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The Minnesota Marine Art Museum (MMAM) is currently recruiting new docents to start in a special 5-week training class this winter. Docents are specially trained volunteers who facilitate tour experiences for visiting groups of all ages and backgrounds and bring the Museum’s mission to life. As the number of school tours to the Museum continues to increase, the MMAM needs more dedicated docents to help meet the demand and make each tour awesome.
Current MMAM docent Ray Bisco explains, “To be a volunteer in the Minnesota Marine Art Museum has been a very unique experience and my enthusiasm for what is offered by such a special community resource has only grown with time. We receive guidance from the Museum’s highly motivated staff team and our group of docents continues to learn from each other. It is exciting to see news of the Museum reach an even wider range of visitors whose knowledge, interests, and questions bring increasing interest to our time as volunteers.”
Applicants must apply for the program by filling out the interest form that can be mailed to you, or picked up at the MMAM. Interested applicants will be asked to shadow a tour before the training begins as well as complete a short interview process. The class will meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays for three hours each day beginning on February 20th and ending on March 21st. Training times will be determined after an initial interest group has formed and individual’s availability is discussed, but will either be from 9am-Noon, or 1-4 pm. Docents will be selected and taught by Curator of Education Heather Casper.
A background in art or museums or previous teaching experience can be helpful but no previous or special experience is required to begin the training class. New docents will be given background on museums, the MMAM’s art collections, and various touring strategies to use with different audiences. Applicants must possess an eagerness to learn and a willingness to explore and support differing points of view. Docents are asked to give at least 6 tours a year and attend an ongoing monthly docent training class. To find out more information, or to download the docent interest form, please visit the Museum’s website at www.minnesotamarineart.org, or contact Heather Casper at (507) 474-6626. The Minnesota Marine Art Museum is located on the River at 800 Riverview Drive in Winona.
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