Van de Graff Generator

More than 1.5 million people visited Boston’s Museum of Science last year.  The 179-year-old institution is a landmark of the city’s Back Bay, with a planetarium, an IMAX Dome Theater, a live animal center, as well as a staff of educators, scientists, and exhibit designers. It even has an indoor lightning show, thanks to a huge Van de Graff Generator in its Theater of Electricity.  But what makes the place really unique is their use of volunteers.  The Museum has about 700 regular volunteers complementing its paid staff of 450. “We have volunteers on the exhibit hall floors, presenting educational programs, as well as in departments as diverse as visitor services, human resources, publications, and advancement,” says Judith Sokol, manager of human resources.  “We also depend on volunteers to run special events.  It’s an extraordinarily rich environment for service, and anyone can fit in.”

The Museum’s volunteer program is organized around providing meaningful work for a diverse group of volunteers, as well as providing extensive training and support.  “The volunteer process begins with an initial interview to find out the individual’s interest and availability,” says Jeanmarie Santomassimo, the program manager.    Her department arranges an interview with a supervisor who has submitted a position description, to assure a fit for both the individual and the needs of the Museum.  Some volunteer supervisors offer twice-a-day training briefings that are tailored to the needs of a specific individual learning space. The supervisors also meet monthly with Santomassimo to discuss best volunteer practices.  The interview process, diversity of positions, continuous training, and opportunities to learn all help the Museum retain the volunteers it attracts.

 Volunteer interpreter

Volunteers organize and run an annual July 4 celebration for the Museum’s members that draws upwards of 3,000 people a year, and funds raised at the event are redistributed through a grants program.  Another volunteer-centered social event is held in the fall, and the spring is marked by a volunteer recognition ceremony at the annual meeting.  The Museum also takes pains to make its volunteer corps reflect Boston’s diversity, says Santomassimo.  She works with local high schools and other institutions, such as the Perkins School for The Blind, to recruit newcomers.  Some inner-city schools participate in a program that sends students to the Museum for half a day to learn science, then moves them into volunteer positions.  They’re contributing to the Museum while they learn communication skills and a strong work ethic.

The Museum also gives volunteers a real stake in its operations.  All volunteers belong to the Volunteer Service League, which is served by its own Board of Directors.  The Board is for volunteers who want to take the next step in their Museum service.   Sokol is quick to add that people don’t need a scientific background to get involved in volunteering, though.  “We want to turn the world on to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” she says.  “Bring us an interested mind, and we’ll find a place for you.”