From: "Janice Klein" <[log in to unmask]>>
> I have identified two things that I want every visitor to learn at this
> museum.
These seem to be absolute rock-bottom baseline standards for what you want
every visitor to come away with... maybe what you've identified here is what
they will still remember in ten years, but surely you offer much more in
your exhibits and programs and you can hope that most visitors will get more
than this minimum out of the experience. Many visitors will come knowing
this much already, and some will come knowing much more (some will know more
than you!).
>
> I don't expect anyone to be able to be able to get a degree, pass a course
> or even write a paper based on the information provided by any exhibit
text,
> let alone from an enthusiastic, but not professionally trained (e.g. with
a
> college degree in the subject matter) docent.
No, but again, some do have degrees, have passed a course, and have written
papers covering the same material. And they will ask deep, detailed, and
meaningful questions. Don't you want your docents prepared to deal with them
too?
>
> I do hope that visitors will be excited by the museum and inspired to
learn
> more (from directed reading in our extensive library or elsewhere)
Ideally, they can learn more right there in the museum, with in-depth labels
and commentary available. Hard to meet the needs of all levels of visitor
understanding, but surely worth striving for.
>
> When I hear a docent share an interesting anecdote that may or may not be
> exactly true, particularly about individual objects in the collection, I
am
> encouraged by the sense of personal enthusiasm the docent is conveying.
Encouraged, but you can feed that enthusiasm with accurate information - and
the opportunity to learn even more about why it's considered more accurate.
This docent needs more training, or needs to know how to present
not-exactly-true anecdotes as speculation that informs understanding of the
issue at hand.
> [Begin the fireworks]
Not to attack you, specifically, but it's a shame to settle for the minimum.
Some visitors will know when they hear mistakes, and it does not reflect
well on the institution (as a visitor, I've had my own heated discussions
with docents!)
When I worked at the Paul Revere House in Boston, we did ongoing training
for all the staff all the time. Everyone on the staff did research, and
everyone, including the Director, took a turn at visitor interpretation.
When we didn't know, we tried to find out while the visitor was still there,
or got an address and followed up. When we heard other interpretors make a
mistake, or give an inadequate answer, we questioned it, and found out
together what the answer was. And for the inevitable questions for which
there is no answer, staff discussed how to handle it.
It's a shame to hire skilled and informed curatorial staff, and then never
let the visitors in on the good information. Docent selection and training
(and a spirit of inquiry and self-correction) is so important. One of the
perks of being a docent, for many, is the chance to keep learning - you can
use this!
Carol Ely
Museum consultant, Louisville
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