JOIN OUR TEAM
Volunteering and Internships
Volunteers
Do you love history and working with the community? Begin the process of becoming a volunteer today! All volunteers complete an orientation with our staff and learn about the rich history of our sites and opportunities for the public. We have nine different volunteer opportunities, perfect for all different types of interests and skill levels. To get started, fill out our forms below or contact our staff for an orientation!
Collections: Understand what collections management entails at a historic site ranging from archival to artifact practices. Learn to use our collections database system, PastPerfect. Ideal for history geeks, and those who are detail-oriented.
Office Help: Assist in mailings to members and the public, data entry, and other clerical work on an as needed basis. Perfect for those who are organized and like getting the job done.
Event Support: Events range from historic house tours, to cemetery tours, to our annual Cheesefest. All programs require support in order to help the event run smoothly. Volunteers receive free admission to the event theiy are supporting. These jobs include: ticket sales, admissions, maintenance, runner for walking tours, and docent assistance.
Hearth Kitchen: Learn how to work in a hearth kitchen and educate visitors about the history of cooking in the past. Perfect for those who love to teach and cook.
Educator: Work with staff and volunteers on new and existing programs for students (grades Pre-K through 12). These include house tours (including general store and schoolhouse) and children’s programming (ex. President’s Day). May include observing and leading regular field trips. Great for retired teachers/educators.
Gardener: Learn about the plants being grown both in our various gardens. Help keep the gardens clean and clear. Assist in planting new flowers, vegetables, and herbs.
Visitor Services: Help in the store with sales and customer service, greet guests during tour/event days, and direct guests around the event, including parking and tours.
Research: Assist in research projects for the History Center. Perfect for those who are passionate about learning and helping others.
If interested in volunteering, please email us at mail@montclairhistory.org or call (973)744-1796!
Internships
Internships for college and university students are available each semester (Fall/Spring/Summer). Each internship may have some projects that can be conducted remotely but the majority of the internship must be conducted in-person, onsite. If you have an interest, call us at 973-744-1796 or send a note to mail@montclairhistory.org to schedule an interview today! Available internships below.
Staff Assistant Internship (Full for summer 2024)
Learn what it really means to work at a small nonprofit history site. Ideal for history, museums management/studies, nonprofit, and business management students. Assist in day to day operations, research and exhibition related assistance, event and/or programming management, public relations, collections management, and education assistance with school groups/homeschool groups. Staff interns will be required to learn the house tour for the Crane House & Historic YWCA in preparation for giving tours to the public.
Minimum of 15 hours/week required including some weekends
For school credit or as a resume builder
Resume/Interview required
Past Project Highlights:
Researching local ghost/spooky stories for a program
Creating flyers on Canva for upcoming programs and events
Assist with walking tours around Montclair by showing historic photographs/maps
Collections Management Internship (Accepting applications through April 15, 2024)
Learn the basics of collections management first-hand at a historic site. Interns will have the chance to use the PastPerfect collections management system, learn how to care and store artifacts and archival material, and hone their research skills. Ideal for museum management/studies and/or registration track students.
Minimum of 15 hours/week
For school credit or as a resume builder
Resume/Interview required
Past Project Highlights:
Using historic maps, newspapers, photos, and more to complete research requests on local homes
Digitizing and uploading to our photograph collection to our digital collections database
Conducting a top-down cleaning of the museum, learning how to property handle and clean historic artifacts in the process
Educator Internship (Full for summer 2024)
Recruiting enthusiastic individuals with a passion for learning and a strong interest in history to assist in inquiry-based curriculum both in-person or virtually. Work with staff and volunteers on new and existing programming for students for grades Pre-K through 12. Projects vary based on time of year, but may include leading field trips, researching education topics, and collecting data for school program outreach. Ideal for Museum Studies, History, or Education students. Prior experience working with school children is recommended but not required. Substitute teaching license or professional teaching certificate is a plus.
Minimum of 15 hours/week required including some weekends
For school credit or as a resume builder
Resume/Interview required
Marketing/Communications Intern (Full for summer 2024)
The Montclair History Center seeks marketing/communications students for an internship experience with our staff team this Winter/Spring 2023. As a small nonprofit history museum, we seek the talent and creative ideas of students in the Montclair community to aid in the below initiatives:
Create and pilot content for TikTok (a platform the MHC has not yet engaged with)
Assist in promoting programs, events , and historic resources through online calendar and press release development
Update the media plan for the organization to ensure relevant and current
Contribute towards visitor engagement and marketing efforts that will further our mission
Requirements
Minimum of 15 hours/week required
For school credit or as a resume builder
Resume/Interview required