Cancellations made prior to the early-bird registration deadline date will receive a full refund. Cancellations made between the early-bird deadline date and eight days prior to the workshop will be subject to a $55 processing/materials charge. No refunds will be given within seven days of the workshop date. AASLH is not responsible for cancellations that were mailed or emailed but never received.

Cancellations/Refunds for online professional development (webinars and online courses) must be submitted in writing via email to learn@aaslh.org or mail to 2021 21st Ave S., Suite 320 Nashville, TN 37212. Cancellations made prior to the start date for the online course or the day of the webinar will be given a full refund. No refund will be given after the start date for the online course or on/after the day of the webinar. Registrants may transfer their registration to another person. Registrations cannot be transferred between courses or course sessions. AASLH is not responsible for cancellations that were mailed or emailed but never received.

If you have any questions, please contact AASLH Professional Development staff at learn@aaslh.org or 615-320-3203.