In visiting museums around the world, I have seen an incredible variety of
dress. Most institutions have uniforms for their security guards and staff
on the floor, but relatively few seem to dress up their docents, other than
parks (where all staff generally wear some sort of "ranger" uniform,
regardless of what they did and where in the world they might be located),
and staff in many outdoor sites, such as zoos or aquaria, where a simple,
distinctive and often colourful uniform, such as an institutional golf shirt
and slacks or shorts might be worn.

In my experience, docents in museums tend not to wear uniforms, other than
an identification badge, but are expected to dress to a certain standard.

That standard varies greatly. In many institutions down under, casual dress
is the order of the day. On the other hand, I worked in a museum where
volunteer docents wore regimental blazer and tie, white shirt and gray
flannels/skirt and medals and decorations - perhaps a bit much, but it WAS a
war museum and the institutional culture called for it. Our salaried
education staff normally wore military/naval uniform of an appropriate
period when working with the public. Other staff who felt the need to dress
for special occasions wore a shirt, tie and jacket (or equivalent for female
staff) and stuck their medals on if it seemed appropriate (if they had any,
which most did not). The volunteers always seemed disappointed when we
neglected to wear them!!!

The long and the short of it is that the culture of the particular
institution dictates the dress.

Harry

"Sedula curavi humanas actiones non ridere,
non lugere, neque detestare, sed intelligere'"

               -  Spinoza (1632-77)  "Tractacus Politicus" 1, iv.


Harry Needham, M.A., CFE, etc.
President
Harry Needham Consulting Services Inc.
Training & consulting services for heritage institutions - and others!
74 Abbeyhill Drive
Kanata, Ontario K2L 1H1
Canada
email: [log in to unmask]
(Voice) +1.613.831-1068
(Fax) +1.613.831-9412
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Woodson <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2000 8:19 PM
Subject: Re: docent shirts/staff shirts


> When we expanded our site to include an exhibit hall and special programs
> department, we adopted a "uniform" consisting of polo-style shirts, khaki
> slacks and casual/dress type shoes.  This worked ok until summer rolled
> around.  We finally revolted (whined and moaned) until khaki shorts and
> tasteful (?) footwear were allowed.  I guess it's a toss up....how casual
is
> suitable for your facility?  I went on vacation this summer to some of the
> state museums in Raleigh and winced at the blazer and khaki slacks-clad
> docents standing around.  I'm sorry....all I could think was "yes, they're
> dressed to reflect a certain level of professionalism, but doggone it, the
> t-shirt and flipflop clad tourists where I work couldn't care less what
we're
> wearing".  I think there's probably a happy medium between shorts and
blazers
> that takes into account not only a certain "image" but the comfort of the
> staff as well.
>
> Chris Woodson
> Roanoke Island Festival Park/Elizabeth II state site
> Manteo, NC
>
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