The role of volunteers in creating hospitality: Insights from museums

Abstract

This paper considers the role that volunteers have in making a museum a hospitable place for visitors. It proposes a model of the factors which impact on the ability of volunteers to provide a welcoming atmosphere to visitors and colleagues alike. An exploratory, qualitative approach was used by the two researchers who had been asked to run a series of workshops for volunteers in a regional nature museum aimed at the family market. Following scoping interviews with management the researchers co-created two workshops attended by twenty staff. This paper reports on the findings and understandings that emerged from those workshops and observation notes from the researchers who were participant observers. Findings were that volunteers felt a sense of responsibility for making visitors feel welcome, for showing hospitality to visitors and colleagues, taking time to understand needs, being available, professionalism, being authentic and the impact of the physical environment. The research focusses on the volunteers of the museum. This research gives museum management an insight into the motivation and needs of museum volunteers and may assist them in recruiting and retaining volunteer staff. It also builds on existing knowledge around volunteers in heritage recreation settings and proposes a new model based on sociology, psychology and hospitality.