Museum Information Desk

Volunteer Opportunities at the Smithsonian

Museum Information Desk Program*

Volunteers in this program work at a museum information desk where they are on the front lines interacting with visitors of all ages on a daily basis. They not only welcome Smithsonian visitors but also provide information and answer questions about the Institution—its exhibitions, activities, and services.

Assignments are available at the Smithsonian Information Center in the Castle and the following museums and galleries: African Art, American Art and its Renwick Gallery, American History, American Indian (on the Mall), Freer, Hirshhorn, Portrait Gallery, Natural History, Postal, and Sackler.

Time Commitment

A minimum of 1 year of service is requested of volunteers who successfully complete the training program. Weekday volunteers are expected to fulfill a minimum assignment of 3.75 hours weekly. Weekend assignments can be scheduled on alternating weeks. Duty shifts in most museums are 9:30am to 1:15pm or 12:45pm to 4:30pm; an additional shift from 8:30am to 12:15pm is available in the Smithsonian Information Center. The Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture, which houses the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, has daily hours from 11:30am to 7pm. Volunteer shifts at these information desks are 11am-2:30pm, 2-5:30pm, and 5-7pm.

Training

Applicants must attend an orientation, classroom instruction (including museum tours and a final exam), and on-the-job transition training. Classroom instruction requires one day a week for five consecutive weeks, followed by 10 hours of on-the-job training.

Pretraining Orientation To participate in the training program, a pretraining orientation is required as well as successful completion of a background investigation. Upon receipt of a completed application, the training coordinator will set up a orientation appointment to discuss volunteer expectations, training parameters and dates, and to confirm availability.

Training Satisfactory completion of all phases of a three-phase course of instruction is required.

• The first phase involves classroom sessions and museum orientation tours. It acquaints trainees with the history and organization of the Institution, the museum focus and collections, and the use of information resources. Options are availble for weekday and weekend training.
• The second phase of the training is a supervised transitional period during which trainees work directly with the public in the Smithsonian Information Center.
• The last phase of the training is a one-session orientation to the new volunteer’s regular museum information desk assignment.

Assignment Policy

Staffing vacancies dictate museum assignments.

Application Procedure

Complete the online application.

For more information, please contact:
Training Coordinator: 202-633-5263 (voice/tape) 202.633-9353 (fax)
E-mail: volunteerinfo@si.edu