Heritage Village Volunteers

Year-Round Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer opportunities at Heritage Village are constantly changing and new ones arising, so the best way to get access to the most up to date information is to meet with our Director of Marketing and Volunteer Services, Bethany, to begin the process of being formally on-boarded into our Volunteer Program. That said, there are many ongoing and recurring volunteer opportunities that can be scheduled around your busy schedule! Some of the recurring volunteer opportunities that we have include:

• Museum Tours — If you love history and are seeking the opportunity to share that passion with visitors, this vital position may be the perfect fit for you! Our tour guides educate the public on the history of Heritage Village during both special events and our 90-minute guided tours throughout the year. Tour guides are asked to wear period appropriate clothing for special events and on guided tours, you can borrow pieces from our closet and we can help you work towards creating your own historic outfits!
• Education Programs — Our Education Volunteers work with groups of grade school children (primarily grades K-3), to give them an engaging and educational experience of what life was like for people who lived during the 1800s. Our Ed Programs emphasize hands on activities to keep children engaged as they learn. In an average year, our Education Volunteers enable over 5500 school children from over 70 local school and organizations to experience the history from their textbooks first-hand. Availability for these programs is traditionally Monday through Friday between 9:00a.m. and 2:00p.m.
• Gift Shop — Cashiers and merchandisers are always needed during our normal operating hours and special events. From greeting visitors in our gift shop and answering questions about the Village to selling merchandise, admissions, and memberships, there is always something to do and someone willing to train you!
• Office/Administrative Support — Typing, filing, copying, preparing mailings…. there are a lot of projects going on daily in the Heritage Village Museum offices!  Availability is traditionally Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
• Maintenance/Grounds Work — Whether you enjoy carpentry, painting, landscaping, or any other hands-on activities, there are always projects available at the Village both inside and out.
• Collections Support — In addition to the preservation and documentation of the artifacts we already posses, new pieces are regularly being donated to our collection which you’ll help to assess, document, organize, preserve, etc. (Experience is appreciated, but not required).
• Research Support — Whatever your interest in the history of Southwest Ohio, adding additional knowledge and information to ours is a fantastic way to leave your mark on Heritage Village. In this role, you would work closely with our Education Director and would be able to complete research remotely and on you own schedule, though you must provide the museum with copies of all research compiled. Additionally your knowledge and expertise may be utilized to create exhibits or develop presentations on the material.
• Exhibits Support — If you love 19th century history and/or Cincinnati and would like to share that passion with others, this could be the volunteer opportunity for you! As a volunteer you may research current or upcoming exhibits, write information cards for displays, or even develop your own exhibit from the ground up!
• First-Person Interpreter — The Village is looking to expand our First-Person programming. This includes presentations during our 8-program series in February and March each year as well as going off-site to various organizations. We have a list of historical figures from Southwest Ohio and Ohio that you can chose from or you can select someone that is of interest to you. The time period we are looking for is 1780-1900. We will provide the clothing and the training. Other opportunities to be in character include special events at the Village where you would be stationed at one of the buildings and interact with the public. If you are interested, please contact Steve Preston at 513-563-9484 or spreston@heritagevillagecincinnati.org.