Posted September 15, 2014

The Wadsworth Atheneum, the oldest continually operating public art museum in the United States, paved the way for encyclopedic museums across the country. Founder Daniel Wadsworth opened the museum in 1844 with his collection of about 80 paintings, many purchased directly from the artists. Today the collection exceeds 50,000 works of art, spanning more than 5,000 years.

The Wadsworth Atheneum has always been a resource for the local community. In 2008, the Museum launched the Community Engagement Initiative to welcome and inspire new and existing audiences while ensuring the Wadsworth is a vital part of the city and the greater Hartford community. The intended impact of programs is for participants to embrace the Wadsworth as their place to come together and experience the power of art.

The Wadsworth Atheneum is proud of its history and its continuing role as a vibrant hub of art and learning. The Museum today welcomes more than 100,000 visitors a year. The Wadsworth has been undergoing a major renovation since 2010 that is slated to be complete in 2015. The $33 million project will renew 32 galleries and 15 public spaces that will reinvent the Museum for 21st-century audiences.

DOCENT PROGRAM

Formed in 1968, the Docent Council engages the public with art and the collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum. Docents welcome thousands of visitors every year and conduct tour experiences for Pre-K through Grade 12 students, college students, adults, and families relating to all collection areas and exhibitions. Their service and dedication to excellence in teaching allows visitors to experience infinite possibilities for learning, contemplation, and enjoyment of art. Docents are valued as professional educators and are educated and evaluated accordingly. The approximately 100 members of the Docent Council come from all walks of life.

 

The Docent Council is governed by an active board which works collaboratively with the Education Department. Docents attend meetings and required training sessions to learn about exhibitions, collections, art history, and gallery teaching, two to three times a month, September through May every year. Docents may opt to attend training on Monday mornings or Tuesday evenings. Docent trips are organized for visits to art museums in the surrounding area and further afar for those docents who wish to experience other art collections with their colleagues. The docents also produce the Dialogue, an educational newsletter, written by and for Wadsworth Atheneum docents. In addition, state and national docent symposia provide an opportunity to further touring skills and meet colleagues from other museums.

Docents-in-Training complete a rigorous two-semester course on art history and the museum’s collections as well as teaching and touring techniques for various museum audiences. The class meets weekly for three hours each session. Weekly assignments include readings and independent study and activity in the museum’s galleries. Upon successful completion of the course, Docents-in-Training are then mentored by an experienced docent for about six months and as well join the docents for ongoing training. They must undergo a final evaluation before graduation to full-fledged docent status and are expected to commit at least two years to being a docent. Every docent, regardless of years of experience, is evaluated by both peer and education staff evaluators regularly to foster continued growth and professional accomplishment.

POSITION PURPOSE

To improve the cultural life of Greater Hartford and to create relevant opportunities for the museum and community to connect and to advocate for the optimal visitor experience. Develop, implement and evaluate Docent Program, ensuring all docents maintain high standards for excellent teaching to ensure tour programs are successful for all audiences.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

DOCENT PROGRAM

  • Provide and supervise training program for active Docent Council with approximately 100 volunteers. Coordinate, present and prepare content and teaching resources on the permanent collection and special exhibitions. Work continually with docents to improve touring and teaching skills and cultivate expertise in all collection and audience areas. Coordinate docent appreciation and recognition.
  • Communicate all information impacting touring to docents. Establish and maintain positive, two-way communication with the docents, individually and collectively, to build their connection to the Museum and its educational programs, and to enhance their understanding of Museum educational goals and outcomes.
  • Serve as primary liaison to Docent Council Board and its committees, providing guidance, advisement and support on all activities, including personnel, governance, evaluation and docent and tour procedures.
  • Coordinate and conduct approximately 25 docent evaluations per year. Review and follow up on group tour evaluations and feedback.
  • Provide training sessions, workshops and enrichment programs that assure tours align with academic content standards and allow docents to enhance their touring sills, increase their knowledge of the collection, remain current on best practices in museum education, and understand the needs and interests of teachers, students, and touring visitors, and support new and established tours, MATRIX exhibitions and all other special programming.
  • Recruit applicants and field docent program inquiries; review applications and interview candidates. Teach and manage Docent-in-Training Program – an 18 month process consisting of a two-semester (potentially evening) course followed by several months mentoring and final evaluation. Work with Docent Council on recruitment strategies to diversify volunteer base.

TOUR PROGRAMS

  • Assist with the development of resource and interpretive materials designed for school and teacher audiences to ensure integration of state standards in all prek-12 tour programs. Oversee the production of tour preparation materials for teachers, including web-based materials.
  • Manage docent-led tour programs in the galleries for preK-12 through university to adult audiences (including public drop-in tours, Austin House visits and curriculum-structured tours). Work with Group Visit Coordinator on tour and docent coordination to insure smooth scheduling and logistics.
  • Develop and maintain comprehensive knowledge of the museum’s collections and special exhibitions. Present gallery talks, lectures and classes as needed.

ADMINISTRATION

  • Assist with grant writing and reporting and monitors program budgets.
  • Prepare monthly and annual reports detailing activities.
  • Work with marketing and public relations to develop program promotion in print and online.
  • Serve on various museum-wide staff committees as appropriate. Serve as Exhibition Liaison for Education to specific exhibitions when assigned.
  • Participate in professional development opportunities when applicable.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

  • Strong knowledge of museum education theory and practice as well as art history.
  • Experience developing and implementing training programs.
  • Skilled gallery teacher with excellent public speaking skills. Dedication to interactive and interdisciplinary teaching.
  • Excellent management and interpersonal skills, including tact and diplomacy, with demonstrated ability to lead and coach volunteers.
  • Strong organizational skills. Ability to manage numerous projects simultaneously and adapt to change.
  • Ability to work well in a team, as well as motivate volunteers.
  • Budget management skills.
  • Ability to work evenings and weekends as program schedule requires.

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) in art history, museum education, art education or related field.
  • Five years of experience teaching in museums or other informal educational settings.

WORKING CONDITIONS

  • Evening and weekend hours required as necessary
  • Physical Demands: None
  • Special Environmental Factors: Close office setting

APPLY FOR THIS JOB

Contact Person: Christine Engel
Email Address: HR@wadsworthatheneum.org