Docents In Museum Education

Are you a lifelong learner with a passion for sharing history with your community?

               

The Fairfield Museum is recruiting a new class of docents, trained volunteer educators, who present guided tours and education programs for K-12 students. The docent program is both intellectually stimulating and socially rewarding and includes courses, readings, and discussions on topics in American History. Whether you’ve lived in Fairfield for many years or you are new to the area, discover the rewards of sharing the rich history of our town with visitors of all ages.

We need docents to help in the following areas:

• Giving tours of the 1750 Ogden House on Sunday afternoons between Memorial Day and Labor Day
• Helping to open up the Museum Commons from June through August by giving tours of the Sun Tavern (c. 1780) and Victorian Barn (1888)
• Leading art and history-related activities for families at the Victorian Cottage
• During the school year, leading interactive tours for K-12 students at the Museum

What is the commitment?

• Attend training sessions & quarterly meetings
• Successfully complete a practice tour
• Be able to walk and stand for the length of tours; up to 1.5 hours. Some historical buildings are not physically accessible.
• Read and study materials on history and education
• Commit to at least 2 or more volunteer shifts per month

What skills do I need?

• A love of history and learning
• Good communication and public speaking skills
• Good listening skills
• Flexibility/Adaptability
• Tolerance and respect for others

Docent training is both intellectually stimulating and socially rewarding and includes readings and discussions on various topics in American history and history education. Docents also volunteer  at programs, attend lectures presented by scholars, and participate in teacher workshops.

To learn more about being a docent, contact us at [email protected]. Fairfield Museum Staff will follow up with more information.