Friends Of History Announce Walking Tours Of Santa Fe Docent Training

Friends of History is looking for people to train as Santa Fe walking tour docents. Courtesy photo

FRIENDS OF HISTORY NEWS RELEASE

Friends of History, the nonprofit volunteer organization of the New Mexico History Museum, has announced scheduled walking tours of historic downtown Santa Fe will resume on Saturday, April 1. Tour tickets are affordable and proceeds benefit the History Museum’s public programs and activities.

Friends of History walking tour docents are volunteer storytellers and the only Santa Fe guides trained under the auspices of the New Mexico History Museum, with dozens of hours of online training, self-study and supervised practice. 

Spring 2023 training for new walking tour docents will begin with two free introductory sessions on Zoom: Thursday, March 30 at 4-5 PM and Saturday, April 1 at 11 AM to noon.

Anyone 21 years of age or older is welcome, and Native and Hispano New Mexicans are encouraged to attend. 

Online-only training classes follow on three consecutive Saturdays: April 15, 22 and 29 from 11 AM to 12:30 PM. Each trainee receives the official Friends of History “Walking Tours of Historic Downtown Santa Fe Training Manual”. 

Those who complete five and a half hours of online docent training join an experienced docent on a two-hour “walk through” in May. Trainees then “shadow” at least three different docents on actual public tours to experience different styles of presentation and guest interaction. Throughout the year until November, new and experienced docents are asked to lead small group tours and receive invitations to special events. 

To register for either of the two online introductory sessions in March for new Friends of History docents, email: wthdsfmanager@gmail.com

To book a scheduled walking tour in April or later with the NM History Museum’s Friends of History, visit: https://friendsofhistorynm.org/events/month/2023-04/

Custom and groups walking tours may be requested for any date, providing a docent is available. For information contact: FoHTours@gmail.com.