Volunteers are a vital part of our institution!

Thank you for your interest in helping Cincinnati Museum Center provide quality services, programs, and education for the community! Without this special group of dedicated people, Cincinnati Museum Center would not be able to fulfill its mission to “inspire people of all ages to learn more about our world through science, regional history, and educational, engaging and meaningful experiences.”

Join us to find out how you can become part of our team! No prior volunteer experience is necessary—just enthusiasm and an avid interest in the activities and programs we offer.

Adult Volunteers

Our adult volunteers fulfill operations duties, including greeting, wayfinding, and coverage of the museums across all gallery spaces. Our volunteers work collaboratively and aid the Cincinnati Museum Center collections teams, office team members and exhibits teams. Click here to find out more. Ages 18 +

Youth Programs Volunteers

Our youth volunteers fulfill operations duties, including greeting, wayfinding, and coverage of the museums across all gallery spaces. Our volunteers work collaboratively and aid the Cincinnati Museum Center collections teams, office team members and exhibits teams. Ages 13-18.

A Word from Our Current Youth

We’re proud to share feedback from the youth involved in our program! Their experiences highlight the positive impact our program has on the community. To learn more about their journeys, be sure to visit our Alumni Tab on the right where you can find our Youth Program Alumni Spotlight, as well as the Youth, Youth Alumni and Youth Parent Testimonials sections.

Our Youth Program Volunteers are recruited annually from January through March. If you’d like to be notified when recruitment opens again, or have any questions please feel free to reach out to us at youthprograms@cincymuseum.org.

Program Requirements

You Schedule Your Time, and We Hold You to It!

In Youth Programs, you have the freedom to schedule your own shifts. We trust you to manage your time and choose when you want to volunteer. Whether it's weekends or weekdays, you can pick the shifts that work best for you!

However, once you’ve scheduled your shifts, we expect you to stick to them. This helps us ensure that everyone can rely on each other and that the museum runs smoothly. If something comes up and you can’t make it to a shift, please let us know as soon as possible. We believe that when you take ownership of your schedule, it shows responsibility and commitment, both important life skills!

Volunteer Hours and Shifts

Your First Summer: An Exciting Opportunity to Learn and Explore
During your first summer with us, you'll start by shadowing three amazing museums: Museum of Natural History & Science, The Children's Museum and Cincinnati History Museum. Although the program requires a minimum of six shadowing sessions just for the first summer, we highly recommend taking the opportunity to explore as much as you can. The more time you spend at each museum, the more you'll learn about their unique collections, the incredible work being done and the people who make it all happen.

This is a wonderful chance to connect with other youth participants, get a deeper understanding of the museums and gain hands-on experience that will enrich your overall experience. The more you engage with the museum teams and other interns, the more rewarding your journey will be!

Don't be afraid to get curious and dive into all the exciting opportunities. Whether it's learning from fellow youth, interacting with museum staff, or discovering new exhibits and programs.

• During the School Year: Volunteering for a minimum of 3 shifts per month including OMNIMAX^® (our training/career development meeting).
• During the Summer: Volunteering for a minimum of 9 shifts per month including OMNIMAX^® (our training/career development meeting).
• We encourage you to do as much as you can during your 3 to 5 years here, since this is a year-round program that goes until you graduate high school.

Yearly Participation

• Maintain between 270-310 hours per year to stay in good standing within the program. If you are participating in sports, clubs or other activities we can help you plan and figure out your schedule as long as you have good communication with Youth Programs Staff.
• More than 310 hours may increase eligibility for earned trips and special events.

Mandatory Meetings & Trainings

• Monthly Omni Meetings: All youth must attend mandatory meetings held on the third Thursday of each month from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
• Yearly Summer Trainings: Attend training sessions to progress in the phase system (a training system to help you learn about the museums, college and career).
• Youth Banquets: Attend two mandatory banquets during your program tenure (excluding your senior banquet).

Opportunities for Growth

Professional Development Experiences

Gain skills by participating in:

• Classes, workshops and conferences.
• Earn hours for attending and submitting an essay about your experience. Youth Programs provides the required format for your reflections.

Youth Advisory Council (YAC)

• Leadership Focus: Plan, facilitate and execute Youth Program events.
• Event Planning & Leadership: Develop teamwork and leadership skills by working with a dedicated group of youths.

YouthALIVE! (YA!)

• Career Exploration: Gain real-world experience through volunteer work and career shadowing.
• Community Partnerships: Explore different organizations and career paths. These meetings often take place off-campus for a more enriching experience.

Youth Epic Recognition & Engagement

• Fostering Positivity: Encourage kindness, collaboration and support within the Youth Programs.
• Create Events: Youths involved in this group will have the opportunity to plan their own activities and initiatives, spreading positivity and recognition.

Responsibilities/Duties

As a youth volunteer at Cincinnati Museum Center, here’s what you’ll be doing:

Helping at the Museum

• Work on the museum floor: You’ll help out in different areas, like showing people around, explaining exhibits and making sure everyone is having a good time.
• Be friendly and welcoming: Always greet visitors with a smile, answer their questions and help them feel comfortable.
• Represent Youth Programs: You’re a part of something awesome, so always act in a way that shows pride in the program. Be respectful and helpful to everyone around you.

Running Fun Programs

• Run programs: You’ll help plan and lead activities for guests that could be about science, history, art, or other cool topics.
• Make it fun: Your job is to make sure the programs are interesting, exciting and easy for people of all ages to understand.
  Training and Learning
• Get trained: Before you start running programs, you’ll get some special training to learn how to explain things and help guests in the best way.
• Keep learning: Throughout the year, you’ll get more training to make sure you're always improving and learning new things.

Staying Safe

• Help keep the museum safe: Make sure that the museum is a safe place for everyone by following all safety rules and helping out if there’s ever a problem.
• Know what to do in an emergency: You’ll be trained on how to help if something unexpected happens.

Working with Others

• Work with other volunteers and staff: You’ll team up with other volunteers, museum staff and sometimes even interns to make sure everything runs smoothly for visitors.
• Help out with events: If there’s a special event, you’ll help out and make it awesome for the guests.

Doing Your Best

• Look for ways to make things better: If you see something that could be improved, let us know. We want to make everything the best it can be.
• Be a team player: Everyone on the team helps each other out, so always be ready to lend a hand.
  Guest Help
• Assist visitors: Help guests by giving them information about the museum, telling them about upcoming events, or helping them plan their visit so they have the best experience possible.

Is This Too Much for You? No Problem!

If you feel like the responsibilities and commitments in the Youth Programs might be a bit too much, that’s totally okay! We understand that everyone has different schedules and priorities.

Benefits and Perks

Skills and Knowledge Gained

• Self-motivation and quick learning abilities.
• Time management and stress management skills.
• Teamwork and adaptability in diverse environments.
• Leadership and communication skills.
• Ability to explain scientific and historical concepts in an understandable way.
• Customer service, safety and detail-oriented work experience.

Volunteer Benefits

• Real-world experience and enhanced communication skills.
• Field trips and seminars for professional development.
• Discounts at the museum and food vendors.
• Complimentary tickets to museum exhibits and OMNIMAX^® films.
• Family Membership to Cincinnati Museum Center.

Volunteer Complimentary Tickets

Volunteers are eligible to receive:

• OMNIMAX^® film vouchers, Museum Admission tickets and Birdly VR passes.
• Additional tickets for featured exhibits (varies by Exhibit).

Earned Trips and Events

Youth Programs offers exciting trips and events throughout the year. To qualify, youth must:

• Meet shift and attendance requirements.
• Attend at least 8 Omni meetings in the last 12 months.
• Participate in two other Youth Programs events in the past year.

Examples of Events

• College Tours
• Youth Program Grill Outs
• Overnight Retreats and Youth Dances
• Leadership Exercise Days (Team building and field activities)

Earned Privileges

Youth who meet the following qualifications may earn special privileges:

• Priority consideration for trips and events.
• Exclusive work assignments (upstairs, special tasks).
• Opportunity to work in different museum departments.

History at a Glance

The Cincinnati Museum Center Youth Program has been evolving since its establishment in 1989. Here’s a look at key milestones:

• 1989: Program began as Lab Rats with two teenage volunteers in the Cavern/ Ice age trail
• 1993: Introduction of YouthALIVE! focusing on youth development.
• 1994: Youth start the C.A.S.T. Lab rats theater, putting on performance for guests to enjoy
• 1996: start of the YAC! Or Youth Student Council focus on leadership skills
• 1997: Expanded to include leadership skills, community partnerships and academic development.
• 1998: Youth started working in the Children’s Museum
• 2000: Youth Started working in the Cincinnati History Museum
• 2001: Renamed to Cincinnati Museum Center Youth Program with 150 students annually. Ending all Lab rat programs and sections.
• 2005: Youth Programs Won “best place to work out teen angst” from City Beat
• 2006: Our Alumni level hit More the 1,500 students
• 2009: Youth Programs visits NASA Johnson Space Center for the first time.
• 2011: Participated in a Dinosaur Dig in Billings, Montana.
• 2013: Youth Programs Win Outstanding Volunteer Programs from the Cincinnati Association of Volunteer Administrators
• 2017: Spent a year at The Cincinnati Art Museum during Union Terminal restoration.
• 2021: Program shifted to virtual due to COVID-19 but maintained youth engagement.
• 2022: Returned in-person with 60 students in October.
• 2023: Welcomed 27 new youth and went on a Midwest college tour.
• 2025: visited the white house and capital building during Washington D.C College tour