Online Course
August 12-13, 2026
9:00 am-1:00 pm Pacific/12 pm-4 pm Eastern
Instructors: Cameron Walpole and Joan Cummins
NAI CE Credits: 8
About the Workshop
President Lincoln's Cottage is recognized in the museum field as a leader in dialogic interpretation. During this course, program staff will share their unique approach and walk participants through key principles of dialogic interpretation. Learn strategies for crafting effective questions, approaching the unknown, and applying dialogic interpretation to your specific site. Consider it a crash course in cultivating trust and sparking meaningful conversations with visitors, and a preview of the comprehensive training President Lincoln's Cottage offers to museums.
Course Schedule
DAY ONE
- Welcome and Norm-Setting
- What is dialogic interpretation?
- Discernment/Who are you (as a site)? – 10 Word Story – PLC Case Study
- Workshopping
- Homework
DAY TWO
- Questioning Strategies
- Elements of a Meaningful Conversation
- Cultivating Curiosity (difficult conversations, training and hiring interpreters, embracing uncertainty)
- Final Reflection
Instructor Information
Cameron Walpole serves as the Associate Director of Interpretation and Public Programs at President Lincoln's Cottage. Cameron has previously worked in historic interpretation at Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate in Lexington, KY, and in teacher education at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
Joan Cummins is the Associate Director for Learning Initiatives at President Lincoln's Cottage. Joan leads the anti-trafficking activism Students Opposing Slavery program for young abolitionists, and produces the award-winning podcast Q&Abe. They specialize in the intersection of interactive performance and public history and hold a master's degree from American University.
Registration Rates
$575 Regular Registration (includes a one-year complimentary NAI membership)*
$500 with NAI Member Discount
*NAI membership will start a few days after payment.
Contact Information
For more information about the course, contact Joan Cummins at [email protected].
For any registration questions, please contact [email protected].
Special Terms and Cancellations
Courses may be canceled due to low enrollment. If this course is canceled, NAI will contact you, and you will receive a full refund.
Cancellations requested before August 5, 2026, will be subject to a $100 cancellation fee; no refunds will be issued after this date. If you need to cancel your registration, it must be emailed to [email protected].