IE Webinar: The penguin exhibit at Two Oceans Aquarium – its design and build
2026-03-10 15:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | Online
10 March at 15:00 CET.
This presentation explores how to design an interactive exhibit focused on an endemic, endangered species. Using the African penguin as a case study, we learn how to translate conservation science into accessible, engaging experiences, integrate interactivity to drive emotional connection and balance education with marine conservation and welfare. The session will also highlight practical design decisions that encourage visitor action and long-term conservation impact. If you wish to take part in the webinar, please register here at least one hour before the webinar begins. ***Please register using the same email address associated with your IE membership.***
Claire Taylor is an interactive exhibits and marine animal welfare specialist who has been creating educational experiences for 26 years. She studied multimedia design, combining creative thinking with a passion for marine animal conservation and welfare. As a mother of three children, Claire brings a unique, family-focused perspective to creating meaningful, accessible and engaging exhibits for all ages.
Samantha Duddington is a creative manager with over a decade of experience in graphic design. She is passionate about using design to connect audiences with the ocean and inspire meaningful conservation action. Through her role, she develops interactive exhibits that educate and engage visitors with a strong emphasis on endangered species like the African penguin.

IE Conference: Re-interpreting heritage in the light of Faro
2026-04-16 - 2026-04-19 | Faro, Portugal
16-19 April 2026 in Faro, Portugal
We will gather in Faro to discuss how interpretation can enhance the value of heritage – both natural and cultural – for people and societies in European democracies.
It was here where the Council of Europe launched the “Faro Convention” in 2005, embarking on a journey towards more democratic, people-centred, and value-based practices in dealing with Europe’s heritage.
The official legal text refers to cultural heritage only, its underlying rationale matters for all heritage interpretation, including natural heritage, as Europe is facing multiple challenges.
Join us to discuss how the Faro spirit can inspire theory and practice of interpretation. And, vice versa, how new approaches to co-creative interpretation can empower Faro heritage communities while strengthening cohesion of democratic societies committed to European values and sustainable development as ideals which are rooted in Europe’s past. Find out more about the theme and call for papers here.
The city of Faro and its surroundings, in Portugal’s Algarve, are alluringly rich in natural and cultural heritage.
Faro is situated in the extreme south-west of Europe and the whole region has been shaped throughout history by the succession and coexistence of diverse cultures and religions arriving by land and sea. It can look back on a turbulent past and it displays traces of these events everywhere. Many names in present-day Portugal and Spain testify to the influence of Romans, Byzantines, Visigoths and finally Moors. For centuries, explorers set sail from the Iberian Peninsula exporting, in turn, influences from this region.

What the Muslims once called Al Gharb, which simply meant the West, is what we now know as the Algarve and, with plenty of sunshine and beaches, it is one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations. But the Algarve is much more than that. Between the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains in the hinterland, we can discover a diverse landscape rich in natural and cultural treasures.
This geologically diverse landscape is the home of carob, fig, almond and eucalyptus trees, not to mention the ancient olive trees and mighty cork oaks. The people of the Algarve have always known how to use the assets of the region and old traditions live on in many places, many adapted to the times.
Register here: Interpret Europe conference 2026 – Registration
