Two art students from Appalachian State University, Jenna Curlee and Frankie Mancuso, have become docents at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum (BRAHM) in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. As volunteer hosts and tour guides, they engage with visitors, share stories about exhibits, and participate in excursions to artists' studios, historic sites, and private collectors' homes. The program has deepened their connection to the local art community and influenced their own artistic practices.
The story highlights how museum docent programs can foster community engagement and provide unique educational experiences for young people, especially in smaller regional museums. By bridging the gap between the museum and the local community, Curlee and Mancuso demonstrate how such volunteer roles can combat stereotypes of museums as inaccessible, while also enriching the volunteers' own understanding of art and history.