Opportunity Details
Visual Arts Center Docents/Museum Guides
Requesting Volunteers to Serve as Docents in the Visual Arts Center
Who: Requesting volunteer comfortable speaking to groups to join the team at the Washington Pavilion’s Visual Arts Center (VAC)
What: Serving as a docent (museum tour guide) for VAC gallery tours
Where: The Visual Arts Center inside the Washington Pavilion
When: Docents serve as needed. Volunteer requests for upcoming tours are emailed on a weekly or semi-weekly basis and docents sign up on a first come, first served basis. Most tours are for K-12 school groups and usually occur any time between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm Monday through Friday
Why: Serving as a docent allows volunteers to share their passion for art and learning with visitors of all ages. This is a great opportunity for community members to become familiar with the VAC’s galleries, learn about effective museum tour techniques, and work with young people
What to Wear: Business casual. Pavilion-logoed apparel can be purchased but isn’t mandatory
Who to Contact: Brett Cooper, Senior Development Associate and Volunteer Coordinator, at (605) 731-2375 and bcooper@washingtonpavilion.org
Parking: Free parking at First United Methodist Church (across Minnesota Avenue from the Pavilion) will be available for volunteers who serve during the day during the week
Training: New volunteers are encouraged to shadow experienced docents to learn about effective tour techniques, how to adapt tours to different age groups, and how to make tours applicable to changing exhibitions. Written material can be provided to assist and new volunteers are encouraged to attend the following monthly events in addition to scheduled tours:
- Free First Friday, held the first Friday of the month from 5:00-8:00 pm, when the Visual Arts Center is admission-free to the public. Exhibiting artists regularly present gallery talks during Free First Friday
- Monthly docent meetings, held the first Wednesday of the month from 9:00-10:00 am in the Pavilion’s CineDome lobby. This is a chance to catch up with fellow volunteers, learn about new exhibits, and discuss ways to even more effectively give tours
To volunteer, Express Interest below. For more information, call (605) 731-2375.
Age Minimum (with Adult): 18+, Minimum Age:18+
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