Pittock Mansion Docent

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Interested in history and sharing one of Portland's premier attractions? Bring Portland stories to life as a tour guide at Pittock Mansion.

Docent Description: Pittock Mansion docents familiarize themselves with the provided information about the Pittock estate and lead three 50-minute tours through the Mansion. Docents greet visitors, answer questions, and may assist in operating the original Otis elevator.

Training: All volunteers are required to attend a 2-hour training and complete an application and a background check consent form. Before guiding their own tours, volunteers must sign up for multiple host shifts (see the post about hosting at Pittock Mansion) and complete the New Docent Checklist.

Commitment: Tour Guides lead three 50-minute tours through the mansion: 11:30am, 12:45pm, & 2:00pm OR 12:00pm, 1:15pm, and 2:30pm. Shifts are available 7 days a week, February through mid-November. (Tour guides are asked to host during the holiday season.) There isn’t a maximum or a minimum number of shifts a volunteer must sign up for--schedules are flexible.

Impact: Tour Guides actively support the Mansion’s mission to inspire understanding and stewardship of Portland history through Pittock Mansion, its collections, and programs.

How to Apply: please contact Kyla Foster at kfoster@pittockmansion.org or (503) 823-3587.

Please Note: All floors of Pittock Mansion are elevator accessible to a manual/push wheelchair. The 1913 elevator cannot accommodate powered chairs or scooters due to its size and weight limitations.

History of the Mansion and Pittock Family: In 1853, Henry Pittock arrived in Portland "barefooted and without a cent." By 1860, Mr. Pittock had moved his way up from a typesetter to the owner of The Oregonian newspaper. Portland’s history is reflected in the unique lives of the Pittocks, whose work, interests, and life stories still influence Portlanders today. Henry and Georgiana Pittock were activists, community builders, and lovers of the outdoors. They helped establish the Portland Rose Festival, the Mazamas climbing club, the Oregon Riding Club, and were gifted fundraisers for the Ladies Relief Society, Portland Women’s Union, and helped found the Portland Rose Society.

Pittock Mansion was built in 1914 for one of Oregon’s most influential families and is filled with rich history and remarkable stories. The Mansion is known for its architectural and technological prowess with an original Otis elevator, central vacuum cleaning system, dumbwaiter, and thermostat-controlled central heating.