National Trust room guides - AIBU

[lucydogz]

Just once, I'd like to look round a National Trust property without someone telling me about it. You can avoid eye contact in properties with larger rooms, but I've just been to a small property , so just me in a series of tiny rooms with a very nice lady/man sitting in the corner, just waiting to tell me about it. I just don't need it and want to make my own mind about it.

Well, it's the new model for museums, it seems - run around pressing buttons. In Bristol we are 'blessed' with the dreadful M Shed, which replaced a perfectly good industrial museum at a hideous cost.

I hate it. I am afraid i just rudely walk on.

But then i am an architectural historian and generally know more than they do about the architecture. Have limited interest in anything else. They are usually droning on about the owner in the early 20th century and i am more insterested in the window latches and ceiling roses. Dh tells me off regularly for doing this.

The worst ones are the houses where you cant get through the main door without listening to them waffle on.

But i do appreciate them as volunteers and think generally they are good for those that have no experience of grand houses. They just need to learn when not to speak.

I was recently at a NT property. I had dd who has just turned 2 with me. I don't normally look around the properties but I wanted to with this one.

We looked into one of those small roped off room and were collared by the volunteer explaining where in the world all the furniture came from. I kept trying to be polite saying I need to leave (by this point dd was moaning and trying to pull me out of the room) in the end o had to leave mid sentence .

As we got to the exit, they had volunteers opening and closing the exit. By this stage dp was holding dd like a rugby ball and the volunteer basically shrieked in horror that we couldn't leave because we hadn't seen the room next to the exit. We ended up going in and whizzing around with screaming dd.

One freaked out before christmas when we entered a bedroom. DD sat down to take off her wellies and the lady told her off for trying to jump on the bed. I dont think she believed me when i told her we have a no shoes on carpets rule and DD was just doing what she does at home . The rest if the house was wood floor.

She was a very rude lady.

I stopped visiting a NT property near where I used to live because of two particular guides who were overly intrusive and oblivious to social cues. One of them was particularly interested in where I lived - and wasn't satisfied with vague details about the area I stayed in, but wanted to know which street and which house number!

Eurgh!

Have to say I'm more assertive now than I used to be, especially with men who take it for granted that women should hang on their every word, and wouldn't let them away with it.

I've been in that tunnel exit recently, Caulk Abbey?.

DP went in the house for the last half hour. Never again. We had about 12 guides trailing round every room after us making sure we "got out ok." Very irritating. And whenever I asked a question nobody knew the answer.

I have to agree, lucy it's very off-putting.i
If I'm looking around as if I want to ask questions, then do approach me. Otherwise just leave me alone.
It's much less intrusive at English Heritage properties.

I've found they mainly leave me alone. I prefer to look around on my own, in peace. I got into a conversation with an old man/guide at Fairfax House (York), who was quite interesting, telling me about the old cinema that had been next door, and York in the 50s/60s, so I suppose it depends who you get talking to.

It can be good when guides have a connection to the place, eg great grandmother was in service before it became a NT place, I find social history like that quite interesting.

I feel bad for saying, but I agree with the OP. They're turning into the historical version of The Body Shop.

IF I WANT YOUR HELP, I'LL ASK FOR IT!!

Phew, felt good to get that out.

DH and I now play a game to see who can avoid being spoken to by a NT volunteer. We're not always particularly successful, but it adds some amusement to the proceedings! As someone mentioned upthread, it's terrible when you've got slightly bored kids who just want to keep moving!

It's much less intrusive at English Heritage properties

At some perhaps, but I had a guide at Brodsworth Hall almost follow me home. Couldn't get away from them.

I've been an NT room guide and a volunteertour guide. I usually let people approach me first but always said hello when they entered the room.

15 years later my profession means I probably know more about the house/garden than they do. Even if I let on I've had more than one room guide be a bit know-all to me which has left me dissapointed and at least twice has ruined the experience for me.

Hate it too and the question 'have you been here before'? Think I will lie from now on! Of course they do sterling work but I think the default should be don't speak until you are spoken to. I too am rarely interested in the people, got cross at Hardwick for example as they seem to try and link everything to a person instead of letting the building talk. Also whilst I quite understand the necessity for conservation so many of the rooms are so poorly lit and you stand behind a rope staring into the gloom to try and see the fantastic things you have come to see. We went to the Villa Borghese last year and so enjoyed being able to get close to the works of art, of course it's a risk but otherwise you might as well lock them away for posterity.

I'm a member of NT and EH and I appreciate the information the guides share - there are many things I'd have missed if it wasn't for them sharing their knowledge.

YANBU. I hate it too. I like to get a feel for a place and don't want to discuss it at length with excruciating small talk.

I don't care that it's a charity either. I stopped going to the places after seeing the disgraceful way they treat staff and tenants. And dislike the fact they Hoover up property they can't always afford to maintain and when they can don't always follow laws protecting its listed status.

yanbu ! So annoying and SO keen to tell children off! At one NT place we went to they were told off for climbing on a big tree. In case they damaged the tree.

All the replies on the thread are making ne feel very anxious indeed.

We go to Battle a lot, and they have it just right - lots of stuff to look at and interactive displays - and it's very well laid out that there's detail for adults as well as simpler stuff for children.
and there are guides who are there waiting to be asked questions (without pouncing on you)

That's EH

liquidrevolution

I hear you. Tell me about the building rather than the current Earl of Wankville who charmingly leases the house from the NT since his family gifted it to the Trust because they couldn't friggin afford it any more. And yes, I know that's his Land Rover outside and he really lives in Chelsea. How grateful are we now?

I'm looking at you, Uppark

They're turning into the historical version of The Body Shop

Lol. This thread reminded me of a recent traumatic experience at the M&S bakery counter.

I too prefer to be left in peace, but I was looking, not that close to the counter that the woman thought I might want something from behind the counter, with a vague thought of 'we have no bread at home, shall I buy some bread' but DP was working away and I don't eat much bread so I was undecided.

I politely said 'I'm just looking thanks' and the woman storms out from around the counter, grabs my elbow and says 'oh, I'll help you look' and I'm all 'well I'm not sure if I want any bread', and she starts telling me about all the bread and wanting to know what I want to serve it with and thrusting loaves into my hand saying what about this. So I just said 'I think I want one for the toastie machine' and ran off to the presliced square factory loaves.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to go there again unless I'm certain that I do want some bread and what kind. I'm put off NT now too.

hiphop
I'm sorry to hear that :(

I agree OP - I'll ask if I need to know something, but I usually have more specialised knowledge than most docents. In fact, sometimes they say stuff that is inaccurate.

So if I want to know whether that watercolour is a John Varley or a David Cox, I have to go ask someone.

And IME, they don't really know, and often don't care ...

Yanbu.

In fact we take our students to a local property which has a very tenuous connection to Austen. The guides will wax enthusiastically about how Austen was one of the first female authors, don't you know! My students will smile politely whilst remembering the sessions on Aphra Behn the previous semester.

I also had one of them tell me smugly about an eighteenth-century woman that "in those days, ladies couldn't inherit". I nearly invited him to my "myths about the early modern period" lecture for the 2nd years, but didn't

I'm an nt volunteer guide, not in the house. We have recently had training on customer service, all bleeding obvious to me and the others about when to speak and when to just smile! I think properties vary a lot.

And yes, you only have to look at the now hopeless n t website to see that the dumbers- down have been around.

I have obvious methods of finding out if people want info or not, and i make it clear I'm happy if they just want to look in peace. In so many words!

Well, I'm glad it's not just me. I do value what many guides have to say, I just think they should wait to be asked. One of the guides today was in full Tudor costume, which added a certain disneyesque vibe.