IOLANI PALACE SEEKS PASSIONATE DOCENTS TO SHARE ITS RICH HISTORY WITH VISITORS
HONOLULU – Iolani Palace will be offering a seven-week Docent Training Course for individuals who have a passion for Hawaiian history and enjoy interacting with people of all ages. The training will expand participants’ knowledge of the Palace and monarchy era history, develop their public speaking skills and prepare them to educate visitors about the cultural significance of Iolani Palace. Classes will be held on Mondays beginning on January 29, 2018.
“Our docents have the honorable role of sharing the rich history of Iolani Palace with our global visitors,” said Iolani Palace Historian and Docent Educator Zita Cup Choy. “Their ability to take visitors back in time and give them a glimpse into the lives of Hawaii’s last reigning monarchs offers a unique experience for all who come to the Palace.”
As a popular attraction for international visitors, Iolani Palace is in particular need of bi-lingual docents, especially those speaking Japanese, Mandarin, and Korean.
Classes will meet on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Old Archives Building on the Palace grounds and include additional reading assignments and homework. The $40 fee will provide docents-in-training with a training manual, instruction, lectures, field trips, and other necessary materials.
Becoming a certified Iolani Palace Docent is a two step-process. It requires forty hours of Guardian Service (providing aid to docents) and completion of the Docent Training Course. Prospective applicants are encouraged to begin serving their Guardian hours as soon as possible.
For more information, please contact Docent Educator Zita Cup Choy at educator@iolanipalace.org or call (808) 522-0822 ext. 141.
About Iolani Palace
Iolani Palace is the only official residence of royalty in the United States. King Kalakaua was the first reigning monarch to travel around the world and built Iolani Palace in 1882 to enhance the prestige of Hawaii overseas and to mark Hawaii’s status as a modern nation. For more information, please call Iolani Palace at (808) 522-0822 or visit www.iolanipalace.org.