Volunteer Opportunities
Support Griffin MSI by donating your time and talents! Below are some of the ways our volunteers engage with our guests. Volunteer for one position or many! Interested? Apply online.
Learning Lab Team
Do you love working in a classroom setting? Each week during the school year, student groups experience the thrill of scientific discovery in the Museum’s Learning Labs. Led by a Museum educator, labs are focused, hands-on, multidisciplinary programs for school groups that align with state and national learning standards in science. Volunteers assist Museum educators by helping students answer questions and complete lab activities. Experience in teaching is helpful; a passion for education is required!
Sci-finding Team
Sci-finders are among the most important personal connection guests will make during their visit, especially for those who are new to Griffin MSI. This team of volunteers help our guests plan their visit based on their personal needs and unique interests. Then, Sci-finders will direct or escort guests to the exhibits they will find most inspiring and engaging. This position requires a strong knowledge of the Museum’s geography, physical stamina, friendliness, and a contagious excitement for Griffin MSI’s mission, vision and extraordinary exhibits.
Live Science Experiences
Engage guests at two of Griffin MSI’s portable Science Carts located in the heart of the Museum, the Rotunda. The two carts, “Investigating the Microworld” (a cart full of microscopes and specimens) and “Inventing the Future.” (featuring age-old communication and media devises) inspire guests to discover things beyond their imaginations and always lead to inspiring conversations.
Behind-the-scenes Team
Running a Museum takes a large amount of administrative support. Help behind the scenes with office tasks, data entry and other episodic requests.
YOU! The Experience Team
One of the keys to improving health and longevity is the ever-advancing field of medicine. The Medical Innovations section of YOU! The Experience showcases some of the latest breakthroughs, celebrates the innovative thinking that will shape our future care and sparks thought-provoking dialogue about the role of medical technology in our lives. Volunteers in YOU! The Experience engage guests in discussions about the human body (organs, muscles, nervous system, etc.). A medical background is helpful, but not required.
Great Train Story Team
Where in Chicago can you still see Cows on Parade? The Great Train Story, of course. Volunteers escort guests on a trip from downtown Chicago to Seattle, Wash. and explain the differences in past and present rail cars. The Great Train Story is an HO-scale model exhibit which contains 34 running trains, 1,400 feet of track and more than 500 scale structures and custom-made buildings. Volunteers are provided resources and materials to lead informal mini-tours, challenge guests to “spy” numerous scenes such as the Presidential motorcade, Cows on Parade, forest elves and more!
Episodic Events
Volunteers also donate their time to episodic events, including our very popular overnight Science Snoozeums, Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light projects, and various STEM festivals occurring at Griffin MSI and throughout Chicagoland. We are always looking for energetic volunteers to support these events.