Saturday, September 11, 2010Smithsonian National Postal

Museum

Volunteer Training

Volunteer Opportunities Available

Highlights Tour Docent

Collection Connection Station Facilitator

More information about both positions is available in your handbook!

What is a Highlights Tour?Fosters connections between visitors and

the museum’s collection and themes 40 minute guided experience through

multiple museum exhibit spacesBased on content research and personal

passionsIntegrates Visitors’ ExperiencesStorytelling

What does a Docent do?Sets up a set time to start a

tourArrives 10 minutes before

hand to review galleriesGathers tour group at the top

of the escalatorsIntroduces the theme and gets

to know visitors on tourConnects visitors to museum

themes through three to four interpretive object-based stops

Concludes tour

Example Tour ThemesRomance & Reality of

the MailsInnovation and the PostAmerican History and

the MailOops!“Letters Mingle Souls”

What is a Collection Connection Station?Fosters connections to the museum’s

collection and themes PersonalAcross galleries

Visitor-driven ActiveSocialFlexible, adaptive Short For everyoneFun

What do Collection Connection Facilitators do?Situate themselves in a high-traffic area,

facing the flow of visitors Welcome and greetObserve visitor characteristics and adaptOffer activity

What does a Collection Connection Facilitators do? (Continued) Use interaction techniques

Inquiryproblem solvingtactile

Engage visitors Make connectionsListenRecommend gallery elements Answer questions, orient, smile

Replicas of “Snowshoe” Thompson’s skis are available

for use at stations!

Example stationsFacilitators create their own station, starting

from scratch or a classic pre-existing station

OWNEY TAGSRAILWAY POST OFFICE MAIL

SORTINGBE A POSTAL HISTORIANTOPICAL STAMP COLLECTING

Let’s try one!I’m Owney, unofficial mascot of the Railway Mail. I traveled the country on mail trains and collected the tags you see on my jacket. Visitors ask many questions about me; I’m a perfect topic for a station! Woof!

The Owney Tag CartMaterials could include “phony Owney,” images

of Railway Post Office (RPO) clerks, a sorting practice case used by RPO clerks, etc

Directions the cart could go:Sharing Owney’s story Talking about life on the job for RPO clerksMaking a tagTrying out the sorting case

Recommended gallery stops:See the real Owney Explore the trainSee the dog sled

BE A POSTAL HISTORIANAdapting to

visitor’s needs

(kneeling)

Connecting to a gallery

experience (next, go see…)

Holding a piece of history (real

mailbag)

How does this benefit museum visitors?

What do you think?

How does this benefit museum visitors?Personalized engagement Personal connections make the experience

memorable, personal, and funActive learningFunOrientationEnergizing, fights museum fatigueEducation in action

What’s in it for Facilitators?Variety Showcase a story you loveVisitor-driven learning leads to pleasant

surprises; always learning something new

Questions asked on Saturday

How much space can I have?Your station should fit on a six-foot table. We will help you edit your station so that you don’t have too much or too little going on.

Questions asked on SaturdayDocents take tour groups throughout the

museum. Will I feel “stuck” in one spot?Many docents spend much of their tours

in the “Moving the Mail” exhibit in the atrium because it’s such a great area and story. This is where you will be! You will be recommending gallery stops to visitors and even shaping what they will see and do there. You are also bringing gallery topics and ideas out from their hiding spots into the atrium for more people to enjoy.

Questions asked on SaturdayAre artifacts available for me to use?

Yes! The Education Department collection includes snow skis, a World War II era mail bag, thousands of postage stamps, and more. We will do a “Show & Tell” at a future training to help you get to know these items and their stories. We are also prepared to purchase materials and props to turn your station concept into reality.

Questions asked on SaturdayWhen do stations take place?

Any two-hour shift between 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. You could select an 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. shift, for example. Or 1-3 p.m. You decide!

How long do stations last?Shifts are two hours. This includes time at the beginning and end of your shift to set up and put away your station materials, record visitors numbers, etc.

More questions? E-mail Erin at blascoe@si.edu