Since April of this year, the Drentsche Aa National Park has a new visitor center. André Brasse, coordinator of Communication & Education at the national park, shares the experiences and lessons learned from the first half-year.
Is the new visitor center developed as a replacement for an existing center?
Andre: ‘No, the visitor center is an addition to several small information points and the "Living Visitor Network." In this network, entrepreneurs collaborate who have taken the national park's host course. With the new visitor center in the House of the Drentsche Aa at Deurze, we primarily fulfill a need of the recreation sector. They have long wanted a central place where we welcome, inform, and inspire visitors in a contemporary way. It is a conscious investment to professionalize and future-proof the public function. We respond to the growing need for nature experiences, education about climate and biodiversity, and the role national parks have in them as carriers of regional identity and sustainable recreation.’
What does the new visitor center mean for the Drentsche Aa National Park?
‘The visitor center has a strategic significance for our park,’ says André. ‘It acts as the main entrance and business card of the area. Therefore, the visitor center directly contributes to the recognition and positioning of the national park. From the center, partners, governments, and entrepreneurs work together and convey the story of the Drentsche Aa. In this way, the outdoor center supports us in realizing the policy goals: protecting and developing nature and landscape, connecting with cultural history, and promoting sustainable recreation and the regional economy.’
What are the main functions of the visitor center for the park?
According to André, the visitor center is the place where visitors experience and learn the story of this unique landscape. 'Here begins the introduction to the stream valley landscape, the rich cultural history, and the great biodiversity. Besides being a starting and orientation point for hiking and cycling tours, we make the value of the area tangible here. Visitors discover why protecting and developing the Drentsche Aa is so important and how this relates to current themes like water and biodiversity. Additionally, the visitor center provides space for meeting and collaboration.’
What are your expectations regarding the visitor center?
‘Our expectation is that the visitor center will grow into the central meeting and information place of the Drentsche Aa National Park. We expect that the center will not only attract visitors but mainly contribute to greater understanding, appreciation, and involvement in nature, landscape, and cultural history. Additionally, we see the visitor center as a catalyst for cooperation and regional development. We hope that partners find each other increasingly and more activities in the areas of education, recreation, and sustainability come together here.’
With which other parties do you collaborate in the visitor center?
Yes, says André. ‘Collaboration with other parties is an essential part of the visitor center. The center is specifically set up as a joint facility. A place where the national park and its partners, governments, IVN nature education, and entrepreneurs work together and develop a coherent range of information, education, and activities. Each partner brings their expertise, network, and resources, making the visitor center a place where we strengthen each other.’
What is there to see and do in the visitor center?
Visitors find there the story of the Drentsche Aa; from the formation of the landscape, through the esdorp landscape, and to today's biodiversity. André: 'Water serves as the connecting "blue" thread. The basic information is accessible to everyone. Via QR codes, visitors can search for in-depth information. We have also taken good account of the less-abled in the design. Moreover, the center is a starting point for walking and cycling routes, excursions, and educational programs. For children and families, there are accessible activities and playful elements that invite discovery. We organize lectures, courses, workshops, and theme days together with partners. So, the center becomes not only a place to gather information but also a platform for dialogue and cooperation.’
What are the main experiences after about half a year?
'The experiences with and reactions to the visitor center are very positive. We see that the center indeed functions as the main entrance and that we manage to reach a wide audience. The number of visitors aligns with expectations. The appreciation for the design and the offer from the public and educational institutions is very high. Additionally, it appears that the center fits well with the need for information, experience, and education. Especially the connection with routes and excursions is appreciated. The collaboration with partners is also constructive: there is a growing willingness to jointly develop activities and use the center as a platform. At the same time, we also identify points of attention. These mainly concern aligning programming with different target groups, increasing visibility towards visitors and tourist partners, and ensuring sufficient capacity for implementation. We will take these experiences with us in further development.’
How are components such as staffing organized?
‘The staffing of the counter consists of permanent counter employees, occasionally supplemented by volunteers from the park. Together with the Communication and Education employee, I coordinate daily information provision, educational programs, excursions from the visitor center, and maintain contacts with partners. Additionally, we coordinate matters with cooperating parties, such as nature organizations and local community initiatives regarding programs, excursions, and events. In this way, we ensure a professional and hospitable reception of visitors, a wide range of activities, and the use of resources and knowledge.’
Finally, do you have any tips for other national parks considering realizing a visitor center?
André has six tips for other national parks.
1. Cooperation is crucial: involve all relevant partners and experts from the start. A shared story and support help, among other things, the design of the exhibition.
2. Think strategically about function and experience: a visitor center should be more than an information point; it is a main entrance, educational platform, and meeting place. Ensure that the design and programming align with both policy goals and visitor experiences.
3. Work towards the public: involve partners and users in developing activities and routes. Interactive and accessible activities increase involvement and make the park accessible to various target groups.
4. Leave logos and brand marks where possible. The strength is not in the form but in the content. Focus the communication on the story you want to convey and align this with the receiver. This keeps the message clear, personal, and meaningful, without distraction by design.
5. Test the design of facilities and routes for accessibility for the less-abled. This means avoiding obstacles, laying flat and wide paths, and providing information at the correct height. Lighting is also important regarding the visually impaired and reading texts from a lower vantage point such as a wheelchair. Consider this in the planning, so accessibility is structurally included in policy and execution from the start.
6. When creating communication material, start from short, core texts combined with strongly supporting visuals. Assume that a visitor stays for a maximum of fifteen minutes and reads on average only a third of the text.
It is good to determine the core message to be remembered together beforehand. The advice is to then elaborate this in three layers.
1. Headline and image – the visitor should understand at a glance what it is about.
2. Core message in one sentence – briefly and clearly state what you want to convey.
3. Additional text – for the visitor who wants to know more. But ensure that even this remains compact and clear. Add depth via QR codes that link to your website. This information can always be updated and adjusted if necessary.
This way, you ensure that everyone – including the fast reader or fleeting visitor – captures the essence, while interested parties can find deeper information.