Guides/Giving a Tour

Things you can highlight when giving tours to visitors and prospective members.

See also: the audio tour by mattp and a930913 at http://hack.rs/tour/.

A suggested general structure

No idea what to say to someone on a tour? Try working from this template.

Introduction
1. Who you are, what you're working on, say they can ask questions whenever they like
2. What the Hackspace is
3. What the Hackspace is not
4. The etiquette that helps it run
5. The general layout (two halves, dirty/clean; clean divided into quiet room/main room/kitchen; dirty divided into storage/workshop/wet lab)
The clean section
1. Things in the lobby
2. Things in the main room
3. Things in the kitchen
4. Things in the quiet room
The dirty section
1. Storage, and how to get a box
2. The workshop, and the tools within it
3. The laser cutter
4. The wet lab
Questions, anything else you want to highlight.

The space and organisation:

We need everyone's help to keep things organised. Everyone is expected to help with maintenance and cleanliness.
We do welcome your donations! (Show the donation tin.)
If you start using the Hackspace more regularly you're encouraged to become a member. The size of your monthly payment is up to you; recommended amount is £20/month, some pay as much as £100/month, the absolute minimum is £5/month.

The community:

We're very approachable, although sometimes shy. If you are unsure about something: just ask around.
But be aware that the people around you may be busy with project work and may not have time to chat. Tuesday evenings are the best time for a visit if you're new and want to meet new people.
The hackspace has a large social scene that includes many specialists of a wide range of disciplines. The best way to reach them is to post questions on the mailing list.

Doorbot: You can open the door to London Hackspace 24 hours a day using an RFID card (such as your current Oyster card), if you're a member - the wiki has instructions on setting this up.
Mail box
3-week bins