Docents

Reading how to become a docent on ehow I realized it is much easier at the Lynden Pioneer Museum, so in BOLD I've inserted the Lynden Pioneer Museum way.
Step 1
Find a museum where you want to volunteer. EASY! The Lynden Pioneer Museum!Make sure the museum's content interests you because you'll be putting a lot of time into the program. Maybe NOT a lot of time, one morning or afternoon a week or become a substitute on call.

Step 2
Fill out any forms to apply for the program. ONE page at the Lynden Pioneer Museum! Filling out a form doesn't guarantee you will get in. Sometimes there are more applicants than openings. Make sure your application makes it apparent that you love the museum's content. Museum employees might like to see that you incorporate the museum's subject into your free time. Make your personality shine through as much as possible. They are looking for sociable, dynamic people. If you are sociable and looking to meet new friends, LPM is a good match for you. Many of our docents become good friends, visiting while they work, or putting together a jigsaw puzzle in the lobby, playing cribbage in between helping visitors, working crossword puzzles, knitting or reading a good book.

Step 3
Attend the training courses and be ready to study. Study? No. How often you meet will vary from museum to museum, but don't be surprised if you meet more than once a week, and for more than six months. Easy at the Lynden Pioneer Museum, one training session with Tami and then on the job training with another docent. You will probably attend a lot of lectures to learn about the museum's exhibits. Troy may lecture us but that isn't training, hee hee. Your instructors will also talk about how to lead tours and how to change your tour for different groups of visitors. For example, think about how you would change your presentation about a certain piece if you showed it to a 9-year-old and then a 79-year-old, or how would you keep people from touching the exhibits. In the end, you might also lead sample tours, consisting of your classmates and museum employees.

Step 4
Schedule time to volunteer at your museum. Don't worry, Tami will call you and get you on the calendar. Museums have invested time and money into your training, so they will most likely expect you to commit to a certain number of hours per week. Your responsibilities could include leading tours, giving demonstrations, helping visitors with hands-on activities, or even community outreach programs that could take you to local schools.

Step 5
Continue your education with any required docent readings or training. Because exhibits are constantly changing, some museums have weekly classes for their current docents. No weekly class, just notes left by the front desk and occasional on the job lectures by our director, Troy. Ask Troy about Lynden's history or an exhibit, he'll tell!

Step 6
Commit for the long haul. Some docent programs will ask you to commit to volunteering for several years. Hey, don't worry about a huge time block. At the Lynden Pioneer Museum we understand that you are a volunteer and that you have family, friends, vacations and a life outside of your museum. Getting time off is easy.

Call Tami at the museum at 360-354-3675 to schedule a training session today.

Oh, and at the Lynden Pioneer Museum we have a Docent Dinner every year. A night of appreciation, with good music, delicious food and over the top yummy desserts!