In an art museum, you recognize a decent by her “gray hair, flat shoes, and funky jewelry” stated the chairman of a recent National Docent Symposium. Although not all fit that mold (some are even men) we do have similarities — not the least of which is dedication. A docent’s …
For years museum educators felt neglected, the step- children of their profession. They struggled for recognition within their institution’s hierarchy and vied for precious budgetary resources. Education departments and their programs were considered of secondary importance to their institutions and were treated accordingly. During the past 30 years, many of …
One of the reasons many docents continue to volunteer at museums, historic sites, zoos, gardens, and nature centers is the opportunity such activities offer for personal growth. (And, I’m not talking here about all those “goodies” in the volunteer room!) Many institutions offer continuing college-level classes about their collections and …
Program elements contributing to docent satisfaction and longevity may run the gamut from the basic (a nametag and a place to hang your coat) to the more sophisticated (excellent training and mentoring) to the more ephemeral (maintaining a collegial and professional relationship between volunteers and staff). Yet all are part …
Volunteers have choices about how they will spend their volunteer hours. Museums and other institutions, therefore, must strive to make their programs attractive to prospective docents, as well as rewarding to active docents. While some larger institutions are blessed with well-established docent programs and no shortage of applicants to join …
Museum rewards and incentives don’t seem to have much to do with why docents stay and why they leave, it the experiences of The Birmingham Museum of Art over the last 47 years mean anything. In 1952, The Kress Foundation deeded 29 works to The Birmingham Museum of Art. Two …
Volunteers are drawn to museums in whose subject matter or mission they are interested. For docents this is especially true, since they not only learn while they volunteer, they share their passion for the subject with visitors. The Desert Botanical Garden, which features desert plants from around the world, draws …
… a goody given unconditionally is not really a reward at all. A reward, by definition, is a desired object or event made conditional on having fulfilled some criterion: only if you do this will you get that. If I promise to give you a banana tomorrow, that is not …
For over a decade, the docents at the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum have been taking occasional study trips to visit out-of-town museums whose programs and exhibits have something to offer for our professional development. Those of us accustomed to giving tours enjoy being on the receiving end of the educational …
There is an expression that goes, “If it’s tree, it’s not worth anything.” Well, that may be true of some things, but not of the volunteers who work in our profession. Volunteers have become essential to the operations of a vast majority of museums, historic sites, zoos, aquariums, gardens, and …