Tang Guides are integral members of the museum’s front-line Visitor Services team. They greet guests at the Visitors Services Desk, lead museum tours, serve as roaming docents, and maintain the safety of the artwork on view.
The Tang Guide program trains every Tang Guide with a variety of experiences and assignments designed to help them gain familiarity with museum operations, comfort with speaking to the public, and insight into multiple approaches of viewing art. Their syllabus includes sessions with Tang curators, an introduction to Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) with Tang educators, practice presenting objects on view to their peers, and behind-the-scenes explorations of how exhibitions come together. Throughout their training, Tang Guides work in the galleries and put their newfound skills into action. Tang Guides also attend curator-led walkthroughs of each exhibition before it opens.