Volunteer Opportunities

Animal Resources

Water Quality Assistant

Flexible schedule

Something is really fishy! If you thoroughly enjoy playing in the water, then check out this position! Water Quality assistants will perform weekly water maintenance of three fish tanks in the Children’s Museum: two tanks are 125-gallon tanks and one is a 900-gallon tank. Position entails testing and maintaining water quality, including water changes. For safety reasons, water changes will need to be performed before or after museum hours. Experience with aquatics is preferred, but not required. Volunteer needs to be physically able to climb a small ladder and push a cart with a large filled tank. 

Museum of Natural History & Science

Anthropology Exhibit Guide

Flexible shifts during Museum hours

Seeking inspired lovers of anthropology to help bring the Museum to life for our visitors! We are recruiting volunteers to serve in museum exhibits such as Pathways to Change and EarthWorks as well as perform hands-on learning demonstrations. If you have an anthropology background or a strong interest in the subject and are willing to learn and share your knowledge and enthusiasm with others, then this is the place for you!

Biology Exhibit Guide

Flexible shifts during Museum hours

Do you love learning and teaching about the human body and health? If so, then we have just the place for you! Our All About You exhibit is an interactive place where visitors come to learn about the body, how it works and what keeps it healthy and well. You will also perform demonstrations in our All About You window using teaching specimens and models. Engaging communication skills, enthusiasm, excellent customer service skills and a friendly personality are needed. A background in science and/or education is a plus but not required.

Architectural Design Intern

Part-time, unpaid position. During Museum hours.

Intern will convert complicated schematics to design and produce legible, simple, user-friendly interior map of the visitor traffic flow, floor exhibits, and program areas of the Museum of Natural History & Science, Duke Energy Children’s Museum and Cincinnati History Museum at Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. Visitors and guests and will use these maps during self-guided tours of the museums and to locate exhibit and event sites. The opportunity exists to create a product that will not only greatly assist Cincinnati Museum Center and its visitors, but to produce exciting colorful imagery of an iconic and historic Cincinnati and National Landmark.

Experience in architecture, engineering or interior design with experience in graphic arts or computer- assisted design skills a plus. Creativity and independence a MUST. Interest in educational techniques and in historic, monumental architecture a plus.

Earth Science Exhibit Guide

Flexible shifts during Museum hours

Seeking Earth Science gurus to engage visitors in museum exhibits such as The Cave, Cincinnati’s Ice Age and the Glacial Geology Hall. Volunteers perform interactive demonstrations using the Stream Table and other items from our collection. Engaging communication skills, enthusiasm for the subject and an energetic personality are required. Excellent visitor service skills are also a necessity. An education and/or science background is a plus but not required. If you would like to share our passion for Earth Science with others, then this is just where you need to be!

Exhibit Guide

Flexible shifts during Museum hours

The MNHS is recruiting volunteers who share our passionate belief in our mission to inspire people of all ages to understand and appreciate natural history, science, and regional history, as well as stimulate curiosity and promote enjoyment of learning. Applicants should be willing to aid visitors, interpret exhibits and facilitate learning in all areas and to learn via training and ongoing professional development opportunities. Volunteers should be focused on providing excellent customer service which includes engaging communication skills with people of all ages, as well as being friendly, helpful, and energetic. A background in science and/or education is a plus but not required.

Garden Guide

Flexible shifts during Museum hours

Calling all Green Thumbs … we have just the garden for you! If you love to garden at your own home or are a gardener without a place to play then come and help in ours! We are recruiting volunteers who would like to be a caretaker of and teacher in our garden  Planting, weeding and general garden maintenance will be required. Engaging communication skills, enthusiasm, excellent customer service skills and a friendly personality are desirable. Volunteers should be able to perform activities that include bending and stooping and be outdoors for periods of time.

Museum Hospitality Greeter

Flexible shifts during Museum hours

Welcome and greet arriving visitors at the entrance to MNHS. A friendly, welcoming and enthusiastic personality is needed along with the ability to approach and engage visitors in a busy environment. General knowledge of the museum is necessary and training will be provided. Visitor service is a vital component of this position.

Paleontology Exhibit Guide

Flexible shifts during Museum hours

Recruiting “Paleontologists-at-heart” to serve in exhibits such as the Dino Hall, Cincinnati’s Ice Age, and Lost Voices. Volunteers have the opportunity to perform engaging and interactive demonstrations. Excellent communication with visitors of all ages, enthusiasm and visitor service skills are necessary. A science and/or education background is a plus but not required. If you want to share your knowledge and passion for paleontology with others or are willing to learn and share, then this is the place for you!

Preschool Sandplay Learning Aide

Flexible shifts during Museum hours

MNHS is recruiting people who love interacting with preschoolers. Our Preschool Sandplay area is a fun environment where learning can happen with a little help from a caring volunteer. Enthusiastic, warm, and friendly people are needed to engage families with children ages 5 and under  Former preschool teaching experience a plus but not necessary.

Nature’s Trading Post Attendant

Flexible shifts during Museum hours

Nature’s Trading Post is the place for you if you have a love of the natural world! We allow visitors to bring in items from nature and trade them for other natural objects. Knowledge of fossils (especially those common to the Cincinnati area), animals, plants, rocks and minerals is strongly recommended. Volunteers in this position will also need basic computer skills such as working with a database. Strong visitor service experience, engaging communication skills (such as encouraging visitors to inquire and investigate) and being comfortable working with children of all ages is necessary. An education background is a plus but not required.