If you love art, learning, and people, become an Exhibition Interpreter and get involved behind the scenes at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art!
Annually, more than 5,000 K-12 students and hundreds of life-long learners experience a visit to the JSMA, in large part because of our most dedicated volunteer group, Exhibition Interpreters (EIs). An EI engages visitors of all ages and backgrounds in an active exploration of artworks from a wide range of cultures and time periods through leading tours, visiting schools, and assisting in the art studio.
The museum’s philosophy for providing tours is focused on inquiry-based discussions and dialogue with our visitors. We are one of many museums across the country trained to provide tours integrating Visual Thinking Strategies.
Exhibition Interpreter Benefits
- Continuing education on the JSMA collections and special exhibitions
- Be intellectually stimulated in an atmosphere that values human creativity and spirit
- Be a part of a community of art advocates
- Empower visitors to discover the world around them through art and culture
- FREE year-long membership to the JSMA
- A 10% discount in the Marché Museum Café
- A 10% discount in the Museum Store
- Annual EI appreciation luncheon
- Visit out-of-town museums on field trips
Training Expectations
- Attend nine training sessions in September-November.
- Learn tour techniques in Visual Thing Strategies and inquiry based discussion
- Shadow Provisional EIs to experience firsthand how to give a tour.
- Receive occasional tour feedback from fellow EIs and JSMA staff.
- Once training is complete, there is ongoing training on the first and third Tuesday morning of each month
Touring Expectations
After completion of training, the EI will give three tours each month for approximately eight hours a month.
- School tours are offered Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings from 9:15 – 11:15 a.m. Occasionally school tours will be scheduled at other times depending on availability. EIs lead a small group of students (5-8) through the museum. Almost 90% of the tours EIs lead are K-12 tours.
- Public tours are offered the first Saturday of every month at 1 p.m. and during events like opening receptions and family days.
- Private tours are scheduled weeks in advance and vary depending on the request. This is the most infrequent type of tour.
Please complete our Exhibition Interpreter application. For more information, contact Sherri Jones, jsmatour@uoregon.edu or (541) 346-0910.
