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Become a Docent

 

The Jesuit Dallas Museum Docent Program fulfills an essential component of the Museum's mission to enhance the educational experience of students and the broader community through awareness, appreciation and passion for art. A docent is a volunteer educator who receives training on the Museum's collection, and special exhibitions, and conducts tours and outreach programs for students and visitors. Using art from the JDM Collection is a creative and enjoyable way to reinforce classroom concepts. Museum docents work with teachers to choose artworks and hands-on projects to relate to any subject.

Contact Us to Get Started:

Museum Director
Elizabeth Hunt Blanc
ehuntblanc@jesuitcp.org
972-387-8700 ext. 383

 

What Does Being a Docent Look Like?

As a new docent, you will be familiarized with the JDM background, the collection and focus on 10 important pieces that are used in many tours. Our Docents have a wide range of backgrounds from appreciation of art, to art degrees. Many tours are already established with reference materials provided to our volunteers.

Docents conduct tours for visitors, groups, and classes. A typical tour for our classes is held during a class period and aligned with a teacher and topic (e.g. Spanish, history, Impressionism, etc.). On classroom tours we provide a brief recap of the artist, style, and facts that our students might find interesting. We typically cover five-seven works in the collection.

Docent meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month from September through May in the Museum office on the 3rd Floor of the Terry Center. Docents meet from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. We meet for 30 minutes and then tour the collection for the remaining time. The first semester of the school year provides training for new docents to conduct tours and all are encouraged to join more seasoned docents in giving tours.

What is needed to become a Docent?
  • Appreciate art and the creative process.
  • Communicate effectively with students and adults in-group situations.
  • Demonstrate enthusiasm, a positive attitude, good judgment, and flexibility.
  • Enjoy learning about the collection.
  • Work well independently and in teams.
  • Encouraged to participate in the Museum’s ArtQuest fundraiser
  • Enjoy visits to Museums, galleries and private collections.
  • Experience in education, art practices, or art history is encouraged but not required.