Docent/guide question

[archieclement]

I've often wondered at times, how much a tour or presentation is standardized, or how much it changes depending on group/audience.

Would assume for example, questions from group would steer the presentation somewhat. Or the groups interest as well.

 

[uaskme]

Probably Plantation Tours etc pretty standardized. Mostly likely guide being instructed. Learns a script.

Historian at Chickamauga guides everyone from elementary age school children to military studies to MVP guest. So he adopts to different groups. If he has a group from NBF fan club, he will obviously spend time with Forrest's movements and save some of his criticisms. He will line up giggling Girl Scouts, use them as regiment props. So he adapts to the crowd he instructs. Has enough material where he can instruct/entertain anyone. Rangers he instructs. They will know the basics. Some better than others. But not at the level of a Historian.

 

[LCYingling3rd]

Good question. I always assumed that the Licensed Battlefield Guides at the National Battlefield Parks would tailor their tours to the visitor's interest.

I have given lots of tours to family and friends and always did that. If they were interested in a specific States participation, or unit, or individual, I would usually do a quick overview tour of the entire battlefield for general perspective (and because many people may never have the chance to return). Then I would go into more detail for their specific interest. Many people have an ancestor that fought and want to see where they fought. One person reenacted the 11th MS and we ended up seeing where they fought at Gettysburg. He ended up changing into his uniform and walking their Longstreet's July 3rd Charge route. My late wife had an ancestor in the 7th PA Reserves, and I took two of my grandsons for an overview at Antietam and then we walked the route from the North Woods to where they fought in the Miller Cornfield on the actual 157th anniversary of the battle. We also toured where they fought during the battle for South Mountain. That was quite a meaningful day.

But that is a good question!

 

[tony_gunter]

I've often wondered at times, how much a tour or presentation is standardized, or how much it changes depending on group/audience.

Would assume for example, questions from group would steer the presentation somewhat. Or the groups interest as well.

I know the licensed guides at Vicksburg ask about particular interests ahead of time and try to include sites of interest to ancestry etc.

We had a muster in Vicksburg years ago with someone who had an ancestor in one of Vaughn's regiments so we spent extra time with Chickasaw Bayou and Big Black.

 

[archieclement]

Probably Plantation Tours etc pretty standardized. Mostly likely guide being instructed. Learns a script.

Historian at Chickamauga guides everyone from elementary age school children to military studies to MVP guest. So he adopts to different groups. If he has a group from NBF fan club, he will obviously spend time with Forrest's movements and save some of his criticisms. He will line up giggling Girl Scouts, use them as regiment props. So he adapts to the crowd he instructs. Has enough material where he can instruct/entertain anyone. Rangers he instructs. They will know the basics. Some better than others. But not at the level of a Historian.

I have been surprised at the plantation or tours touching on slavery such as White Haven how non moralizing or virtue signaling they were.

But think every tour I've done was primarily white tourists. As well in case of White Haven, even members here mostly go out of the way to paint US Grant a kindly benevolent slaveowner/manager, which would rather diminish negativity.

 

[uaskme]

I have been surprised at the plantation or tours touching on slavery such as White Haven how non moralizing or virtue signaling they were.

But think every tour I've done was primarily white tourists. As well in case of White Haven, even members here mostly go out of the way to paint US Grant a kindly benevolent slaveowner/manager, which would rather diminish negativity.

Not surprised.

You would think that Deep South perspective of slavery would be different. Southerners usually don't get a pass. However glossing over and not getting into the details other than the physical structure. Would negate that. Grant has been made into something other than what he was. Not only what you described but on the battlefield etc. Made into a National Hero and forgiven for his mistakes.

 

[unionblue]

Not surprised.

You would think that Deep South perspective of slavery would be different. Southerners usually don't get a pass. However glossing over and not getting into the details other than the physical structure. Would negate that. Grant has been made into something other than what he was. Not only what you described but on the battlefield etc. Made into a National Hero and forgiven for his mistakes.

"I always admired the South, as bad as I thought their cause, for the boldness with which they silenced all opposition, and all the croaking, by the press or by individuals, within their control."

U.S. Grant, Personal Memoirs, vol. 1, 1885.

 

[Stryker65]

Good question! When thinking back, I think the tour guides that I had when I was younger really had to change their approach when they realized that I was not a "normal" ten-year-old.

 

[Belfoured]

Good question. I always assumed that the Licensed Battlefield Guides at the National Battlefield Parks would tailor their tours to the visitor's interest.

I have given lots of tours to family and friends and always did that. If they were interested in a specific States participation, or unit, or individual, I would usually do a quick overview tour of the entire battlefield for general perspective (and because many people may never have the chance to return). Then I would go into more detail for their specific interest. Many people have an ancestor that fought and want to see where they fought. One person reenacted the 11th MS and we ended up seeing where they fought at Gettysburg. He ended up changing into his uniform and walking their Longstreet's July 3rd Charge route. My late wife had an ancestor in the 7th PA Reserves, and I took two of my grandsons for an overview at Antietam and then we walked the route from the North Woods to where they fought in the Miller Cornfield on the actual 157th anniversary of the battle. We also toured where they fought during the battle for South Mountain. That was quite a meaningful day.

But that is a good question!

A guy I work with and his wife visited Gettysburg during a trip to see offspring in the D.C. area. When he asked for any ideas I suggested the Wheat Field/Peach Orchard and the infamous Sickles incident on July 2. Also suggested he line up a LiBG. He did and the guide did a great job tailoring things to (1) the site and (2) their level of knowledge.

 

[uaskme]

"I always admired the South, as bad as I thought their cause, for the boldness with which they silenced all opposition, and all the croaking, by the press or by individuals, within their control."

U.S. Grant, Personal Memoirs, vol. 1, 1885.

Grant set the standard. Evidence his Memoirs.

 

[JerryD]

I adjust my tour at the Smithsonian all the time, and always ask before the tour where folks are from, what brought them to the museum, and what particular interest they have in US History. For example, we have Julia Child's kitchen from her home (the entire kitchen, down to the refrigerator magnets). If people express an interest in that, I will add it to the tour. We also have the original gold flake found at Sutters Mill that started the California Gold Rush, so if I have folks from California, or especially San Francisco, I will add that. And of course, if folks express an interest in the Civil War, I can always add a few things to the tour, like the oak tree cut down by bullets at Spotsylvania Court House. Or Clara Barton's ambulance.

 

[unionblue]

Grant set the standard. Evidence his Memoirs.

He did?

How?

 

[Allyn]

Over the years, I have given many tours of the 1843-44 southern-style mansion plunked down here in NW Pennsylvania. The facts don't change, but the orientation can. If I have kids in the tour group, I try to include something that might capture their attention, like pointing out a guillotine-type mousetrap, for example. If your audience's eyes are glazing over, you shift focus fairly quickly. You learn to read the crowd and adapt - some want to learn about the architecture, the decor, the history, or the people who lived there. Some don't really want to be there at all, but got dragged along!

 

[tony_gunter]

"I always admired the South, as bad as I thought their cause, for the boldness with which they silenced all opposition, and all the croaking, by the press or by individuals, within their control."

U.S. Grant, Personal Memoirs, vol. 1, 1885.

Cue Marlon Brando

 

[LCYingling3rd]

A guy I work with and his wife visited Gettysburg during a trip to see offspring in the D.C. area. When he asked for any ideas I suggested the Wheat Field/Peach Orchard and the infamous Sickles incident on July 2. Also suggested he line up a LiBG. He did and the guide did a great job tailoring things to (1) the site and (2) their level of knowledge.

That is awesome. You point out "level of knowledge." That is something important that people forget. Some people may want to follow every footstep of their ancestor or hero and hear every order given. Most people don't need or want that. Quite often the less is more approach works best. I have had people very excited simply to know the very basic information. A place like Gettysburg is gigantic and simply showing a summary of each day is usually a huge hit.

And you never know. I had a dear friend that had not been to Gettysburg since the 1960's. She was a staunch supporter of the Confederacy and literally believed Gettysburg was a Union only battlefield. We spend the day touring, and, at the end of the day, she thanked me profusely just for proving her wrong. She couldn't believe all the Confederate monuments and was totally shocked to see the 11th MS and Lewis Armistead monuments on "the Union" side of the battlefield. Just that little, seemingly obvious. bit of information; that yes, there are Confederate monuments at Gettysburg, moved her to tears.

You are very right, too much information to the wrong person will just bore them and turn them right off.

 

[LCYingling3rd]

I adjust my tour at the Smithsonian all the time, and always ask before the tour where folks are from, what brought them to the museum, and what particular interest they have in US History. For example, we have Julia Child's kitchen from her home (the entire kitchen, down to the refrigerator magnets). If people express an interest in that, I will add it to the tour. We also have the original gold flake found at Sutters Mill that started the California Gold Rush, so if I have folks from California, or especially San Francisco, I will add that. And of course, if folks express an interest in the Civil War, I can always add a few things to the tour, like the oak tree cut down by bullets at Spotsylvania Court House. Or Clara Barton's ambulance.

Oh, how I miss "my" Smithsonian. LMAO We lived at 4th and I streets in Southwest DC from 1969 to 1975. That is literally 8 blocks from the National Mall. The Air and Space Museum on 4th street was built while we lived there and my bus went right past the construction site every school day. (All the aircraft and space items were in the old Arts and Industries Building next to the Castle) The Mall was my backyard. I had a photography class in the old Arts and Industries building and our darkroom was right next to the Hawker Hurricane of Battle of Britain fame, and I loved that. Those were wonderful days!

The National Museum of American History used to be called the Museum of History and Technology when I lived there, and it was my favorite! I was there so much, especially in winter when no one was around, that I did call it, "my museum!" LOL It was only four or five years old when we moved there. I went to Gordon Jr High public school in Georgetown and would pick up the #34 Friendship Heights bus at the bus stop on 7th and Pennsylvania Ave NW on my way to school. A "couple of times" I fell asleep, missed my stop in Georgetown and ended up at the end of the line. Ooops! I would just catch the inbound bus back downtown and spend the day at the Smithsonian. LOL I learned more doing that than I ever could have learned in school! Well, that is my story and I'm sticking to it! I just couldn't get enough. I was from Baltimore, so I loved seeing the Stars Spangled Banner flag up on the wall by the Foucault pendulum. You could look at the flag and peer down and watch the pendulum knocking over the little red pegs. Oh, I loved every inch. The steam engines, cars, the military items, the crazy kinds of currency, the political items, the President's wives' dresses, the huge doll house, the old colonial house, the various blacksmith and apothecary type shops, the first computers, on and on. I even recall that there was one of the unfinished Gilbert Stuart, "Athenaeum" George Washington portraits there? I must be mistaken? Hum...maybe a copy? Have you heard of that?

I have been back and know about some of the changes. I loved seeing the flag being restored. I remember seeing the Great Migration exhibit about all the Americans traveling from Mississippi up to Chicago. That may have been a temporary exhibit, but it was excellent. Sorry to ramble on; however, you brought back a flood of wonderful memories. My sister still lives in Falls Church, and we catch the Metro downtown to see the sights when we visit. I may have to contact you and have you take me on a real tour when I am down there sometime. Heck, it would just be fun to say hello. To be honest, I am a snowbird now, still in Florida, heading to Berkeley Springs, WV, and I have no clue when I will be getting to DC again. But it would be fun to say hi. I was at the 2023 Fall Muster in Winchester, but I can't remember if you were there and we met? Sorry. All my paperwork from that is up north and I am terrible with names.

Regardless, thank you for all you do! Being a docent is no easy task and what you do is so important!

 

[Trooper "D"]

I've often wondered at times, how much a tour or presentation is standardized, or how much it changes depending on group/audience.

Would assume for example, questions from group would steer the presentation somewhat. Or the groups interest as well.

I've always relied on basic info that needs to be given and how to share that info to various age groups such as classroom visits. Mixed age I speak to the mid range of age usually. I had a writer who covered activities at places and she complimented me on giving exactly what the public want. Concise info delivered with humour and seriousness as per the subjects on the tour. Hour or less. 30-45 minutes better. Little stories about the place more than facts and figures and dates on individual buildings unless its something really unique. We have unique here.
I tell groups to ask questions as we go along. Occasionally ask if there are any questions throughout and then once more at the end. "Where is a good place to eat?" is a common question. HA!
Some folks wanted to know precise info on particular subjects. With NPS I took groups on our Saturday and Sunday walks. I brought along the plant and flower book and the bird books. I would ask the group who is into the flora and fauna? Always someone was so I recruited them to be the Flora/Fauna expert and handed them those books. Same thing for birds. "I'm a ACW Head. I've been here a month and I can give you the basic tour. I can always make up an answer but we are fortunate to have expert individuals with us today in these subjects. We can all work together sharing info as we go. So...let's go." Broke the ice and made it a fun group effort. I miss those days at Walnut Canyon NM.
I'm not trying to toot my own horn but I was just reflecting on my experience. Hope it helps.
Cheers!

 

[121st PA Vols]

I've often wondered at times, how much a tour or presentation is standardized, or how much it changes depending on group/audience.

Would assume for example, questions from group would steer the presentation somewhat. Or the groups interest as well.

As a former guide at Gettysburg, your presentation often changed from tour to tour. Of course there are major points to cover like dates, times, numbers, a brief overall of things with much depending on the visitor's interest and knowledge. Naturally it matters where they're from, age, gender, etc.
I feel I became a good guide once I understood a carload from North Carolina was not the same as a family from New York. But, you had to mature as a guide to that level after getting your presentation (standardized text) down; what happened where and when and its impact. Because of the enormity of the battle, I always thought that was the trick; where to draw the line between too much information and too little.
Tours, whether car or bus, offered various challenges, be they a West Point group, a screaming busload of city kids, big oil money from Texas in a limo, or the old gentleman from Virginia who just wanted to spend his two hours at Lee's Monument, talking about the general and Virginia troops at the battle.