Volunteer
Volunteer With Us
CONSIDERING VOLUNTEERING WITH US
Volunteers play an integral role in fulfilling UNSM’s mission of promoting natural history and world cultures through research collections, educational programs, and behind-the-scenes opportunities. Volunteers assist by providing hands-on experiences for guests and behind-the-scenes support for our museum staff.
All UNSM volunteers must be 18 years of age or older and will be subject to a background check before volunteering. While a background in science can be helpful, it is not a requirement. Volunteer training on duties and expectations will be provided.
See more information for UNSM volunteer positions below. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out our volunteer application form.*
*Note: Volunteer opportunity and capacity are determined by each department supervisor. Not all positions will be immediately available.
Administrative Volunteer
Administrative Volunteers work behind-the-scenes to help keep the museum running smoothly. Partnering with administrative staff from multiple departments, Administrative Volunteers assist with memberships, data entry, filing, organization, and providing other administrative and clerical functions as needed. Administrative Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age with a preferred minimum commitment of 3-5 hours a month.
Education Volunteer
Working under the supervision of museum educators, education volunteers help provide hands-on experiences for Morrill Hall guests by utilizing spaces such as Gallery Carts, the Science Exploration Zone, and Marx Discovery Center to facilitate activities and engage museum visitors. Volunteers may help represent the museum during public programs and community outreach events and serve as science interpreters to the public. Education volunteers must be 18 years of age or older and have an expected time commitment of 4-8 hours monthly while the museum is open to the public.
Exhibits Volunteer
Exhibits Volunteers work under the direction of our exhibits team to assist with planning, graphics, fabrication, installation, and other duties as appropriate. Due to the inherent dangers present in a workshop, specialized training and appropriate certification are required for volunteers interested in exhibit fabrication. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. Hour requirements are dependent on our exhibit team's needs.
Research Collections Volunteer
Our Research Collections Volunteers provide crucial support assisting with organization, cataloguing, and maintenance of our museum collections. Under the direct supervision of collections managers and staff, Research Collections Volunteers may assist with specimen preparation, research, rehousing, photography, data entry, or other necessary tasks. Research Collections Volunteers must be 18 years of age with a preferred minimum time commitment of 3-5 hours a month. Additional training and qualifications may be required for Research Collections Volunteers at the discretion of collections managers.
