16 May 2025
This week of my internship I have done a lot of different things. Last week, my boss and I collaborated on a schedule that generally outlined what kind of tasks should be prioritized each day of the week. This means that some days I might be more focused on collections management tasks while other days I might be working more heavily on social media or programming related tasks. This schedule has worked well so far as it guarantees a diversity of museum experiences in a given week, but there is one thing I have done this week that is not allocated to any one day: Giving tours to museum visitors.
Emerging from the basement this week, I’ve had the opportunity to guide tours through Banting House for all those interested in learning more about Frederick Banting in the birthplace of insulin. So far, it’s been an exciting experience! While I am no stranger to giving history tours in other museums I’ve worked in, I finally got to try my hand at guiding visitors through the specific exhibits we have at Banting House. Giving a tour for the first time can be a little nerve-wracking. I have learned a lot about Banting through touring the museum myself and reading through tour notes that I was given when I started, but it takes time and practice to feel really confident in the tour you are giving. Overall, I think I am off to a good start and I am excited to guide a lot more tours throughout the summer. I am very inspired by the tours I have witnessed given by all the amazing volunteers here, and I am working hard to improve my understanding of Banting’s story through each new tour!
My early tours at Banting House were by no means perfect, but I know from my last museum job that you only get better with practice. I started working at a railway museum with absolutely no knowledge of trains, and by the end I could provide anyone with in depth and interesting railway facts in my sleep. There are details in Banting’s story that I am fuzzy on that are revealed in each tour so I know to look into getting the facts straight for the next time. It’s all a learning process, and I am excited to develop my knowledge further throughout the rest of the summer!