Legacy Magazine

Legacy, NAI's premier periodical, offers a forum for professionals in the field to exchange ideas and information. Articles, columns, and commentaries deal with practical issues relevant to frontline interpreters, planners, and managers.

Subscriptions are available separate from memberships. Legacy is published six times a year.

Advertise in Legacy

Get your message out to this unique audience of movers, shakers, and decision-makers in the field of interpretation. Download a rate sheet here.

Contact Heather Manier for more information.

Contribute to Legacy

As the premiere magazine produced by the interpretive profession, Legacy is looking for professional writing that provides more than information. Writers for Legacy should make every attempt to forge emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of their readers and the inherent meanings in the resources being described. In other words, Legacy articles should be interpretive, not just informative. Check your story before submittal to see if it:

• Relates to the theme of the issue
• Has a specific theme within the article (what is the main idea that you want to convey)
• Serves a purpose by provoking further thought or action
• Engages the reader by being relevant to their life experience
• Is appropriate for the audience (those who have interest in or visit interpretive sites)

Email Legacy to submit a query.

This Year's Themes

2023

January/February: Interpreting Undervalued Ecosystems
Submit queries by October 10, 2022 
Completed manuscripts for accepted queries due November 15, 2022

March/April 2023: Interpreting Authority 
Submit queries by January 10, 2023
Completed manuscripts for accepted queries due January 31, 2023

May/June 2023: Interpreting Identity
Submit queries by February 10, 2023
Completed manuscripts for accepted queries due March 15, 2023
July/August 2023: Interpreting Hope/Inspiring Hope
Submit queries by April 10, 2023
Completed manuscripts for accepted queries due May 15, 2023

September/October 2023: Interpreting Truth
Submit queries by June 10, 2023
Completed manuscripts for accepted queries due July 15, 2023

November/December 2023: Building (Metaphorical) Bridges 
Submit queries by August 10, 2023
Completed manuscripts for accepted queries due September 15, 2023
January/February 2024: Uncomfortable Interpretation

 

Past Legacy themes

Past issues of Legacy are available by contacting NAI. Please call 888-900-8283.

2022
January/February: Interpreting Insects
March/April: JUSTICE
May/June: EQUITY
July/August: DIVERSITY
September/October: ACCESSIBILITY 
November/December: INCLUSION

2021
January/February: Interpreting Love
March/April: Interpretation During a Pandemic
May/June: Interpreting Leadership
July/August: Interpreting Civil Unrest
September/October: Interpreting Resilience 
November/December: Interpreting Reality

2020
January/February: Interpreting Interpretation: Telling the Story of What We Do (Part 2)
March/April: Interpreting Democracy
May/June: Interpreting the Unseen/Invisible
July/August: Interpreting Climate Change
September/October: One Size Fits None: Audience-Focused Interpretation 
November/December: Interpreting Medicine

2019
January/February: Interpreting Hate
March/April: Interpreting Urban Landscapes
May/June: Interpreting the Unlovable
July/August: Interpreting Interpretation: Telling the Story of What We Do (Part One)
September/October: Virtual Interpretation/Technology in Interpretation 
November/December: Interpreting Music

2018
January/February 2018: Where do we go from here? (Interpretation Standards and the Future of Interpretation)
March/April 2018: Interpreting Death
May/June 2018: Interpreting Social Change
July/August 2018: Interpretation in the Mountains
September/October 2018: Interpreting Religion
November/December 2018: Misinformation in Interpretation

2017
January/February - Immersive Interpretation
March/April - Cultural Sensitivity
May/June - Transportation in Interpretation
July/August - Interpreting Science
September/October - Interpretation in Museums
November/December - Interpreting Your Country

2016
January/February - Interpretive Training
March/April - Ethics in Interpretation
May/June - Interpretation in Extreme Environments
July/August - Failures in Interpretation
September/October - Interpretation on a Budget
November/December - Entertainment in Interpretation

2015
January/February - Roving, Accidental, or Spontaneous
March/April - Interpreting the Sea
May/June - Special Events at Interpretive Sites
July/August - Interpreting Sports
September/October - Interpreting Native Peoples
November/December - Interpretation for Diverse Audiences

2014
November/December - Authenticity in Interpretation
September/October - Interpreting Natural Disasters
July/August - Evaluating Interpretation
May/June - Interpreting Play and Youth
March/April - Interpreting the Prehistoric
January/February - Interpreting Controversial Issuea

2013
November/December - Interpreting Mines
September/October - Technology in Interpretation
July/August - Using the Arts in Interpretation
May/June - Interpreting Fire
March/April - Interpreting Caves
January/February - 25 Years of NAI

2012
November/December - Interpreting Cemeteries
September/October - Interpretation After Dirk
July/August - Interpreting Prisons
May/June - Interpretation and Birds
March/April - Interpreting through Social Media
January/February - Interpreting Women in History

2011
November/December - Interpretation on the Move
September/October - Sites of Conscience
July/August - Interpretive Planning
May/June - Interpreting for and with Children
March/April - Interpreting Food
January/February - Interpreting Geology

2010
November/December - Interpreting through Mass Media
September/October - Interpreting Indigenous Cultures
July/August - Restoration in Interpretation
May/June - Interpreting the Universe
March/April - Interpreting Sports
January/February - Community-Based Interpretation

2009
November/December - Costumed Interpretation
September/October - Connecting Children to Nature
July/August - Interpretive Paths During a Bad Economy
May/June - Interpretation in For-Profit Tourism
March/April - Interpreting Public History
January/February - Interpreting Rivers

2008
November/December - Sustainable Architecture in Interpretation
September/October - Sustainable Recreation and Tourism
July/August - Stewardship of the Oceans
May/June - Great Oratory Moments
March/April - Telling the Story of Peace
January/February - Changes in World Tourism

2007
November/December - Interpreting Universal Concepts
September/October - Looking for the Truth at Interpretive Sites
July/August - Interpretation's Role in Corporate Responsibility and Creativity
May/June - Interpreting Global Climate Change
March/April - Interpreting War
January/February - Using All the Senses

2006
November/December - Interpreting Sacred Sites
September/October - How Technology Enhances the Interpretive Experience
July/August - Interpreting Nature
May/June - Interpretation Overseas
March/April - Exploring the Nation's Byways
January/February - Interpreting Slavery

2005
November/December - The Interpretive Experience
September/October - Enhancing the Urban Environment through Interpretation
July/August - Promoting Healthy Lifestyles through Interpretation
May/June - Interpretation and Tourism
March/April - Perspectives on the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial
January/February - Are we loving our most sacred places to death?

2004
November/December - How Volunteers Help Conserve Our Resources
September/October - Enos Mills
July/August - Sense of Place
May/June - Conservation
March/April - Souvenirs: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
January/February - Interpretation and Movies