• Docents
• Department Volunteers
• Internships
• Paid Internship

The National Museum of Women in the Arts Docent Corps is a team of talented and dedicated volunteers who serve the museum as visitor resources. Docents greet visitors as they arrive at the museum and provide them with information about exhibitions, programs, and events. Docents also provide scheduled tours of the museum’s collection and exhibitions to visitors from schools, professional and community organizations, and museum members.

NMWA docents receive the benefit of a six month training session led by the Director of Education, ongoing continuing education sessions led by the Education and Curatorial departments, free and discounted admission to museum programming for themselves and guests, and discounts in the Museum Shop and Café.

Docents are required to commit to at least two years of volunteer service with 50-100 hours of annual service to NMWA, completed in regularly scheduled weekly or bi-weekly shifts. Weekday and weekend shifts are available.

Applicants accepted into the NMWA docent class of 2009 will be required to attend weekly education sessions on Monday evenings from 6:30-8:30 pm, September 2009 through February 2010. These classes will introduce new docents to the museum’s mission and history, collection of 16th century through contemporary art, and cover touring methods and museum policies.

Each accepted applicant will begin training with one of two preliminary day-long workshops on either August 29 or September 12. Monday evening classes will begin on September 14. Docents will be stepping into a regular shift at the information desk in mid-October, while continuing with weekly education sessions through February 2010.

Qualified applicants should posses the following:

A passion for women in the arts
Strong customer service skills
Conversation facilitation and presentation skills
Patience and flexibility in a public atmosphere
A valid and regularly used e-mail account
Basic computer and internet skills

Applications should be e-mailed to clynott@nmwa.org. Applications are due by July 30, 2009, but since applicants will be interviewed on a rolling basis, please send you application as soon as it is complete. Final decisions will be made by mid-August, and accepted applicants will be informed at that time.

Download the Application (PDF)