Exhibit Hall Interpreter

Description:

Volunteers in the Exhibit Hall Interpreter Program help to carry out the Museum's informal education mission by providing hands-on inquiry based learning experiences for visitors. They assist visitors throughout the Museum's exhibit halls in an effort to stimulate interest, inquiry, and enthusiasm about science and technology by presenting interpretations.

Volunteers will receive training in how to interact with visitors regarding a wide variety of topics in science, technology and engineering and will encourage visitors to make observations, experiment, and ask questions.

Responsibilites:

Volunteers spend a portion of every day initiating informal science discussions with visitors. They may walk the exhibit halls with props, tools, or other materials to help visitors engage with exhibit components, or they may set up hands-on activities on a cart in an exhibit to explore a particular concept with visitors. Interpreters might find themselves using our Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), exploring the nature of electronic circuits, investigating what makes a hot air balloon rise, designing an engineering structure, or discussing how dinosaur footprints became fossilized.

Qualifications:

BOTH ADULTS AND YOUTH ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY!

*Minimum age requirement of 14 years old

*Excellent communication skills

*Interest in the sciences and motivated to learn more

*Interest in working in informal science education

*Demonstrated enthusiasm, initiative, and reliability

*Some teaching or tutoring experience with school-aged students helpful

Commitments:

Four to six month commitment, one 3.5 hour shift per week. Volunteer positions are available seven days a week. Shift choices: the morning shift from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM or the afternoon shift from 12:30 to 4:00 PM. Additionally, attendance at the New Volunteer Orientation session is required.

During the beginning of the placement the volunteer will complete training that will introduce them to the Museum and give them practice in interpretation skills

Contact Information:

If you have questions, please email Volunteer Services at volunteer1@mos.org