Art

Museum of Art Docent Meeting

Submitted January 11, 2010, by Graham Watson

Students and community members are invited to an informational meeting about the Docent Learning Program of the Ball State University Museum of Art.  The meeting will be Thursday, January 14, at 3:30 p.m. in the Brown Study Room of the Ball State University Museum of Art in the Fine Arts Building.  Refreshments will be served.

At the meeting, docents will hear from current docents about their experience and receive information about the training program.  

HONRS 390 or CFA 498 course credit available with prior arrangement.

To qualify, volunteers must be available to attend weekly trainings on Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. and (if students) have at least a 3.0 G.P.A. An interest in and knowledge of art and art history is also helpful.

About the Docent Learning Program:
The docent program allows a small number of select Ball State students and community members to provide visitors tours of the museum. These students undergo extensive training, meeting once a week with the curator of education to learn art history and museum education for conducting an interactive tour.

The Ball State University Museum of Art provides educational tour opportunities as an integral means for developing interest in and connections to an art collection spanning 5,000 years from around the world. The Docent Learning Program of the Ball State University Museum of Art is an essential museum program for the public's benefit. With this program, different groups can request a collection-based free tour developed around their needs and interests.

Learning how to look through art is key. Docents learn how to teach through art as well as about art. Teachers and other community educators work with the docent to ensure the central theme and works of art selected reflect the group's needs and interests.

Docents are volunteers who are interested in sharing their enjoyment of art and are important as museum teachers and community ambassadors. They use an object-based approach that uses an informal conversational style to promote discussion and a free exchange of ideas. Docents opt to join the program to advance their own knowledge of the history and techniques of art, museum interpretation, and learning theory.