Heard Museum Child Protection Practices

These practices are derived from practices followed by the museum’s volunteer docents, Las Guias. The museum requires that all employees and volunteers observe these practices to better protect children and staff.

  • Employees and volunteers should not be alone with any child visitor to the museum on the Heard Museum campus without an accompanying chaperone from the visiting school, and/or parent or guardian.
  • Employees and volunteers should not be alone in an enclosed room with a child visiting the museum.
  • Employees and volunteers should not make physical contact with children.
  • Employees and volunteers should refer any child visitor to their school’s accompanying staff and chaperones, and/or parent, or guardian for questions or permission while on the Heard Museum campus.
  • Employees and volunteers are discouraged from disciplining children visitors. Instead, they should refer discipline issues to the visiting school’s staff and chaperones, and/or parent or guardian.
  • Employees and volunteers should notify the Chief of Security and Education staff of any occurrence regarding the safety of museum visitors including children while they are on museum grounds.
  • Any lost child should be brought directly to the admissions area and Visitor Services/Security should then be notified of the situation. If Security personnel is not present at admissions, stay with the child until a Security officer arrives. Other Security officers will be dispatched to locate the guardian(s).