Volunteering
“The three keys to American democracy are involvement, civic spirit and volunteerism.” —Alexis de Tocqueville, 1835
Volunteers play an integral part of the museum’s daily operations. To get started, complete a Volunteer Application and contact our Museum Educator Mary Cooper mary.cooper@dncr.nc.gov.
Volunteer Positions
Reception Desk
Greets visitors at the front desk. Volunteers work at the reception desk in three-hour shifts: either 10:00 to 1:00 or 1:00 to 4:00. The new volunteer is trained on the job and takes about 30 minutes.
Tour Guide (Poe House)
Poe House docents provide guided tours during scheduled hours and for scheduled groups. Docents must attend two hours of orientation training and shadow/observe at least 6 tours before becoming a certified guide. Docents receive a detailed training manual as well. Due to the time invested in docent training, only those who demonstrate a true commitment of time will be considered.
Group Tour Guide (School/Private Groups)
Museum docents give guided tours of the Museum of the Cape Fear for scheduled groups. Requires 12 hours of training sessions, which are done over several days and are scheduled between the museum staff and the new volunteer. Docents receive a detailed training manual as well. Due to the time invested in docent training, only those who demonstrate a true commitment of time will be considered.
Historical Researcher
Historical scholarship is critical to better understanding the past, present and future. If you are a student or just interested in the region and nations collective history, you should inquire about doing research at the Museum of the Cape Fear.
Garden/Yard Work
Yard work, grounds work around the museum and the Poe House.
Special Events/Special Projects
Provides assistance before, during, and after a special event. Will also be assigned specific tasks that are short-term, can conduct outreach programs, and assist staff at off-site events. Staff provides special instructions at the time of the event or project.
