Share your love of art and architecture by becoming a docent at Second Presbyterian Church, the only church in Chicago to be awarded the status of National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Recognized for its significant Arts and Crafts interior, the church features a wealth of significant art including stained glass windows, Pre-Raphaelite murals, plaster and wood ornamentation, numerous original lighting fixtures and much more.
Tours of the stunning art and architecture of the church are vital to the mission of educating a worldwide audience about the church’s historical and cultural significance. The backbone of the tour program is the well-informed corps of docents who enthusiastically share their time and knowledge with thousands of visitors each year.
Friends holds a five-session docent training once a year. A partial list of topics includes the Arts and Crafts movement, the stained glass windows, the murals, Gothic Revival architecture, architects James Renwick and Howard Van Doren Shaw, artists Frederic Clay Bartlett and Louis Comfort Tiffany, and the philosophy and techniques of preservation. Trainees will also learn about the preservation progress already accomplished.
Spring 2023 docent training will be on Wednesdays - April 26th, May 3rd, 10th & 17th from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm and Saturday, June 3rd from 9 am to 12 pm.
Docent training occurs at Second Presbyterian Church, 1936 S. Michigan Avenue. If you have questions, please email info@historicsecondchurch.org or call 1-800-657-0687.
Friends requests that trainees commit to attend all five training sessions. There is a $10 fee payable on the first night of training. Payment is waived for students.