Management and Development of Creative Interpreters in the Wat Huai Tako Folk Museum, Nakhon Pathom Province

This study examines how an integrated management framework, creative interpreter training, and a digital information system can enhance cultural conservation at the Wat Huai Tako Folk Museum in Nakhon Pathom Province. Employing a participatory action research design, the investigation engaged temple leaders, local stakeholders, students, and visitors through interviews, focus groups, structured surveys (n = 400), immersive workshops (n = 24), and pilot testing of an Omeka-based archive (n = 100). Findings reveal that formalizing governance via a multi-stakeholder committee yields coherent exhibit planning and improves operational standards. The creative interpreter program delivered significant gains in trainees’ understanding (pre- to post-training mean increase from 4.00 to 4.54) and confidence, validating dialogic, constructivist approaches to museum interpretation. User evaluations of the digital archive demonstrated high satisfaction across interface design, metadata completeness, and search performance, confirming the value of a user-friendly Dublin Core schema for inclusive access. Together, these interventions foster participatory governance, cultivate authentic storytelling, and extend museum reach beyond its physical confines. This holistic model aligns with new museology and inclusive museum principles, offering a replicable blueprint for temple and community museums aiming to democratize heritage stewardship, engage youth, and leverage technology for sustainable cultural education.