Toward Multivocality in Public Archaeology: Public Empowerment Through Collaboration

Archaeology, especially underwater and marine archaeology, stirs public interest like few other topics. The specter of solving the detective story is seen by the public as the ultimate adventure. Many are increasingly participating in global discourses about the meaning and importance of archaeological investigations and are drawn into public debates about underwater heritage protection and conservation. To meet this surging interest, public archaeologists in Florida and elsewhere are using collaborative approaches to devise effective strategies for conveying archaeological information and significance in both academic and public arenas. Successful programs empower and motivate lay persons to more active involvement. These programs move beyond the concept of the public as recipients or “customers” of interpretation to focus on active public participation and multivocality within archaeological and interpretation processes. Examples are given of this new focus: how non-academics or lay persons use and create new knowledge gained through professional/private collaboration.