Volunteer a few hours of your time at any or all of these special events and programs. Ask your friends and volunteer as a group. These events and programs are a great opportunity for earning volunteer service hours for your school or workplace.
Many of these needs can be adapted to unpaid internships to earn independent study credit.
If you are interested in any of these activities, please contact:
Sarah Macht
(515) 242-5193
Sarah.Macht@iowa.gov
Museum Ambassadors are needed to greet and assist visitors during weekends and special events. They are not tour guilds but provide excellent customer service in a museum setting. We are looking for enthusiastic responsible people who are willing to learn about exhibits and artifacts and do background reading. They must be comfortable with public speaking and enjoy interacting with the public. Must be 16 and older. High School students must have a letter of recommendation from a teacher and help twice a month. Weekend hours would be 1 pm to 3:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
For a Marketing/Business/Education Major: Help is needed to recruit volunteers for programs and activities for a variety of audiences. Plan connections to schools, businesses and service groups. Assist with training and recruitment fairs.
Tour Docents are needed to give guided tours of the exhibits for educational programs. Special training provided in subject matter and tour formats. Training arranged to fit your schedule. Tours are usually given during the week.
The Museum Theater program needs volunteers who can help 4 - 40 hours a week with office work, phone calls, grant writing, marketing, planning, computer work, sending out information and invoices to schools, taking orders, and finding volunteers for theater programs and special events. Good writers and organizers are needed.
Museum Education needs help with data entry, scheduling groups and planning programs and activities for all ages of students. Creating lesson plans connected to the new Iowa Core Curriculum is important. Volunteers are needed to help in the exhibits April and May during the week to assist school groups.
The State Historical Library needs volunteers who enjoy quiet, focused work and assisting patrons. Tuesday through Friday, 12:30 to 4:30 pm and Saturdays. 9 am to 12:30 and 12:30 to 4:30 pm.
Mondays, Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, Dec. 13, 9 am to 1 pm—ongoing, Volunteers prepare craft materials for workshops by cutting paper, making paper or assembling craft kits . Great service opportunity for groups or individuals.
Saturday, Sept. 18, The Art of Model Making, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, 3 volunteers need to help presenters & assist children in making snap together plastic models. Must be helpful & able to stand for a long time.
Friday, Oct. 1, Fall Theme Girl Scout Camp, Grades 4-8, 5pm to midnight, 15 volunteers are needed to assist campers with workshops, crafts, tours, games and snack times. 2-4 docents are needed for guided tours.
Oct. 5 (Grades 5-6) & 6 (Grades 7-9), Museum Theatre: Let’s Celebrate Archaeology, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm., 7 volunteers are needed each day to assist presenters with games, workshops, art projects, and making clay pots and rope. 2-4 docents are needed for guided tours.
Oct. 19-22, Museum Theatre: Thursday’s Children, Grades 6 and up, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. 10 volunteers needed each day to host presenters, assist with art classes, and help school groups.
Nov. 16 & 17, Museum Theatre: Patterns of Living, Grades K-3, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. 7 volunteers needed each day to assist presenters, present a workshop, help with crafts, tours and games. 2-4 docents are needed for guided tours.
Nov. 18 & 19, Museum Theatre: Ice Age Follies, Grades 2-5, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. 6 volunteers needed each day to present workshops, assist presenters, help with crafts and tours. 1-2 docents are needed each day.
Dec. 3, Winter Theme Girl Scout Camp, Grades 2-3, 2 pm to 9 pm. 15 volunteers are needed to assist campers with workshops, crafts, tours, games and snack times. 2-4 docents are needed for guided tours.
