in the life of ...
A museum guard
Photo by Adam Schoof
Photo by Adam Schoof Don't touch that! Rose Kopf, guard at the Spencer Museum of Art, has seen her fair share of oddities on the job.
Dalton Howard, a security guard at the Spencer Museum of Art, watched as a guest knelt before a statue of Jesus, gripped his rosary and held an impromptu Catholic mass.
Howard, who has been a guard for more than 15 years, says the man was a regular at the museum for a while. Unorthodox behavior is common at the Spencer; Rose Kopf, a guard for two years, once found someone talking to a person in a painting.
One would think museum guards spend their time strolling the galleries, making sure kids don't spit on the Rembrandts, but the job requires much more. All guards at
the job requires much more. All guards at the Spencer are trained in first aid and CPR, says Don Langdon, a guard for three years. Also, guards must be ready to evacuate or lock down the museum at any moment, Kopf says.
Additionally, the job requires a "naturally giving" personality, because you are helping the public, Howard says, and because guards spend much of their time giving directions. However, Howard has been "chewed out" by guests who felt he was being too strict with museum rules.
"I've been called a nasty old man," Howard says.
However, he says he is proud to protect the only comprehensive art museum in Kansas.
"It doesn't look like you're doing anything, but if you weren't here, you wonder what would be happening." Howard says.
Adam Schoof
February 5,2009
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