Volunteer

Daniel Kim/© AMNH

Every year, hundreds of volunteers with diverse backgrounds help the American Museum of Natural History meet its mission and goals. Find out how you can participate!

"I've been a volunteer at the Museum of Natural History for more than 10 years, and each year it gets more interesting and rewarding."

—Linda Scalbom, Tour Guide and behind-the-scenes-volunteer

Our Volunteers

Two young volunteers in brightly colored AMNH shirts sit behind an information desk, both holding two thumbs up.

Museum volunteer Madeline Byrne stands beside Sean Decatur in front of a step and repeat holding a plaque honoring her service.

AMNH President Sean Decatur presents Madeline Byrne award for her 40 years of volunteer service
© AMNH

Museum volunteer Cindy speaks to a group of about a dozen people in the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall while leading a highlights tour.

Cindy conducted museum highlights public tour in Chinese.
© AMNH

Two AMNH volunteers stand behind a table with three small tanks on them filled with dirt and vegetation.

A Museum volunteer holds a cylindrical object with a butterfly perched on it and speaks to visitors in the Butterfly Vivarium.

Museum volunteers Tung and Craig sit at a long table with arts and crafts materials on it in the Gilder Center.

Tung and Craig preparing to assist guests Family Party 2023.
© AMNH

A Museum volunteer sits behind an information desk in the Gilder Center atrium.

AMNH volunteer Andrea Weiner holds an orange slice with a butterfly on it out in the Butterfly Vivarium to show a child in a frilly dress.

Two Museum volunteers pose behind a Fossil Table laid out with fossil specimens in front of wall with text "Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Collections Core."

A Museum volunteer speaks in the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs.

Guide Bob Reilly leads tour of our dinosaur halls.
© AMNH

Museum volunteer Aldrin stands by the wall of the Davis Butterfly Vivarium and holds a net upright.

Aldrin in the Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium
© AMNH

Becoming a Volunteer

The minimum age is 16; there is no upper limit.
You must provide a regular commitment of time, ranging from one-half day to several days per week, for at least one year (although longer commitments are sometimes required for certain positions).
All applicants must complete our online application. Once you have completed the application, you may also contact us directly regarding specific openings listed below.

Volunteer application »

Current Opportunities

A Teaching Volunteer in an AMNH vest shows a specimen to a visitor at a booth in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life.

Discovery Room Volunteers

The Discovery Room will return to a weekday schedule this Fall! Volunteers are needed for the following: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

10:30 am–12:15 pm (NEW Pre-K only morning sessions)
1:25 pm - 5:15 pm

If you are interested in volunteering in the Discovery Room, please submit the volunteer application, listing the Discovery Room as your preferred assignment.

Read more about the Discovery Room. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.

Fossil Preparator Course

The Department of Vertebrate Paleontology is seeking applicants for a Fossil Preparator Course. This general training course is intended to provide structured, hands-on experience in fossil preparation techniques, while helping build a reliable and skilled volunteer base within the Vertebrate Paleontology department. Its focus is on foundational preparation skills, tool use, specimen handling, conservation principles, and preparation workflow through supervised practical work.

The program will run for 5 to 8 weeks (depending on applicant availability) from September through October 2026. Successful applicants will be able to maintain a minimum attendance of one day per week, with 2 days per week being preferable. Preference may be given to applicants with a demonstrated long-term interest in paleontology, museum work, conservation, or related scientific fields.

Please submit a volunteer application, then send a brief cover letter and resume to [email protected].

Information Desk Volunteers

Volunteers are needed to staff information desks throughout the Museum and in the new Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation. The ideal candidate is approachable, friendly, adept at giving directions, and enjoys interacting with people from all backgrounds.

Information Desk Volunteers:

Offer excellent customer service while answering visitors inquires, delivering accurate directions to Museum facilities, theaters, Security, etc.
Provide information about the Museum, its programs, exhibitions, show times, etc.
Assists visitors with disabilities, giving appropriate information when requested (e.g., wheelchair locations- the 81st Street, Roosevelt Rotunda, and Garage, and the rules for borrowing wheelchairs for Museum use)

Shifts:

12-2:00pm│ 2-4:00pm

If interested in volunteering at the information desk, complete the application linked above and email [email protected].

Sensory Room Facilitator

The Sensory Room will be a refuge space in the museum for visitors of all ages with sensory sensitivities. Visitors may use the space to avoid sensory stimulation, to seek out sensory stimulation, to come down from a state of overstimulation/meltdown in a safe space, and more.

Sensory Room Facilitators will sit at an Information Desk outside of the Sensory Room. In addition to regular Information Desk responsibilities, these Facilitators will be a resource for visitors using the Sensory Room—they will answer questions about the space, assist visitors with opening the door to the space if needed, and keep track of the number of people using the space. Sensory Room Facilitators must be ready to show friendliness and understanding to visitors of all ages who may be in distress and who may not communicate verbally.

If interested in this opportunity, please submit your volunteer application. Contact [email protected] with any questions.

Teaching Volunteers

Join us as we welcome and inspire kids visiting one of the coolest museums in the world. Become a Teaching Volunteer to greet, assist, and teach school groups on field trips at the American Museum of Natural History! 

We are seeking to broaden how we interpret Museum exhibits, and we’d love to have your perspective, skills, and style as we share the Museum with students who reflect the diversity of New York City. This dynamic program features continuous training and practice in community for a fun, supportive, and fulfilling volunteer experience.

Program Details: Teaching Volunteers work with K-12 school groups on field trips to the Museum to help them feel connected and engaged. Shifts take place on school days, 9:30 am–12:30 pm, between September and June.

As part of the Museum community, our volunteers:

Create a welcoming environment for school groups and facilitate positive learning experiences
Engage students from underrepresented communities and celebrate the knowledge they bring to the Museum
Collaborate with colleagues who care about helping children learn

Some benefits of being a Teaching Volunteer:

Trainings and talks with renowned scientists and educators
Experience teaching K-12 students to add to your resume
Intergenerational learning and support
Museum entry and tickets for family and friends

To signal your interest in becoming a Teaching Volunteer, please fill out this form:

Teaching Volunteer Interest Form »