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WALKING TOUR DOCENT PROGRAM

Conservancy docent Vivian Ngo. Photo by Annie Laskey.

Class Enrollment
Enrollment is now closed for the 2010 walking tour docent training class. Docent training is held every twelve to eighteen months. When the 2011 class is scheduled, we will announce it on our website and in the Conservancy’s newsletter.

General Information
The Conservancy’s award-winning Walking Tour Program relies on the talent and enthusiasm of its volunteer docent corps, now nearly eighty people strong. Conservancy walking tour docents lead entertaining and informative tours of historic architecture in downtown Los Angeles.

They also serve as ambassadors for the Conservancy, taking an active role in preservation by raising awareness of our architectural treasures.

Our nine docent-led tours take place on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons, and on weekdays by special arrangement. In 2008, more than 8,000 people experienced L.A.’s architectural treasures under the guidance of the Conservancy’s walking tour docent corps.

Conservancy docent Chris Brown. Photo from LAC archives.

It takes no prior experience to be a Conservancy docent, just a love of the city and a desire to share that love with others. It does, however, require a commitment of time and energy. Conservancy docents complete a three-month training process that addresses architectural styles, Los Angeles history, preservation advocacy, and tour presentation. Rather than working with a script, docents receive in-depth research materials to create their own individualized tour. Our experienced veteran docents provide mentorship and on-the-street training for new recruits.

If you’re interested in becoming a Conservancy walking tour docent, we suggest that you take as many of our docent-led tours as possible to become thoroughly familiar with them. This will be one of the criteria we consider in reviewing future applications for the docent program. We also encourage you to become actively involved as a volunteer for other Conservancy events and programs. Read more about volunteering for the Conservancy.

For more information about the Conservancy’s walking tour docent program, and/or to be notified when the next training class is announced, please contact Program Manager Annie Laskey at alaskey@laconservancy.org or (213) 430-4209.