Joel Bartsch: What to Know when Visiting a Mosque

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

What to Know when Visiting a Mosque

Possessing decades of experience in museum leadership, Joel A. Bartsch heads the Houston Museum of Natural Science in the role of president and CEO. Outside of work, Joel Bartsch maintains a passion for travel and exploring the religions of the world. One of his favorite travel destinations is the Middle East.

For those who travel to the Middle East, visiting a mosque can prove incredibly rewarding, but it is important to understand proper etiquette.

All guests who enter a mosque are expected to take off their shoes. Some of the larger mosques that frequently have visitors may provide a small plastic bag so you can carry your shoes while you are inside. However, some have you simply store your shoes outside.

In addition, women are expected to cover their heads, so it is recommended that you bring a scarf. If you do not bring a scarf with you, mosques often make head coverings available.

Once inside, guests who are not Muslim should stay along the perimeter of the mosque rather than wandering freely. Doing so is a sign of respect.

Moreover, all visitors should stay quiet and reserved while inside, especially if there are religious services taking place.

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About Joel Bartsch

Since 2004, Joel A. Bartsch has led the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) as president and CEO. In this capacity, he coordinates and leads museum staff and curators in the creation and maintenance of immersive exhibits, implements renovation strategies, and promoting museum-wide leadership. Through these efforts and many others, Joel A. Bartsch has nearly doubled both the institution’s annual attendance and membership base. He also oversaw two major expansions at the museum that added more than 250,000 square feet of space.

Mr. Bartsch began gaining experience in museum leadership more than three decades ago, when he joined the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum as a curatorial assistant and assistant to the director. He held this role during his last years as a mining engineering student at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden. From there, Mr. Bartsch took on staff roles at the Texas Memorial Museum and HMNS, curator of earth sciences at Lyman House Memorial Museum in Hawaii, and director and curator of the California State Mining & Mineral Museum.

Through these positions, Joel Bartsch gained extensive experience in everything from managing daily operations and directing fundraising efforts to writing corporate grant requests. He drew on this experience when he returned to HMNS as a curator, project manager, and director of earth sciences, the positions he held immediately prior to his current role as the president and CEO.