DOCENT PROGRAMS: A MANAGEMENT STUDY
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Authors
Shapiro, Dana Bloom
Issue Date
1985
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
In many museums, docents are the primary link between the public and the museum collections. The docent's function is to transmit knowledge of the museum collection to the public. Frequently museum education programs are limited to docent training. Docents are taught about the museum's collections and instructed in tour techniques so they can share their knowledge with the public. A visitor's impression of a museum may depend on the quality of the docent's tour, especially when the docent is the only person with whom the visitor interacts or makes contact.
Docent programs consist of volunteers who want to learn about and give tours of a museum's collection. Docent programs must be organized; tours cannot occur haphazardly. Decisions must be made as to the length of training, and what material it should cover. Trained docents must be assigned days and times for their tours. To accomplish these ends, docents may be organized by volunteers within their own group or by staff museum members. Such organization can be broadly categorized as management of docent programs.