Volunteer at the Penn Museum

Since its beginnings in 1880s, the Museum has depended on volunteer help for many of its projects and much of its development. Today, more than 250 volunteers participate regularly, making important contributions to the public and research areas of the Museum.

Some volunteers come in daily, and many have served for twenty, twenty-five and thirty years!

For most volunteer positions the only requirement is an interest in archaeology, anthropology and world cultures, a love of learning, and a willingness to make a regular commitment. Applicants with special skills and training may be assigned to areas that require specific knowledge and work experience.

Time Commitment
There are no specified days or hours for work. Volunteer time is based on the availibility of the volunteers and the needs of the particular area. Two to four hours, one or two days per week, are usual.

Volunteer Benefits
Volunteers receive free permit parking and a discount on purchases made in the Museum's Main Shop and Pyramid Shop. Volunteers are encouraged to join the Museum as members, and new volunteers recieve a $5 discount on individual or family membership. An annual all-volunteer party is a fun way to meet and socialize with other volunteers who work throughout the Museum.

Volunteer today!

Below is a list of the types of volunteer opportunities within specific departments (please note that volunteer opportunities may not be currently available in some departments):

Archives
The Archives at the Penn Museum is a repository for 2000 feet of records and over 300,000 photographic and other visual materials documenting the administrative history of the University of Pennsylvania Museum and its archaeological and anthropological fieldwork and research. Archives Scribes assist in organizing and documenting the historical records. Previous archival experience or library training is helpful.

Collections
Collection sections using volunteers are the African, American, Asian, Egyptian, Mediterranean, Near Eastern, and Oceanian. Volunteers help to organize and maintain the storage collections, pulling objects, and check and update cards and inventory records. Responsibilities may include computer data input.

Conservation Laboratory
The Conservation Laboratory is responsible for the treatment, repair, and restoration of the Museum Collections. Volunteers who are interested in the Conservation Laboratory should have experience with Museum conservation processes.

Volunteer Guides (Docents)
The Volunteer Guides offer gallery tours to school and adult groups, Tuesdays through Fridays, with occasional weekend tours for the general public. Although it is helpful to have expertise in a particular culture or historic period, it is more important to be enthusiastic about sharing the Museum galleries with visitors and getting them engaged with the artifacts. Training to lead a gallery tour takes between six to twelve months, depending on the amount of time a volunteer is available. Once trained, guides need to be able to devote one morning a week to leading tours. For more information or to become a Penn Museum Guide call the Docent Coordinator at (215) 898-2681.

Education
Education Office Volunteer help is used by the Education Office to confirm school group tours, help the groups line up for orderly transfer to the respective galleries, and assist with general office duties. Volunteers interested in working with children have opportunities to help with various Children's Workshops. International Classroom The International Classroom provides in-house as well as outreach programs that bring cross-cultural learning experiences to young people. In addition to clerical tasks, volunteers assist in developing programs and resource materials.

Membership
The Membership Office oversees the Museum's active membership program, including special lectures, reports, receptions and dinners. Volunteers in this office assist with general clerical tasks as well as provide support for special functions when needed.

Mobile Guides
The Mobile Guides (or Museum on the Go) program, takes traveling programs into Philadelphia Public Schools each year. Volunteers work in teams in this award-winning outreach program, bringing artifacts and information to students about Ancient Egypt, Native Americans, and cultures of Africa.

Museum Shops
The Museum Shop and the Pyramid Shop, which caters to school programs, sell unusual gifts and jewelry from the cultures represented by the Museum's collections. Volunteers work as sales personnel and cashiers, and help with stock and general merchandising tasks.

Public Information Office
The Public Information Office works with every department and research division in the Museum to communicate to the wider world about UPM and its many activities. Volunteers help with related marketing, telephone, information distribution, outreach events, website and computer projects.

Registrar
The Registrar's Office handles administrative matters relating to the Museum's collection and is the coordinating center for the total Museum inventory. Volunteers help with filing and maintaining records, sorting and numbering objects, inventory data input, and general office duties.

Special Events
The Museum sponsors a wide variety of special events for members and the public on weekends and in the evening. Volunteers help with many aspects of special events.

Visitor Information Program
The Visitor Information Program volunteers (VIPs) provide a variety of services to Museum visitors on weekends. The job entails assisting and informing our visitors so that their trip here is a pleasant one. This can include acting as hosts and hostesses in welcoming the public and responding to questions; taking an artifact cart out into the galleries to engage visitors directly with Education Department artifacts; presenting a Highlights tour (or other gallery tour) on the spur of the moment or when scheduled; and assisting with weekend programs presented by the Education Department. Training is very self-directed, but usually takes about three months and includes following Public Tours and shadowing an experienced VIP member. The time commitment is a minimum of two 3-hour "shifts" per month, on either Saturdays or Sundays.

Volunteer today!