Confidence

You're the Leader: As a representative of the Whitney Museum, you are responsible for creating an exciting and informative experience for your audience. You need to lead the group. Speak to your group clearly and audibly. There is no reason to feel intimidated or scared, just remember to be the leader.

Clarity

Welcome: Make people feel welcome. Introduce yourself and Youth Insights. Be informal but remain professional.

Ground Rules: Before you begin your tour, explain procedures that people must observe in the galleries.

Intent: Tell the group what they can expect to see and how the tour will proceed.

Language: Avoid using filler words like "umm" and " You know what I'm saying?". These words inserted randomly into sentences can make it difficult for an audience to follow your discussion.

Vocabulary: Remember that there is a distinction between talking to your friends and talking to museum visitors.

Conduct

Eye Contact: Make eye contact and address everyone in the group. Remember to be at ease and enthusiastic. Smile!

Body Language: Remember to pay attention to your body language (how you stand, where you stand, facial expressions). Chances are if you look disinterested and bored, so will your audience.

Positioning: Avoid standing in front of the artwork you are talking about. It helps if your group can see what you are referring to.

Gestures: It's ok to use your hands when you are talking. However, playing with your hair, putting your hands in your pockets, and using exaggerated hand movements can be a distraction and often show that you are not as confident as you should be.

Attitude: Have fun and be positive, and most of all, be yourself!

Content

Know Your Stuff: You are the expert. In order to give a successful tour you need to know factual information about the exhibition, the art work, and the artists. If you don't know something, don't pretend to know it!

Set A Goal: What are the three ideas or art works you want people to remember about the exhibition when they leave the museum? Have specific ideas and works of art in mind and structure your tour around them.

Discussion: Always give some basic information about the art objects you want your group to discuss so that everyone has a common point of departure for discussion.

Art Objects: Help your group learn how to look at art by focusing on specific art objects in your tour and ask them to share their ideas. Draw as much information out of the objects as you can and think of ways for your group to relate to the object. Remember, you want to give your group an experience they can only get at a museum!

Connect

Know Your Audience: Be aware of the level of your group. Always talk to people on their own terms.

Atmosphere: Create an atmosphere that is supportive of your audience's ideas, and remember to validate the group's responses.

Questions: Don't forget to ask questions that encourage thoughtful responses and discussion. Remember people love to talk, but only if they are comfortable.

Transitions: Make sure your tour flows through the exhibition, taking the audience easily from one area to another, and from one idea to another. You are in charge of leading your group through the exhibition space.