Susan Patterson wrote:
 
>Has anyone addressed in a formal way the role guards can play as museum
>ambassadors?
 
The New Museum in New York did a project with the museum guards.  It may be
ongoing, I'm not sure.  It was very innovative.  Unfortunately, I don't
have the details.  Contact them directly.
 
> how about modifying the uniform to a more "plain clothes" look?
 
Our security supervisors wear white shirts and dark pants (they look kinda
like cops), our full time security officers (those at the dock, the
employee entrances and the two main entrances) all wear similar uniforms,
but with blue shirts.  We also have a part time guard force - those who are
stationed in the galleries - they wear maroon blazers, white shirts and tan
pants.  It is a vast improvement over the old uniforms worn by guards in
the galleries (the blue shirt version).  We also have volunteer gallery
service attendants (800 strong) who are assigned, on a rotating basis, to a
suite of galleries to guide visitors to the bathrooms, the cafeteria, the
restaurant, the museum shop, other galleries, etc.  Under no circumstances
are they allowed to act as docents.  It has been an extremely successful
program enabling us to keep our galleries open despite extreme cut backs in
security personnel a couple of years ago (since built back - with the new
maroon jackets  - with the generous support of funds from the community).
 
P.S. Susan did you get my email on 1/8/95 re advertising?
 
Suzanne
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suzanne Quigley
Head Registrar
Detroit Institute of Arts
313 833 0261
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