Sarah, I like you process... it is similar to what we have done... Folding chairs in various closets, some "historic" chairs which have been identified as "sitters"... Joking with the guests to make them feel comfortable...
While we take our historic house seriously, we try to treat the guests as guests, and make them feel comfortable.
As for the original question... We don't have any space for an orientation... we start on the front porch, remind the guests of our rules No sitting, no touching, cell phones off keep together... (and occasionally even "no jumping up and down on the beds") if time permits we may talk about the house, but it seems that my docents who need to orient tend to be very serious, to the point of too serious for most guests.
Randy Hees
Patterson House at Ardenwood Farm
Fremont, Califrornia
----- Original Message -----
From: Sarah M. Allen Sarah Allen Museum Technician Knife River Indian Villages NHS Stanton, ND 58571-0009 701.745.3300
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 3:46 PM
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Orientation Procedures for Historic House Museums
We have folding chairs artfully hidden, if anyone expresses doubt they can do our tour, the docents are to tell them about the chairs. On the rare occasion I have the pleasure of conducting a tour; I start with saying, "if anyone feels that standing for 40 minutes would take away from their ability to enjoy the tour, say the word, I can make chairs appear magically". I find people will be more honest with me when I approach it this way.
It takes a second for me to whip out a chair, and I can usually do it without skipping a beat in the talk. If people feel walking from the visitors center might be too strenuous...we have wheelchairs available (pushed by interns;)....if they are reluctant, I remind them "you know what, you will never see these people again and you may never get to visit here again, who cares what they think, enjoy the ride."
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