Docent Mission Statement

Docents at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum contribute time, energy and ideas to make the art within the exhibition accessible, understandable and rewarding to visitors of the Museum. By creating a dialogue with the visitors about the works of art, docents stimulate observation, speculation, possibility and connection. Our Mission is to support The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum’s exhibition programs in the following ways: 

 Devote time, energy and enthusiasm to the docent program.
 Study and creatively prepare for each new exhibition by reading accompanying exhibition materials information and by attending openings, lectures and exhibition walkthroughs.
 Continually evaluate and refine touring techniques.
 Keep informed about exhibition dates, tour times and training schedules.
 Be punctual, flexible and dependable.
 Find a substitute docent if unable to make your scheduled time.
 Inform the Education Department if unavailable for a given period of time.
 Attend all training sessions.
 Inform the Education Department when faced with a confrontation or otherwise uncomfortable situation.
 Read about art and art history, attend lectures and visit other museums and galleries.
 Utilize the Education Department resource library.
 Develop future audiences of art enthusiasts.
 Abide by the annually signed Docent Contract, giving 100 hours per year, with 60% of those hours being tour hours.

As docents, we are accessible to the visitor to answer any reasonable questions they may have about the art within the exhibition. We provide either a brief orientation about the artist(s) and the history thereof, or a tour on the exhibition itself. We attempt to stimulate a dialogue about how visitors may see the works of art. We are reminded that there is no right or wrong answer and that the goal is to leave the visitor with the feeling of having learned something new. We encourage active participation on the part of the docent and the visitors. Docents are teachers, however, the style and form of is different from the classroom model. We engage the viewers while learning from them. Each group will be different and the docent is reminded to take this into consideration when touring.

Docents are representatives of the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and their presence is the public’s link to the institution. Docents personal opinions are valued by the staff but are not relevant to their role as a representative of the Museum or as a guide to the exhibition. On the other hand, a docent’s observation can act to stimulate seeing on the part of the visitor. We ask that as a docent, you don’t share subjective or negative thoughts about exhibitions or individual artworks or artists, but rather inform about the art from an objective, educator’s perspective. Also, please honor the requests of visitors for focusing on certain parts of the exhibition.

DOCENT RESOURCES

To obtain a current contact list, please contact Christina Dallorso Bush at christina@okeeffemuseum.org. 

For a complete copy of the Docent Manual, click here: Docent Manual 2007 (Microsoft Word format)

For a blank Tour Report Form, click here: Tour Report Form (Microsoft Word format)

For specific guidelines for Research Center Tours, click here: Research Center Tour Guidelines (Microsoft Word format)