Who Is Guest Services?
Guest Services aka Membership
Ask about tickets and exhibit information and memberships for the museum.
What and who are Guest Services at a museum, and how do they help you? Guest Services is also known as membership or admissions. Note that the size and scope of the museum in question will vary; this does determine the team or number of employees in this role. Smaller museums only have one or two employees for this role (who do multiple positions), while more prominent museums have a dedicated team. While online dictionaries do not have a definition of guest services, I found a website that does.
Definition of guest services: At its core, guest services refer to providing assistance, support, and care to guests or customers. It involves going above and beyond to create a positive experience throughout their interaction with a business. Whether greeting guests at the front desk, resolving inquiries, or anticipating their needs, guest services encompass various activities.
In the past, guest services used to assist visitors more like a hotel. They answer basic questions, renew memberships, help work movie tickets in museums, and process parking tickets. Nowadays, things have changed; visitors can use digital tickets or print them at a kiosk in the museum. In some cases, they still have a call center or a helpline number, but they now function more like a worker at a theme park, which is even more so for security.
Over time, museums have increased the number of interactive exhibitions. See more about that here. For your average museum visitor, this exhibit is active instead of passive looking at art that most people feel. The level of interactive experience is set by the art and the museum's rules. Museum staff will let you know if you can feel the art. The answer for an interactive exhibit outside of a possible is always a no.
The most popular interactive art is an environment that immerses the visitor in the art. It can take up whole buildings and be the main attraction, like The Color Factory and Seismique. One such mega-famous artist who needs no introduction is Yayoi Kusama. Her bright colors, polka dots, and use of space grab the attention of all who enter her artwork, but I digress.
Guest services assist with parking directions, paper/ digital maps, and questions on backpacks and where to find food and drink. While at the front desk or nearby after you have your tickets, it is an excellent place to ask questions. It might be tempting to rush off and see the art if you are pressed for time, but here is a list of good questions to ask:
1. Where can I store my backpack, and if I keep it with me, how do I wear it in the museum?
2. Do you have a place to eat or get a coffee? Can I charge my phone there?
3. Do you have an activity room for children?
4. Where can I get and turn in a wheelchair if someone in my group needs one? What about good pick-up and drop-off locations?
5. What other information should I know? How to access wifi?
I kept this brief as I could go on. As you move away from the main entrance, you will see less of the guest service team and deal more with security as you explore the museum. It is okay to ask security questions; answering them is part of their job.
See my article on why we are not allowed to touch art here.
Sources:
By Gillian in Technology (I doubt this is a person.) No last name or about page.
Source: https://www.moma.org/artists/3315
Karen Kedmey, independent art historian and writer, 2017
Source: https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/infinity-dots-mirrored-room-yayoi-kusama/1wF4yttYzubvOw
Author: Unknown and not listed.
Photo by Charlotte May: https://www.pexels.com/photo/old-railway-station-with-ticket-windows-5824872/
