VOLUNTEER

Benefits of Volunteering:

-Connect with our community 

-Engage with the history of Upper Manhattan

-Learn about museum operations

-Receive a 20% discount at our Gift Shop

Volunteers should be able to commit to a minimum of 4 hours per month. Each shift is 2-3 hours. Shifts typically occur on Fridays and Saturdays during the winter and Wednesdays-Saturdays during warm weather seasons. We have volunteer positions available in the following areas: Education, Visitor Services & Outreach, and Garden. We request volunteers for Events on an as-needed basis.

POSITIONS:

Education Volunteer

Education Volunteers should be committed to engaging students and visitors of all ages and backgrounds, show an interest in history and art, and have a friendly, open attitude. Spanish language skills are highly desirable, though not essential. 

Youth and School Group Shifts (Hours: Tuesdays-Fridays, 10am-12pm)

Following a training period, Youth Education volunteers lead our Farm-to-City tour and hands-on workshops for school groups age PreK-12, encouraging exploration and inquiry based learning. Working closely with our education staff, volunteers develop specialized tours and activities.

Open Hour Shifts (Winter Hours: Fridays and Saturdays, 10am-12pm, 12pm-2pm, 2pm-4pm)

Following a training period, Open Hour Education Volunteers engage visitors with historical information about the museum while stationed in our galleries. Volunteers may also lead scheduled tours and facilitate pop-up educational/family programs during open hours.

Visitor Services and Outreach

(Winter Hours: Fridays 12pm-2pm, 2pm-4pm, Saturdays 10am-12pm, 12pm-2pm, 2pm-4pm).

Visitor Services and Outreach Volunteers should be committed to engaging visitors of all ages and backgrounds, show an interest in history, and have a welcoming attitude. Spanish language skills are highly desirable, though not essential. 

Visitor Services and Outreach Volunteers are the friendly face of the museum. Volunteers greet our guests, providing an introduction to the museum and answering any questions visitors and community members may have. Volunteers process admission and gift shop sales, distribute flyers in the community, and table outside of the museum to get new visitors in the door. Volunteers may assist with light administrative work, such as printing promotional materials, and general site maintenance, including setting up and breaking down tables and chairs. Volunteers also support special events and social media marketing projects. 

Garden Volunteer

(Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-12pm, 12pm-2pm, 2pm-4pm)

Garden Volunteers should be comfortable working outside in various weather conditions, using gardening equipment and power tools, and occasionally lifting heavy materials and squatting for extended periods.

Garden Volunteers keep the farmhouse looking beautiful! Volunteers perform general garden maintenance on a weekly basis, including watering and pruning plants in the raised beds, weeding, raking, and mowing the lawn, and tending to our compost piles. In the winter season, garden volunteers plan and prepare our raised bed edible garden, doing research to connect our seed collection with foodways of the Lenape, Dutch, and African American people who historically lived in Upper Manhattan. Volunteers may occasionally support educational programs related to the garden. 

Other opportunities:

People with prior experience in collections handling can apply to be a Collections volunteer by sending their resume to visitorservices@dyckmanfarmhouse.org. 
People with a strong background in writing can apply to support us with grant writing as a Development volunteer by sending their resume to visitorservices@dyckmanfarmhouse.org.