Tour Staff at Villa Finale
Join Villa Finale's tour staff!
Would you like to be a Guide or Tour Assistant at Villa Finale, the first National Trust Historic Site in Texas? We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who enjoy preservation, history, and working with the public. Villa Finale Guides will conduct private and public tours through Walter Mathis's home, as well as provide interpretive information for special events at the Visitor Center. Guides will also have the opportunity to train for specialized tours on a variety of subjects such as Napoleana, Texas furniture, ceramics and more.
Tour Assistants follow all guided tours of Villa Finale to provide assistance to guests with disabilities and to add an element of security for the many collections throughout the house.
Join our team!
Villa Finale is proud of its highly dedicated Volunteer Staff. New Guide orientation dates are available throughout the year. Call Sylvia Gonzalez-Hohenshelt, Manager of Public Programs, at (210) 223.9800 x34323 for more information. Guide training consists of a five-week, self-taught course. If you would like to join our ranks, click here to download a volunteer application.
We look forward to working with you!
Our guide training course covers a variety of subjects including King William neighborhood history, decorative arts, building and landscape preservation, touring techniques and more.
Guides will be required to serve the minimum 25 hours of service required from all Volunteer Staff (15 for full-time students). Additionally, all Guide trainees must pass Villa Finale's Guide Training and commit to leading tours a minimum of twice per month.
Guide training is mostly self-taught using a series of readings, quizzes and exercises. Trainees will have an opportunity to work on-on-one with a Guide mentor or National Trust staff person. The first session is a mandatory new Guide orientation and meeting where trainees receive a Guide Manual, a walkthrough of the site, and a detailed introduction of Villa Finale's tour process.
Guide Trainee Orientation Dates
Saturday, January 28, 2012 - 10:00am - 12:30pm
Saturday, February 18, 2012 - 10:00am - 12:30pm
Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 10:00am - 12:30pm
Saturday, May 5, 2012 - 10:00am - 12:30pm
Saturday, June 9, 2012 - 10:00am - 12:30pm
Interested Guide candidates must fill out a volunteer application, attend Volunteer Orientation, and submit to a background check before beginning Guide training. For more information on Guide training and Villa Finale's volunteer program, please contact Sylvia Gonzalez-Hohenshelt, Manager of Public Programs at (210) 223-9800 extension 34323. Or email at sylvia_gonzalez-hohenshelt@nthp.org.
Villa Finale will be displaying Walter Mathis's 12,000 piece collection of fine and decorative arts just as he meticulously arranged it throughout the house. In addition to having a Guide on every tour, Tour Assistants will follow groups throughout the house to provide extra security and assistance for people with disabilities. Although Tour Assistants do not provide interpretive content during the tour, they will have the opportunity to graduate to Guide status at a later date.
Tour Assistant Requirements
Tour Assistant candidates must enjoy working with the public, be able to multi-task, and have a good eye for security details.
All interested candidates must fill out a volunteer application, attend Volunteer Orientation, and submit to a background check.
Tour Assistants must serve the minimum 25 hours of service required from all Volunteer Staff (15 for full-time students).
Tour Assistants must also be available to work a minimum of two tour days per month, Tuesday through Saturday (times to be determined).
Anyone interested in being a Tour Assistant must be able to go up and down stairs..
Villa Finale's introductory tour lasts approximately one hour.
Due to the high volume of collections within Villa Finale, all tour groups will be limited to six persons on most occasions.
Tours of Villa Finale are offered Tuesday through Saturday.
Tour admissions are purchased at the Visitor Center.
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