Conclusion of Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum Internship

For the conclusion of my internship, I had written a twelve page guide on instructions and information a docent at the museum is expected to know. While a docent should be well informed about the main subject, George Herman “Babe” Ruth, they should be able to tell a story along the way. My supervisors and I had agreed that it was too old fashioned to simply state facts about the subject himself. The public can’t relate and retain the information as easily making their experience less than exceptional. If the public can relate to the subject in any way, such as disliking school or sharing a passion in a sport, then they are much more likely to retain the information and have a much better experience. In addition to this, I had completed multiple side projects. One of them being a pamphlet for the self guided portion of the museum. This highlighted the main artifacts and exhibits the museum offers while still informing the public in a quick, enjoyable way. I had also helped my superior, Katie, create wristbands and baseball shaped stress balls to be given out afterwards for large school groups. We had both agreed that the large, young groups responded incredibly well when receiving a reward for answering trivia during the tour. These types of interactions with the public is crucial for museums! Without this type of interactive environment, museums will continue to get boring and unsatisfying reviews from not only the public but professionals as well. Museums should not be taken for granted and be pushed aside. They are crucial to all of society not just historians or history majors. They are how we reflect on our past actions as a community and learn from them whether it be a forgotten or iconic period.