Nevada Historical Society Seeks Docents for Special Collections

Free Docent Training Provided

Oct. 2007, Reno, Nevada -- The Nevada Historical Society is seeking new docents to volunteer in the collections program. A free training will be provided on October 11 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

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Collections docents are trained to assist the curators of manuscripts, photographs, artifacts, and the research librarian. These docents also staff the museum store, which provides revenue to the Historical Society and the Docent Council.

“For those who love history and enjoy working with historic photos, records, manuscripts and artifacts, becoming a collections docent at the Nevada Historical Society is an opportunity not to be missed,” said Mella Harmon, Curator of History. “Docents will be trained to specifically work with the extensive collections recorded, interpreted and preserved here.”

Upon graduation, new docents typically volunteer a minimum of 48 hours per year. The Docent Council holds monthly meetings, which include dynamic guest speakers. Periodic historical field trips are offered as well. Volunteer docents will also enjoy getting to know other docents at a variety of special events held throughout the year.

The Nevada Historical Society is the oldest state museum. It was founded in 1904 with the purpose of collecting, preserving, and interpreting Nevada’s heritage. Programs include an active exhibition schedule, public programs and docent-guided tours. The museum’s research room, with its extensive collection of Nevada information and photographs, is open to the public from 12 to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The exhibit galleries and museum store are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The NHS is located at 1650 North Virginia Street, on the UNR campus.

The permanent displays in the Shepperson Gallery cover the range of life in Nevada and the great Basin from prehistoric Native American inhabitants to the modern growth of Reno and Las Vegas. The Changing Gallery presents an ongoing series of temporary and traveling exhibitions dealing with Nevada and the West. The Society’s library, research materials, and photographic archives make up the largest existing collection pertaining to Nevada history.

The Nevada Historical Society is one of seven museums managed by the State Division of Museums and History, an agency of the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs. The Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs serves Nevada’s citizens and visitors through cultural and information management, presentation and promotion of cultural resources, and education. The Department also includes the State Office of Historic Preservation, Nevada State Library and Archives and the Nevada Arts Council. For more information on the Department of Cultural Affairs, please call the Public Information Officer at (775) 687-8323 or visit the department’s website at www.NevadaCulture.org.

Source: Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs