“Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends.” - Alphonse de Lamartine
Although my learning goal is to learn about the variety of programs the the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum offers that are not tours, I felt that it may be best to focus one of my blog posts on this type of experience to give reference. Guided Highlights Tours are the primary activity school groups are interested in and complete when visiting the museum. Often, school groups will come to the museum for a field trip and do a School Program in addition to a tour. Examples of program and tour combinations I have seen include Guided Highlights Tours and Musical Petting Zoos, Dazzling Designs, and Songwriting 101. I have had the opportunity to shadow many tours since the start of my internship at the museum. The School Programs team provides tours to all different types of students; all grades and all abilities.
Elementary School Students:
Students in 1st or 2nd grade require much more patience by the tour guide. They digress from the topics being discussed often. While the content is altered for this younger group of students, it is still important that a tour guide is aware and engaged during their tour so they can alter information whenever they see fit. These tours also lose time due to the students' attention span. Time is allocated during tours for students to get some of their energy out through physical activities. For example, at the exhibit case that includes Elvis Presley and Wanda Jackson, there are videos on repeat of the two artists performing. Once guides get to this stop on the tour, they usually ask students what the music makes them want to do and prompt them to answer with "dance." The guide will then also include how this music, Rockabilly, was referred to as dance music. Then the students are told to dance or "get their sillies out."
High School Students:
A group of about 10 High School students attended the museum for a Guided Highlights Tour. These students had demonstrated an interest in music and were part of a class that focused on this. Their heightened enthusiasm for the museum's exhibits allowed for the tour guide to tailor their experience for them. The guide asked the students who their favorite country artists were and what they wanted to focus on before beginning their tour. In comparison to younger students, these high school students were able to ask more in depth questions and interact with the guide on a higher level.
Adults with Developmental Disabilities:
While I did not shadow this particular tour, I wanted to highlight it in my post to show that the School Programs team serves more than just K-12 students in classrooms. I was not aware this group of individuals was coming in for a tour until about 10 minutes prior. Once I heard this, I was honestly surprised because I had not heard of them giving tours to groups of individuals with disabilities often. It only validated my feelings about the School Programs team, that they were individuals who exhibited extreme empathy and truly serve all individuals who desire to visit the museum.
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