Join the Brooklyn Museum in making space for thoughtful encounters with great art as a catalyst for a more connected, civic, and empathetic world. The A.R.T. Guide Program is a volunteer program for individuals interested in sharing their love of art with others while developing teaching and public speaking skills.
What is the A.R.T. Guide Program?
This is an unpaid, volunteer program with a minimum two-year commitment.
New A.R.T. Guides are trained in an introductory course designed to acquaint them with museum education theory, teaching practice, and the Brooklyn Museum’s collections. Incoming A.R.T. Guides will also be paired with a peer mentor who will support them as they develop their tours.
After the introductory course and initial training period, new volunteers join the rest of the A.R.T. Guide group in ongoing learning throughout their time in the program. These regular, bi-montly courses include focused art historical study of the Museum’s collections and special exhibitions, as well as continued exploration of teaching techniques in museum education. The training schedule is structured like an academic year, taking place during both fall and spring semesters, with breaks during the winter and summer months. Trainings are available on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday evenings to accommodate a variety of schedules, and every effort is made to record the class.
Trainings include:
A.R.T. Guides lead a variety of experiences for adult audiences. While topics must engage with our collections and/or special exhibitions, we welcome a wide range of innovative teaching models and gallery experiences. A.R.T. Guides will be responsible for a minimum of twelve tours per calendar year (though most Guides lead at least two tours per month) with flexible scheduling.
By creating your own tours as an A.R.T. Guide, you will have the opportunity to strengthen your public speaking and communication skills, serve as an ambassador between the Museum and our audiences, and become a valued part of our dynamic community. Some Guides have even gone on to be contractual educations at museums!
Other perks include:
What does “A.R.T.” stand for?
We emphasize three key skills as part of our program: art, research, and teaching.
Art: A.R.T. Guides are passionate about art and the conversations it encourages. Through theA.R.T. Guide Program, Guides have the opportunity to research and engage with our encyclopedic collections and special exhibitions through in-depth learning while also sharing their perspectives with fellow participants.
Research: The Museum places excellence in art, education, and scholarship at its core. A.R.T. Guides have access to our distinguished Libraries and Archives and conduct research on works in our collections and special exhibitions to prepare for their gallery conversations.
Teaching: We are leaders in the field of museum education. A.R.T. Guides join our dedicated and forward-thinking team of educators to further conversations around the cultural and civic function of art and museums. They engage in ongoing training in teaching practices and are encouraged to be creative with how they engage our audiences in the galleries. Guides facilitate experiences that allow our visitors to explore the Museum as a place for social action and free expression where we all can continue to learn and expand the ways we see ourselves, the world, and its possibilities.
What do A.R.T. Guides do?
A.R.T. Guides lead a variety of tour experiences for adult visitors, including:
Who can be an A.R.T. Guide?
We’re looking for:
Applications for the A.R.T. Guide Program are currently closed. Please check back for information on future application cycles. Thank you for your interest!
Questions? Email us at bkmartprogram@brooklynmuseum.org.
