Volunteer
We owe the success of our community's museums to the selfless contributions of our volunteers. The work we do would not be possible without the abundant generosity of countless individuals and groups who have donated their time and talents over the years. Our volunteers kindly assist the museums in almost every aspect of their operation, from minor maintenance to running events and educational programs. The descriptions below provide information about some of the ways you can get involved as well.
For more information about volunteering with the Nebraska City Museum Association or one of our member museums click the
Become a Volunteer button and fill out the e-form.
Events & Programs
Nebraska City's museums typically host between 40 and 50 public events each year. The types of events offered range greatly, often including living history demonstrations, lectures, special exhibits, indoor/outdoor family activities, learning workshops, fundraisers, and film screenings. Event volunteers help ensure a memorable experience for attendees by assisting the event coordinator with various tasks from setup to tear-down.
Event volunteers can contribute in a number of ways. Volunteers can provide simple guest services, such as welcoming and ushering attendees. Our living history reenactors are also volunteers and perform engaging demonstrations for guests. At our family events, volunteers assist parents and kids with fun crafts and other hands-on activities.
Our event volunteers help our guests make cherished memories.
Docents
Docents are the guides and educators who welcome visitors to our museums on a daily basis. Our docents are committed to providing visitors with a positive, engaging experience. Docents often focus on just one museum that interprets a genre of history which interests them, since it is important that docents possess a solid working knowledge of a museum's permanent collection and the broader history associated with it. A love of education and a desire to share knowledge are common traits for docents. This is the reason that many of our docents have backgrounds as educators at various levels.
Docents not only greet visitors, they provide tours of the facility to groups both large and small and answer any questions that arise. In the case of very large groups, multiple staff members will be on hand. Docents are often required to complete opening/closing procedures and operate the museum's point-of-sale system.
Volunteer docents are the smiling face of the museum for daily visitors.
Administrative Services
While the positive experience of museum visitors and event attendees is of the utmost importance to all our museums, a large portion of the work involved in creating that experience happens behind the scenes. Museums are complex entities to operate and their proper administration involves a multitude of different tasks. Administration is yet another area where volunteers are indispensable.
Administrative volunteers assist the museums in a number of ways. Sorting, filing, and data entry might not be the most glamorous of tasks but they are certainly necessary. Organizing and cataloging artifacts and documents is specialized work that is crucial for maintaining an accurate record of a museum's collection. Volunteers can also help by conducting research for new exhibits or educational materials. Fresh, engaging exhibits are a great way to show off a museum's collection and get visitors excited for a return trip.
Administrative volunteers work behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly.
Facilities & Maintenance
It is said that cleanliness is next to godliness. Although, maintenance is pretty far up the list too. A charismatic tour guide can certainly go a long way in creating an enjoyable visitor experience, however, it's a lot easier when all the lights are working and the front door isn't hanging off the hinges. Maintenance can sometimes be an overlooked factor in museums, but it is one of the first things visitors notice when it is lacking.
Maintenance volunteers work to ensure the overall cleanliness, organization, function, and safety of the museum facilities. Often times, the most expensive part of any repair work is the labor. That's where our volunteers come in. Maintenance volunteers utilize their individual skill sets and contribute their labor to complete tasks like painting, electrical repairs, plumbing, landscaping, and carpentry. Our museums' beautiful facilities are kept that way by our dedicated maintenance volunteers.
Maintenance volunteers provide the elbow grease that keeps our facilities in tip-top shape.
