One Day at Work in the Museum as a Tour Guide/Visitor Experience Assistant

20.04.2024

Another day where I spent the whole day talking to people and smiling at them. Here’s how the day went. Here’s how it is to make education real in this country for people, so that they are immersed in the culture and the heritage that make London what it is and their lives what they are.

9.40-10 am – Before the day officially begins at 10 o’clock, I go down and arrange the ticketing desk. It is a charity. It helps the others get the day started without having to rush around. This career in education and in the enjoyment of education and culture is my choice, my vocation. I put in extra time however busy I am. It doesn’t matter if I have to do tasks that aren’t the most exciting in the world, the most glamorous or that give me status.

Satisfaction in knowing that I have done extra for others and for the museum. It is my love that I am giving.

10am-11am – Welcoming guests into the museum and telling them the layout. Giving them the narrative of the museum and showing the children how to use the trail cards, teaching them about the history of the exhibits.

Satisfaction in knowing that I am telling the people that have come in about the story in the museum – the history of us in London and how our world has been arranged. Satisfaction in giving the children an adventure – how many adventures do you get in life?

11am-12pm – Giving the customers the art tours that I have written about feminism and art. Compiling statistics about the tours and collecting feedback cards.

Satisfaction in knowing that I am spreading education, satisfaction in knowing that my writing is reaching people and having an impact. Getting a reaction about the knowledge that I am spreading face to face.

12 noon – 1pm – Covering breaks in some of the galleries and talking to people, ensuring the safety of the customers and checking that everything is stocked up and working. Reporting issues to get things going again. Telling the customers about the architecture in the building and some of the most emotive stories about the collection. Handing out little presents as mementoes to the children and some of the visitors.

Satisfaction in helping people, in taking care of everything, in spreading education face to face.

1am-2am – Patrolling the most popular gallery. Talking with each of the customers to see how their day is going. Talking about the exhibits. Stamping the trails.

Satisfaction in giving people attention and making the day for the children with their stamps. Satisfaction in spreading education.

2am-3pm – Welcoming guests into the museum again and telling them the layout. Giving them the narrative of the museum and showing the children how to use the trail cards, teaching them about the history of the exhibits.

3pm-4pm – Lunch

4pm-5pm – Giving the customers the art tours that I have written about feminism and art. Compiling statistics about the tours and collecting feedback cards. Emailing the tour statistics.

Satisfaction in collecting the numbers and showing the evidence that we are giving the visitors a great experience and something extra.

5pm-6pm – Seeing a new art exhibit at the museum which was created by children.

Satisfaction in how beautiful my role is and how I get to see all the wonderful exhibits in the job that I love.