WHAT IS A DOCENT?

A docent is a guide who leads a group on a tour through a museum, encouraging conversations, interpreting meaning, and helping others learn to admire. Docents stay up to date with the artists and exhibits at The Missoula Art Museum (MAM) and can lead tours for groups of all ages through our various programs at MAM. Docents are not expected to be total experts on the material to lead a tour and are instead facilitators of an inquiry-based discussion.

WHO CAN BE A DOCENT?

Anybody can be a docent! No prior experience or training is necessary. The model for a successful docent at MAM is somebody with passions for art, artists, culture, Montana, language, exploring ideas, and/or learning just as much as teaching! MAM is a contemporary art museum, and so our exhibits explore the issues of our time, and our place- Montana. The nature of distilling the ideas of contemporary art to a group is that a successful docent must also be aware that the best tours are more conversational. Docents allow visitors to share their own beliefs and stories, and encourage active participation to promote curiosity and expression.

WHY BE A DOCENT?

Docents are a crucial part of MAM’s operations, and by making the experiences digestible for everybody, MAM’s docents help unpack the gifts of each exhibit for visiting groups. Part of the joy of being a docent is that no two groups or tours will be the same. Adapting as a group indicates their interest in a particular idea or work of art is a skill and joy that keeps our docents engaged just as much as our visitors!

MAM’s docents make up a lively and thoughtful community, and we’d love for you to join!

HOW TO BECOME A DOCENT

Complete the volunteer application and email it to Kay, or another member of the Education Team to participate. Attend at least one of the scheduled MAM Docent Trainings, and shadow at least one tour given by an Education Team member. Next, you’ll be shadowed by a member of the education team before you’ll be giving tours on your own.

Be sure to check out our Docent Handbook for more details.

MAM’s docents receive a 10% discount on MAM merchandise, and a one-year membership to MAM for six volunteer hours worked.

Note: This position can involve standing for up to an hour, walking up two or more flights of stairs (we have an elevator as well), and moving through the museum. Accommodations can be arranged.

FGAE:

This signature education program invites every public and private elementary school in Missoula County and beyond within a 70-mile radius to participate at no charge. FGAE (Fifth Grade Art Experience) serves an average of 50 fifth-grade classes each year. Students are introduced to the Missoula Art Museum and to the educational offerings at the Missoula Public Library. For many students, this is their first time visiting any museum, and for others it is their first visit to a contemporary art museum.

All docents who work with the student groups leading tours in the exhibitions are knowledgeable about MAM’s art exhibitions and artists. They are trained by MAM’s education staff in an innovative approach to connecting with art — an interpretive philosophy which involves asking open-ended questions to encourage curiosity, close looking, discussion, and reflection. While docents do provide content and context, these interactive strategies allow students to form their own personal connection with the artwork first. Docents may also offer a variety of activities to support engaging with the art such as movement or sound activities, sketching, or partner work. 

Sign up to be docent for FGAE here!

ARTREACH:

Each summer, our team works tirelessly to engage under-resourced populations through MAM’s ARTreach program that engages a dozen non-profit summer camps, serving close to 600 low-income children. Designed after the FGAE, campers and their counselors come to MAM for an afternoon contemporary art experience. Campers are greeted by MAM educators with a Radical Welcome and introduction to MAM’s history and architecture before and taking an inquiry-based tour through the art exhibition of focus, led by Docents and education staff. Following the exhibition tour, campers create an original piece of art using an art technique inspired by the art and artist on view. In the education classroom, campers create their artwork while working with MAM’s professional Teaching Artists.

ARTreach tour schedules will be released in the Spring of 2025.

The Art in the Moment program aims to provide therapeutic benefits of processing emotions and sparking associations and memories for anybody experiencing memory loss. This program creates a comforting art-viewing and art-making space for those in the early stages of dementia and their caregivers while fostering a dementia-friendly learning community that brings caregivers and those with dementia together in a creative and relaxed environment. Participants view and interact with artwork on display in small groups, with guidance by a MAM Teaching Artist, education staff, and volunteers. After experiencing art in the galleries, participants work to create original art of their own in the education classroom. This program is offered on the first Monday of the warmer Montana months and breaks from February through March. Participants and caretakers join the community as well as individuals from memory care units located in residential retirement communities.

Interested in being a docent for Art in the Moment? Email kay@missoulaartmuseum.org for more information. 

SATURDAY TOURS:

Saturday tours begin at 1:00 PM and gather in the lobby. These tours are open to everybody, including drop ins. Docents begin by explaining what an inquiry-based tour is, before sharing the land acknowledgment and details about The Museum’s architecture. 

Sign up to be a docent for the Saturday Tours here!

FIRST FRIDAY GREETERS:

First Friday is a festive event at MAM, taking place after our usual closing time of 5:00pm. Visitors can view the galleries, purchase beverages, and enjoy music or special events. We’re always looking for conversational volunteers to act as greeters during First Friday!

Interested in being a First Friday greeter? Email nicolle@missoulaartmuseum.org to express your interest!

DOCENT SIGN UPS:

Currently, MAM primarily uses Calendly to schedule docents for tours. Docents will receive an invitation to access MAM’s signups on Calendly. Docents must have a Gmail-associated address to view and edit the calendar. 

QUICK LINKS

TRAINING MATERIALS

Inquiry-Based Approach:

MAM’s educational focus is to empower audiences of all ages and abilities to engage with contemporary art and artists. MAM’s education team strongly believes that engaging with contemporary art can open a unique and accessible pathway to learning about current issues and ideas of our time. MAM implements an innovative approach to help audiences connect with contemporary art—using methods of observation and interpretation. Our interpretive strategy is inquiry-based and preferences self-engagement and self-discovery.

Language Guidelines:

At MAM we strive to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of our visitors and students. As a cultural institution, we believe that we must be at the forefront of respectful language-use when communicating with all visitors. Modeling respectful and inclusive language is one way to welcome everyone into the experience of engaging with art. Discussing art without making value judgements is a powerful and gentle teaching tool.

The language guidelines at MAM also include using gender neutral and inclusive pronouns. We cannot assume the age, gender, race, sexuality, or ability of our guests.

MAM staff will read MAM’s acknowledgement statement prior to the beginning of each tour to recognize the native land where the museum resides, and the Indigenous or Tribal affiliations of exhibiting artists.