Two Docents in Three Museums: Central and Peripheral Participation

Abstract

Museums are complex and unique social communities. On the one hand they are made up of clearly identifiable subcommunities, each with their own agendas: directors, curators, scientists, designers, educators, docents, volunteers, security personnel, and marketing staff (Linn, 1983; Roberts, 1997); on the other hand these distinct, and sometimes contentious, subcommunities organize themselves around their shared resources (the museum’s holdings) and their shared function of helping strangers (visitors) enjoy and appreciate the environment of the museum itself. If the museum is to operate effectively, these various subcommunities must understand each other and at least to some extent appreciate each others’ particular concerns and functions. The communities must come together from their different perspectives, to focus on the visitor and on how the visitor is either attracted to, indifferent to, or repelled by the museum experience. Moreover, just as all members of the museum community can play out their own roles within the museum they also can take on the role of visitor and see the museum as a visitor might. Granted, museum staff are not typical visitors, but they can be considered visitors nonetheless.

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