Docent Guild
One of the most vital components of the Carlos Museum’s Office of Educational Programs is the Docent Guild. Our docents lead thousands of children and adults through the galleries each year, facilitating conversations that begin with the object and use dialogue and inquiry, learning strategies to encourage discussion and ensure tours are engaging, fun, and educational.
No previous knowledge of art or history is required to become a docent!
Candidates participate in a nine-month training program beginning in August and ending in April. Training includes attendance of Emory University’s "Art, Culture, Context I" course, sessions with faculty and curators, in-gallery pedagogy and touring techniques with museum staff, and working with a mentor in the Docent Guild. During this time, candidates become part of an active learning community devoted to engaging visitors through art. Following successful completion of the training, candidates graduate to active docent status.
The Carlos Museum is open to all who have a commitment to intellectual engagement, critical inquiry, and integrity. We welcome a diversity of gender identities, sexual orientations, abilities, disabilities, ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, religious, national, and international backgrounds. Such diversity is essential to advancing knowledge in service to the common good.
The application period for the class of 2025 is open, and the deadline to apply is May 31, 2025. One docent class is trained per academic year, and each docent class is comprised of approximately 10 candidates. If you are interested in volunteering with the Docent Guild, attend a virtual information session (details below), or email Kris Allen at kristopher.allen@emory.edu.
Benefits of volunteering at the Carlos Museum
- Docents inspire a love of museums, art, and history in visitors.
- Docents contribute to the growth and educational reach of the Carlos Museum.
- Active docents have the option to audit Emory University courses that are relevant to the Carlos collection (with permission of the professor).
- Docents have access to special lectures, events, and training from curators and other experts.
- Docents are members of a vibrant community of individuals dedicated to improving the cultural landscape of Atlanta through education and the arts.
Interested in learning more about becoming a docent? Join a virtual information session! Each session is hosted through Zoom, and can be accessed by clicking on the date/time listed below.
Thursday, April 10 | 2 p.m.
Wednesday, April 23 | 11 a.m.
Tuesday, May 13 | 2:30 p.m.
Friday, May 23 | 10 a.m.
