Museum of Science and Industry

Photos

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Floor Program Team Opportunities

U-505 Team
Share with guests your first-hand experience about life on a real submarine. What is it like living on a sub? Do men and women still live on submarines? Facilitators provide interactive and educational-based material to guests by using exhibit interactive and displays. Many retired submariners facilitate this exhibit!

Imagine handing someone a piece of a historical war memorial. U-505 cartifacts volunteers lead a cart presentation designed to explain the history and uses of artifacts found onboard the submarine. These artifacts include a sonar sensor, a firearm magazine, a torpedo gyroscope and the binoculars from the conning tower.

Great Train Story Team
Where in Chicago can you still see Cows on Parade? The Great Train Story, of course. Volunteers escort guests on a trip from downtown Chicago to Seattle, Washington and explain the differences in past and present rail cars. The Great Train Story is a HO scale model exhibit which contains 34 running trains, 1400 feet of track, and more than 500 scale structures and custom-made buildings. Volunteers are provided resources and materials to lead informal mini-tours, challenge guests to “spy” numerous scenes such as the Presidential motorcade, cows on parade, forest elves, and more!

Science Connections Team
Science Connection facilitators incorporate hands-on activities to connect the science found throughout our exhibits. You'll introduce Museum guests to specific concepts in a fun, engaging and entertaining way through 5-10 minute interactive activities. A science or teaching background is helpful but not required. An interest is science is necessary. This program requires additional training and a volunteer time commitment of one year. Science Connections topic units include: Genetics, Microscopy, Flight, Science Storms, Human Body and Submarine. Begin your training by selecting one unit.

Science Storms Team
Volunteers will facilitate in the Billon Color Booth in the brand new Science Storms exhibit. The Billion Color Booth teaches guests how the colors of light are absorbed or reflect off each object we see. In addition, each volunteer will spend time leading facilitation on the Science Storms trivia wheel, which allows guests the chance to share their knowledge of everything from avalanches to atoms and all things physics and fun! Interested volunteers should have previous experience working with kids ages 8-13, be extremely high-energy with a voice that can carry, and be able to stand for long periods of time. Volunteers should be able to commit to volunteering in Science Storms a minimum of twice a month for a total of 40 hours per year.

You! The Experience Team
One of the keys to improving health and longevity is the ever-advancing field of medicine. The Medical Innovations section of YOU! The Experience showcases some of the latest breakthroughs, celebrates the innovative thinking that will shape our future care, and sparks some thought-provoking dialogue about the role of medical technology in our lives. Volunteers in the You! The Experience exhibit engage our guests in discussions about the human body (organs, muscles, nervous system, and more!) A medical background is helpful, but not required.

A la Cart Team
The a la Cart program gives our guests a peek inside the Museum’s collections artifacts. This unique activity cart promotes critical thinking as guests examine objects from our collection and determine what they are and how they were used. This is a great volunteer opportunity for history gurus.

Administrative Program Teams Opportunities

Photo Researcher

Volunteer Hours: weekdays 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for researching and responding to photo requests
• Works with Registrar and Assistant to locate images
• Volunteer weekly on assigned day
• Reports directly to Assistant Curator

Tasks

• Independently complete assigned tasks such as locating photos, creating monthly reports, record keeping, and responding to e-mail requests
• Locate, scan, watermark and email images
• Occasionally shoot new images, upload and email images
• Become familiar with MSI exhibit, event history and archives

Qualifications

• Professional or semiprofessional experience with digital camera photography and editing
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Manage numerous requests
• Strong communication and writing skills, ability to interact with a diverse range of people
• Experience working in an office and comfortable with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel) and adaptable to new data systems

Office Assistant

Are you friendly, outgoing and enjoy meeting people? Volunteer one day per week to assist volunteer administrators, volunteers and team captains. Duties will include greeting, filing, mailing, data entry, copying and phone calls. You should be skilled with basic software programs (like Word and Excel) and also comfortable learning a new program. If you have good communication skills, are organized and detail-oriented, please apply for this great weekly volunteer opportunity.

Volunteer Office Assistant Team Captain

Responsibilities

• Reports directly to volunteer Manager, Administrative Programs and Administrative Coordinator
• Performs all the duties of a volunteer team captain; i.e. scheduling, team communication and attending monthly leadership meetings
• Assess support needs of volunteers, team captains and management
• Develop projects and support plans for review with management team
• Implement a plan for ongoing VicNet support for volunteers
• Create and deliver training for volunteer office assistant volunteers
• Develop ongoing communication plan for volunteer office team
• Provide a welcome and positive environment for all volunteers
• Provide leadership and technical office support for volunteer office

Qualifications

• Available to volunteer one day per week in the volunteer office
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Manage numerous projects
• Strong communication skills, ability to interact with a diverse range of volunteers
• Experience working in an office
• Excellent computer skills including database competency

Questions?

See if we've covered your question (or contact us if we haven't) on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Ready to Volunteer?

Apply Now