Support & Volunteer
Support
Rienzi Annual Fund
Generous gifts to the Annual Fund provide for Rienzi’s most-essential needs, from preserving the collection and gardens to supporting the dedicated staff. With these important resources, Rienzi presents an impressive and dynamic schedule of tours, performances, lectures, and educational programs for members of the community.
► Donate to the Rienzi Annual Fund today.
Questions? Please contact Haley Horan at hhoran@mfah.org or 713.639.7559.
Fundraising Events
Volunteer
Rienzi Docent Program
• Would you enjoy engaging small groups in conversations about art?
• Are you interested in giving back to the community?
• Are you positive and open-minded, with a passion for life-long learning?
Consider becoming a docent at Rienzi!
The docent program was established in 1999, the year Rienzi opened to the public. Rienzi seeks to build and maintain a volunteer corps that reflects the rich diversity of the community. Participants have a broad range of backgrounds and experience.
Docents play an important role at Rienzi. When visitors arrive, docents welcome them and guide them through the collection. Conversations bring the art, architecture, and history of the house museum to life, as docents share insights about the European art treasures. In addition to giving tours, docents support public programming at Rienzi.
What do I need to know about the docent program?
- No prior art history knowledge is required. Docents learn about 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century European art in the context of the Rienzi Collection.
- Docents make a minimum two-year commitment.
- The initial training program lasts nine months. Two classes are offered on Tuesdays: one in the morning and another at night. No class is held during the summer.
- Docents give two tours a month and have the option of staffing programs.
- Docents must be able to tour for 60 minutes without a break.
- Individuals must be 21 years old to apply.
- Entrance to the program is competitive and involves an application and interview process.
What are the rewards of becoming a docent?
- Connecting with the MFAH on a deeper level while sharing your enthusiasm for education and art.
- Enjoying personal growth as you learn new skills and knowledge.
- Making new friends among fellow volunteers and staff.
- Giving back to the community.
- Inspiring a love of learning and cultural understanding in visitors of all ages.
Contact rienzi@mfah.org for information about the next recruitment cycle and to ask any questions you may have about the docent program.