As part of the Talents UAE team, my first tour of the Louvre Abu Dhabi took place during the VIP pre-opening of the museum. It started with a group of ten directors of a prominent auction house and ended just shy of fifty VIP visitors. I want to establish this fact at the onset of this blog as it discloses the crux of any VIP tour – confidence.
Confidence emanates from various elements. When speaking about art to individuals who are seasoned art professionals, by definition, one’s knowledge and facts must be on par with that of their audience. Polished knowledge of art history and any relevant terminology are prerequisites for delivering a VIP tour in a universal art museum. Your VIP has attained that acronym because they excel at what they do. Whether they have won an Academy Award, are the head of a country, or are the company’s president, they are used to receiving top-quality services, which is true of their museum experience. Of course, no one can be an expert in everything, and it is inevitable that at some point in your VIP tour, or any tour for that matter, you will be asked a question to which you do not have the answer. There is no shame in admitting you are “unsure” or “do not know”. However, you do not want to fall back on these responses frequently. In other words, when you know your stuff and are prepared, you confidently walk into the tour from the outset.
Good museum educators study and know the collection they speak about; the best museum educators make that knowledge tangible to a varied audience group. I once gave a VIP tour to an art collector who happened to be a patron and a board member of a distinguished museum. When I was informed of this visit, I knew that the language the tour necessitated was one of eloquence. Then the guest arrived with their three children, the eldest being twelve and the youngest five. A good museum educator will deliver the tour as planned and direct it to the VIP. An exceptional museum educator will juggle all these different components – age, interests, prior knowledge, attention spans, etc. – and switch from the expertise and fluency of expression with the VIP to interactive and elementary explanations with said VIP’s children. Naturally, it helps if you deliver your tour in a language you are comfortable with. A sense of situational awareness is essential here, especially when avoiding the pitfall of being pedantic. If your VIP is knowledgeable, avoid stating the obvious. Likewise, if your VIP is interested in learning but is not an expert in the subject, keep theory and terms minimal. Manipulating speech to cater to different groups shows malleability, spontaneity, and ease of confidence. Before beginning your tour, a couple of implied conditions would benefit you when delivering a VIP tour, as first impressions do matter.
Aesthetic finesse in affording someone with the necessary respect by dressing and presenting oneself appropriately, is obvious but goes a long way. Another little nuance can be found in your handshake when greeting your VIP. A good, sturdy handshake suggests someone strong and confident (there’s that word again!). It is also highly beneficial to do some light research on your VIP guest before their arrival. If they are arriving with an entourage, which is often the case, it helps to know who your VIP is among the group. This light research will also allow you to prepare to address your VIP. Distinctions of title and position, such as Your Excellency, Mr President, Mrs Prime Minister, Your Highness, etc. are vital, not just upon greeting your VIP, but throughout your interaction with them.
Finally, possessing a natural rapport with your VIP cannot be stated enough. At times, I have found myself giving a tour to visitors who do not share the same passion for art as I do, and it is easy to feel underwhelmed or demotivated at that moment. Instead, find out what they care about and incorporate that into your conversation. I say conversation because a tour with a VIP should be just that. VIPs do not want to feel like they are being herded into a tour with the masses. They expect a premium experience, and rapport, small talk, wit, etc., is part of that experience. Being malleable and adjusting to these types of situations shows a level of ease and confidence in your abilities as a museum educator.
I began this blog by briefly writing about my personal experience, from which my entire trajectory at the Louvre Abu Dhabi was forged. I want to close by reminiscing on another VIP experience at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, where I delivered a tour to more than forty patrons of a prominent French museum, along with their director. After the tour of the main galleries, the director approached me and, amidst the lovely conversation, asked if I would lead the group to the international exhibition at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. I graciously accepted the honour and led them into the exhibit. I say honour, because this director co-curated that specific exhibit and asked me to deliver a tour of his exhibit to him and his friends. A curator’s pride and joy is their exhibit, and the chance to speak about it or deliver a tour to collectors and patrons is a part of the thrill of completing the project. For him to have relinquished that by affording me the privilege is a testament to the quality of the tour they had just experienced, which included every point mentioned in this blog. From the moment I received them to the moment they requested a group picture of all of us at the end of the visit, my knowledge, passion, and, of course,e confidence shone through.