The backbone of successful museums and cultural organizations is the strength of their staff and most notably the many dedicated patrons, supporters, and volunteers who give tirelessly to ensure the success of their institutions. On August 8, 2023, Amazement Square tragically lost a wonderful member of its volunteer family, Kathleen Tyler Walker, at the young age of 36.
Tyler, who graduated from Randolph College with a double major and concentration on Art History and Politics, played an important role during the formative years of Amazement Square (2000-2001) when the museum’s exhibitions were being prepared for installation. Tyler, her sister Alexandra (Axi) Lewis Walker, and their classmates at James River Day School were regularly asked to be the litmus test in assisting the musuem’s exhibit team to evaluate the functionality and cause-and-effect features of each exhibition. Tyler and her sister Axi were also regular volunteers at the museum before going to college and helped museum staff with a number of events that raised funds for the museum’s Sponsored Admission Program.
In honoring Tyler’s volunteering contributions to the museum and appreciation for all that Amazement Square offers its community, the museum’s volunteer program is now recognized as the Tyler Walker Volunteer Program.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are an integral part of Amazement Square. We depend on your commitment and recognize the value of your service by providing you with the following benefits:
An active volunteer receives free admission to the museum for himself/herself and their immediate family (when accompanied by him/her) and a 15% discount in the Museum Shop
After 25 hours of volunteer time you will receive a free t-shirt or logo mug
After 40 hours of volunteer time you will receive four free passes to the museum
After 70 hours of volunteer time you will receive 50% off the base price of an Amazement Square Membership
All volunteers are responsible for notifying the volunteer coordinator when their hours have been reached so they can receive their benefits.
Amazement Square is currently accepting applications for 2024 volunteers. Apply here
Available Volunteer Positions
+ Exhibit Educators
Exhibit educators work with Museum Educators to help museum visitors explore and understand hands-on, interactive exhibits in eight multidisciplinary galleries. Shifts are available Weds - Saturday during operating hours.
+ Exhibit Maintenance
Exhibit maintenance volunteers will assist with exhibit preparation and maintenance. Duties may include cleaning exhibit environments, touch-up painting, or skilled exhibit fabrication. This is a wonderful opportunity for creative carpenters! Shifts are available Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm
+ Program Volunteers
Program volunteers assist with the museum’s regular programming which typically fall on Saturday afternoons. Volunteers are needed to interact with museum visitors, assist with set-up, facilitation, and clean-up of the program. This a great volunteer position for high school or college students!
+ Facilities
Facilities entails painting, staining, cleaning, setting up and tearing down from rentals, organizing facilities-related inventory, landscape care (weeds, branches, snow), and moving facilities-related items to and from storage—the same time as Exhibit Maintenance.
+ Special Event
Special events volunteers participate in the museum’s outreach, educational, or fundraising events such as the Museum After Dark, Amazing Mile Children’s Run, Ugly Bug Ball, and Children’s Holiday Festival.
+ Cafe Amaze
Museum shop volunteers will assist the shop manager in keeping the Kidz Warehouse stocked and organized. Volunteers may also be asked to assist guests with purchases from finding products to meet their needs to checking them out at the register. This would be a great experience for students who plan to run their own business! Shifts are available Wednesday - Saturday during operating hours. (Must be 16 years or older)
Volunteen Program
Amazement Square is excited to offer a new volunteer program just for teens, or as we like to say, ‘Volunteens’! This newly developed program will present ‘volunteens’ with the opportunity to experience and gain knowledge of museum operations, education, exhibitions, and other departments. Teens will have the option to volunteer in a specific or multiple departments within Amazement Square. Each department will offer opportunities to learn about different museum professions and how to engage and interact with museum visitors. Upon choosing a department or departments to volunteer within, ‘volunteens’ will receive specialized training from Amazement Square team members!
Guidelines:
Must be 14 or older
A minimum of 40 hours is required to complete this specialized program. Hours need to be completed throughout the calendar year (not all in the summer).
Amazement Square is currently accepting applications for 2024 volunteens. Apply here
Available volunteen Positions
+ Exhibit Educators
Exhibit educators work with Museum Educators to help museum visitors explore and understand hands-on, interactive exhibits in eight multidisciplinary galleries. Shifts are available Weds - Saturday during operating hours.
+ Exhibit Maintenance
Exhibit maintenance volunteers will assist with exhibit preparation and maintenance. Duties may include cleaning exhibit environments, touch-up painting, or skilled exhibit fabrication.
+ Facilities
Facilities entails painting, staining, cleaning, setting up and tearing down from rentals, organizing facilities-related inventory, landscape care (weeds, branches, snow), and moving facilities-related items to and from storage—the same time as Exhibit Maintenance.
+ Special Event
Special events volunteers participate in the museum’s outreach, educational, or fundraising events such as Truck Tour, Riverfront Chalk Festival & Art Contest, Amazing Mile Children’s Run, and Children’s Holiday Festival.
+ Cafe Amaze
Museum shop volunteers will assist the shop manager in keeping the Kidz Warehouse stocked and organized. Volunteers may also be asked to assist guests with purchases from finding products to meet their needs to checking them out at the register. This would be a great experience for students who plan to run their own business! Shifts are available Wednesday-Saturday during operating hours. (Must be 16 years or older)
ELIGIBILITY to Volunteer
Any individual, without regard to race, creed, sex, income level, special needs, sexual orientation, and national origin is eligible to be considered for participation in volunteer activities at Amazement Square. Volunteers are expected to meet the same general standards and requirements as regular staff.
Orientation & Training
The Operations Department will conduct an orientation designed to familiarize new volunteers with the layout of the museum, as well as general volunteer duties.
The Operations Department will conduct a handbook review with prospective volunteers to familiarize them with volunteer policies and procedures
The volunteer coordinator will schedule on-the-job training to be conducted during volunteer shifts
Additional training will be dependent upon department.
Preliminary Volunteer Application
If you are interested in volunteering at Amazement Square, please complete the application below and send it via email to Ashleigh Tuck , or bring it by the museum.
Volunteer Application
Reference Checks
To ensure that individuals who join Amazement Square are well qualified and have a strong potential to be productive and successful, it is the policy of Amazement Square to check references of all volunteer applicants. As a means of verifying the applicant’s background, Criminal Records and Social Services checks will be made.
If you have any questions, please call Ashleigh Tuck at (434) 845-1888 or email volunteer@amazementsquare.org