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Volunteer

Active Volunteers Log In Here

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the Museum. We welcome volunteers from ages of 16 to 160 and offer many rewarding opportunities in our various departments. Whether assisting our guests in the Visitor Services department, working in our extensive gardens, or providing information about our exhibits, volunteers are valued members of our world-class institution.

Currently, Mystic Seaport Museum is looking for assistance in the following areas:

Visitor Greeter

  • Help staff information booths at Museum entrances and on grounds.
  • Answer questions and provide information on what visitors can expect while they are here, including the variety of offerings around the Museum.
  • Use maps to help visitors navigate our 19-acre campus.
  • Facilitate the best possible experience for our visitors.
  • Time commitment: 1 day | minimum 3.5 hours per week

Member Lounge Attendant

  • Create a welcoming space where Members can come in from the weather, enjoy a hot chocolate in winter or a lemonade in summer, and take a well-earned break from exploring the grounds.
  • Answer questions from prospective Members and highlight the many benefits of membership.
  • Time commitment: 1 day | minimum 3.5 hours per week

Exhibit Interpreter

  • Engage visitors by sharing the stories behind our ships, exhibits, and the Museum’s mission.
  • Serve in our formal exhibition galleries, aboard the whaleship Charles W. Morgan, and in the Nautical Instruments Shop.
  • Research the history of vessels, exhibits, the Museum, and Connecticut’s maritime heritage. (All research materials provided.)
  • Shifts are available year-round in our formal galleries; however, during the winter season, interpretation opportunities in the village and exhibit spaces are limited due to reduced Museum hours.
  • Time commitment: 1 day | minimum 3.5 hours per week

Planetarium Storyteller

  • Answer visitor questions and provide deeper context for navigation stories in the Planetarium Lobby Exhibit.
  • Research information about visible planets, moon phases, and constellations across different months and seasons.
  • Deliver engaging, live 30-minute presentations about the current night sky in the Planetarium Theater.
  • Assist the Associate Director of the Planetarium during Museum special events involving the Planetarium.
  • Time commitment: 1 day | minimum 4 hours per week

Apply

Adult volunteers can download the application here and email to volunteerapplications@mysticseaport.org.  

Or apply online:

Apply Online

FAQs

The amount of time that you give is up to you. We offer a range of volunteer opportunities, all with different levels of time commitment and flexibility. Some roles offer lots of flexibility, while others ask for more regular commitment due to the availability of support and supervision. Roles also vary in frequency and duration, from short-term to ongoing.

All departments that are actively in need of volunteer help are listed above. If an area of the Museum is not listed, it means they are not currently taking on new volunteers. We encourage you to check back later as volunteer needs shift throughout the year.

We recommend that you apply for one role at a time. Once you are settled into a role you may want to take on additional roles or switch to another one. We are happy to train volunteers in as many spaces as they are comfortable helping in.

We offer a summer volunteer program for 13 to 18-year-olds. This program is separate from our adult volunteer corps and requires a different application. Applications for summer Junior volunteers open each March and can be found here.

All internships at Mystic Seaport Museum are paid positions that follow a formal recruitment process. They’re distinct from volunteering and can be found on here.

All open paid positions can be found on our employment page.

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HOURS

NOVEMBER 1–DECEMBER 21 SCHEDULE:

  • Full Museum Open Thursday–Sunday
  • 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
  • Thompson Exhibition Building and grounds close at 5:00 p.m.

More information here.

DIRECTIONS And Contact

75 Greenmanville Ave
Mystic, CT 06355
860-572-0711

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