The Class of '25 – Enthusiastic!

In March, Insight sat down with three guides from the class of 2025: Eliana Lane, Eisabeth Johnson Holud, and Dan Stein. The three completed a 13-week training in January and presented their checkout tours as recently as February. They each had only been touring for a few weeks. We wanted to know what enticed them into becoming museum guides, what they thought of their training, and how they were feeling about touring so far.

What motivated you to apply to the museum guide program?

 Eliana: I am a former elementary school teacher who homeschooled my children during the pandemic. Once they returned to school, I wanted opportunities to keep teaching and to be around children.

 Dan: I am an early retiree who has been volunteering at the museum since 2017. I’m interested in lifelong learning opportunities so was hoping the museum would eventually offer a new training class.

Elisabeth: I was a foreign exchange student in Denmark. I later spent one year abroad in Angers, France. Being exposed to global architecture and artworks definitely left an impression.  I am passionate about international understanding and see guiding as a way to promote cultural awareness. ”The eyes of a child, the hope of the world.” I was a picture person trainer when my children were young.

(During the training period, each weekly session lasted two hours. The twenty-two future guides were divided into two groups. For now, these guides will be working primarily with children. They originally were  trained to offer four Art Adventure tours. Through continuing education, they have added two more  AA tours. They have also been trained to offer highlights tours and have been given a list of ten objects which are considered highlights. Eliana and Elisabeth have also volunteered to tour Art in Bloom. )

What did you think of the training?

Dan: The training was intense. Sometimes I felt material was covered so quickly I didn’t really understand it as well as I would have liked. An example was the visual elements: Line, color, space, etc. But I realize I can study on my own and we will have access to continuing education.

Eliana: I though the scaffolding worked really well. First, we presented a piece with two others. Then,  a solo seven minute presentation of one piece. Next, we each presented two pieces on an actual tour with kids. “ Nothing teaches you to work with children better than working with children.” Finally the checkout tour. I felt ready to tour after that.

Elisabeth: The checkout tour was so important. I liked that after the tour, Kara asked us to offer our own reflections. First: what we felt went well. Then, what didn’t. Although I felt that the training was certainly enough, I would have liked to have a mentor. That would have been helpful.

Is the Inquiry method  still taught, as that method was front and center when I was trained in 2001?

Eliana: Yes, we were still encouraged to use Inquiry. But with certain pieces, we were told to provide some context before asking questions. For example, with the Nkosi Nkondi in the African gallery, we were told to first tell the group a little about what the figure is meant to represent.

Dan and Eliana talked about how much use they were making of the Internet and their Ipads to enhance their tours. All three expressed comfort with using culturally appropriate terminology, while realizing that norms are constantly changing and mistakes will sometimes be made.

How are your experiences as guides going so far?

Each had so far delivered between two and four tours. Elisabeth and Eliana had just finished giving tours the day we met. And their excitement was palpable. Elisabeth spoke about being able to speak to one student in French (and that student actually interrupted our conversation to ask Elizabeth a question as he was walking by with his group). All three felt well-prepared to tour and that the training had set them up for success. Eliana had already learned the importance of flexibility. She prepared a tour for first-graders only to learn, when they arrived, that the group composed fifth graders.

Each emphasized how much it meant to them that other guides had been so welcoming. They appreciated that many guides reached out to introduce themselves and that some generously offered to share their expertise. They noted that their own class had become very close and shared a What’s App.

New guides bring fresh enthusiasm to touring and it has been delightful to see so many new faces in the guide lounge. Welcome!!