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Volunteering with Museum Visitors

These positions are based at the museum in Ottawa, Ontario.

Family Programs

What you would do:

• As part of a team, support the engagement of families in the exploration of our natural world at the museum
• Assist with nature-themed activities and crafts
• At Nature Trade:
  • Help visitors identify and trade natural objects
  • Assist staff with sorting, organizing, labelling and recording natural objects
  • Data entry and maintenance of database
  • Knowledge of geology/mineralogy and/or palaeontology is required
• Participate in initial and subsequent training.

Good for people with:

• An outgoing and friendly attitude
• An ability to think on their feet
• An affinity for children
• Background or knowledge of the natural world (or the passion to learn)

Languages:

• Fluency in English and French is a strong asset
• An ability to speak another language may come in handy.

Time commitment:

• All year
• Saturday, Sundays and/or holidays
• Half-day shifts.

Visit Planning

What you would do:

• Share your passion for the museum with visitors while helping them plan their exploration of the museum
• Greet visitors and get them started on their experience
• Help visitors navigate the museum
• Highlight points of interest
• Inform visitors about the day's activities and events
• Hand out floor plans
• Answer questions
• Participate in initial training.

Good for people with:

• An outgoing and friendly personality
• An ability to quickly connect with people
• An ability to think on your feet.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and French is a strong asset
• An ability to speak another language may come in handy.

Time commitment:

• Busy periods, especially summer and school breaks.

Science in Action

What you would do:

• Botany Station:
  • Prepare botanical specimens for the museum's plant library, the National Herbarium of Canada
  • Answer visitors' questions about the National Herbarium
  • Assist visitors with a plant-related activity
• Palaeontology Station:
  • Assist museum technicians
  • Help visitors, especially children, with a fossil-excavation activity
  • Answer questions from the public

Good for people with:

• A background knowledge in natural history, palaeontology, or botany
• An outgoing and friendly personality
• An ability to answer questions from the public
• An ability to lead activities.

Languages:

• Fluency in both French and English is required
• An ability to speak another language may come in handy.

Time commitment:

• All year
• Palaeontology Station: Saturday afternoons
• Botany Station: Sunday afternoons.

Adult Programs and Special Events

What you would do:

• Assist staff in welcoming visitors to Nature Nocturne, Nature Tastes, special events, lectures, workshops, etc.
• Actively participate in logistical tasks (ticket-taking, directional assistance, answering questions and evaluation).

Good for people with:

• A flexible schedule
• An outgoing and friendly personality

Languages:

• Fluency in English and French is a strong asset
• An ability to speak another language may come in handy.

Time commitment:

• All year
• Variable schedule, especially evenings and weekends.