Volunteer

The Volunteer Organization of The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1967 by twelve Members of the Museum who assisted at the information desk in the Great Hall. Responding to the needs of the Museum over the years, the Volunteer Organization has grown to more than 1,400 men and women working throughout the Museum.

There are two volunteer categories: Museum Department Volunteers and Guided Tour Programs Volunteers. Each requires a separate application. Please review the descriptions of the opportunities in the two categories below to determine to which area you would like to apply. The descriptions provide a broad overview of the responsibilities and time commitment required by each.

If you have any questions about volunteer positions, or would like more information about a specific volunteer opportunity, please feel free to email volunteers@metmuseum.org. All volunteers are encouraged to become Members of the Museum.

Note: The Volunteer Organization does not accept applications from high school, undergraduate, or graduate students. Tristate-area high school students are eligible to apply for high school internships. Internships are also offered for undergraduate and graduate students.

Staff members of the various departments will directly contact and interview prospective volunteers. We regret that there may not be opportunities for all qualified candidates.

Please review the following assignment descriptions to understand the requirements of each department and decide which ones best match your interests and abilities. You must indicate your preferred department assignments in the online application form.

Apply online.

Department Assignments: The Met Fifth Avenue

Clerical Volunteers

Clerical Volunteers work alone or in groups, performing a variety of duties in departments throughout the Museum, such as Merchandising and Education. They are needed for weekday, evening, and weekend positions, year-round. The time commitment varies, depending on the demands of the particular department and position (a typical shift is four to five hours a week on a year-round basis).

Education: Access Programs Volunteers

Access Volunteers help make programs accessible and engaging for visitors with disabilities. They assist educators with program preparation, carrying and distributing materials, and helping visitors get around the Museum.

Education: Family Programs Volunteers

Family Programs Volunteers are a friendly, professional face for the Museum, and help welcome families to a variety of programs. Volunteers gather and prepare supplies, help with set-up and clean-up, assist teaching staff in facilitating hands-on experiences, help with wayfinding, and provide a positive, personal museum experience. (Applicants should be able to volunteer at least once per month.)

Education: Gallery Talks and Exhibition Tours Volunteers

Adult Gallery Programs Volunteers welcome visitors and distribute and collect assistive listening devices used to enhance the experience for those participating in gallery conversations led by curators, educators, other Museum staff, and guest speakers.

Education: Studio Programs Volunteers

Studio Programs Volunteers assist staff and teaching artists in hosting art-making programs for all ages that take place in the galleries, with the goal of creating a more personalized and intimate experience for participating visitors.

Library Volunteers

Opportunities to volunteer in the Museum's libraries occur infrequently. When needed, volunteers primarily serve in Thomas J. Watson Library and Nolen Library in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education. Watson Library Volunteers assist behind the scenes in every aspect of the library, including helping to acquire and conserve material, and updating and managing information files. They work one half-day per week, year-round. Nolen Library Volunteers assist with resource management and help users with reference and teacher resource materials. Weekday Nolen Volunteers work at least one half-day per week, year-round. Weekend Nolen Volunteers work a minimum of one day every three weeks. Library or teaching experience is preferred for Nolen Library Volunteers.

Visitor Experience Volunteers

Visitor Experience (VX) volunteers serve as the face of The Met at Information Desks, Member Lounges, and in Carson Family Hall. They offer assistance and recommendations to visitors, members, and groups. Clear, friendly, and welcoming communication skills are a basic requirement. Volunteers must enjoy providing accurate directions to visitors from every background, and must acquire a thorough knowledge of the Museum. Computer skills, especially Internet-search skills, are required. Multilingual candidates are preferred for Information Desk positions, and candidates with a teaching background are preferred for Carson Family Hall positions. Volunteers who serve in Carson Family Hall offer support to, and facilitate the processing of, K–12 school students visiting the Museum for group tours. VX volunteers serve one, three-hour shift, year-round, for weekday shifts, or one three-hour shift every other week for evening and weekends. Volunteers must work a minimum number of shifts to satisfy departmental requirements.

Research Volunteers

These volunteers typically work alone, performing research and scholarly duties in departments throughout the Museum, such as The American Wing, Conservation and Scientific Research, and Education. They are needed for weekday, evening, and weekend positions, year-round. The time commitment varies, depending on the demands of the particular department and position (a typical shift is four to five hours a week on a year-round basis).

Survey Volunteers

Survey Volunteers are the backbone of the Museum's visitor-research efforts. They help the Museum gather visitor feedback by conducting surveys and interviews. Survey Volunteers do not have fixed weekly shifts; they work for two to three hours periodically, when surveys are scheduled. Candidates must have a flexible schedule, including availability on weekdays and weekends. No previous survey experience is necessary, as training will be provided, but strong interpersonal skills and the ability to successfully interact with Museum visitors are required.

Department Assignments: The Met Cloisters

Concerts at the Cloisters Volunteer Ushers

Concert Volunteers assist Museum staff who oversee the concert series at The Met Cloisters. There are about seven to nine concert dates per year, usually with two performances on each date. Volunteers arrive in the morning to assist with phone calls, phone sales, and concert-desk setup. Volunteers assist with ticket sales at the door, greet and give directions and information to ticket holders, take tickets, usher concert goers at seating time, monitor the concert-hall door for latecomers, and ensure efficient exit of concert goers after the conclusion of event. Experience with event ticketing and engaging with the public in a performing-arts setting is desired.

Sights & Scents Program for Visitors with Dementia and their Care Partners

Sights & Scents Volunteers assist Museum staff who teach this program for visitors with dementia and their care partners. It occurs once a month on Wednesday, Saturday, or Sunday. Volunteers arrive one hour before the program, greet visitors, accompany those in wheelchairs who require escort through non-public areas, make and distribute name tags, distribute sketching material during the program, help carry folding stools between galleries, engage with visitors before and during the program, and assist visitors in leaving the Museum. Experience engaging with the elderly or people with dementia is desired.

Sights & Sounds Program for Visitors on the Autism Spectrum and their Families

Sights & Sounds Volunteers assist Museum staff who teach this program for children on the autism spectrum and their families or caregivers. It occurs once a month on Saturday. Volunteers arrive one hour before the program, greet participants, accompany those who require an escort through nonpublic areas, make and distribute name tags, engage with visitors before and during the program, and assist visitors in leaving the Museum. Experience engaging with children on the autism spectrum is desired.

The Gardens

Garden Volunteers assist horticultural staff at The Met Cloisters with garden maintenance, including weeding, deadheading, and sweeping paths. These volunteers are required to work half days (three hours) or full days (five hours).

Applications

Only those who submit an online application will be considered for placement. The application requires a personal statement expressing why you wish to volunteer at The Met, and what interests, skills, and experiences you would bring to the position (maximum 250 words).

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and remain on file for one year. We regret that there may not be opportunities for all qualified candidates.

Apply online.

The Volunteer Organization of The Met recruits and trains volunteers for the Museum's Guided Tour Programs, designed to serve the needs and interests of our diverse visitors, from elementary school children to adults. No prior art history background or work experience is required to volunteer; however, those wishing to volunteer in the Guided Tour Programs should be comfortable working and communicating with the public. Volunteers for these positions undergo extensive, rigorous training to achieve the highest standards of content and presentation.

The weekday Guided Tour Program includes tours for both school children and adults; the International Guided Tour Program offers tours for adults in ten languages other than English. All accepted applicants for School Tour, Adult Guided Tour, and International Guided Tour Programs are required to attend a yearlong training course concentrating on the history of art as it applies to the Museum's collection, as well as on presentation skills and research techniques. Training classes are held on Mondays and occasional Tuesdays. After the initial training year, mandatory ongoing training continues during the academic year. Volunteers are responsible for extensive research and preparation for their weekly tours. Volunteering in the Museum's Guided Tour Programs requires a high degree of motivation and dedication, and a minimum commitment of at least three years. The experience is highly rewarding.

Interested applicants are very strongly encouraged to follow two volunteer-led guided tours this season at The Met before applying.

Please read the following program descriptions to determine to which program you would like to apply.

Guided Tour Programs for Adults and School Groups 2019–20

Weekday Guided Highlights Tours

Volunteers in this program conduct regularly scheduled one-hour tours, including a modified schedule during the summer months. Tours feature highlights of The Met collection, which presents 5,000 years of art from every corner of the globe. They are designed to provide visitors with a general introduction to the Museum.

Weekday International Guided Tours

These tours are designed to introduce international visitors to The Met collection. The one-hour tours are scheduled twelve months of the year in ten languages (other than English): Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Candidates for this program must be proficient in English in addition to the language in which they will be conducting tours. All training is conducted in English.

Guided Tour Programs for School Groups

All school tours are given Monday through Friday, in English only. Guides give one tour weekly on an assigned day of the week during the school year, and occasional tours for camp and community groups during the summer months. All school tours are inquiry-based and designed to be highly interactive, and include multimodal activities to engage different learning styles.

First Views (Grades K–3)

Introduces students in grades K–3 to art and culture in the Museum through creative and thematic guided tours. These tours develop observational and descriptive skills and enable young students to discover connections among different cultures and foster an appreciation of the arts.

Grades 4–12

Guides lead a variety of thematic tours for students that provide engaging learning experiences and introductions to the Museum's collection. Tour topics often align with the social studies curriculum for this age group.

Special Education Services

Volunteers are devoted to meeting the special needs of students of all ages, including those with sensory, developmental, or physical disabilities. These tours explore creative approaches to art and culture. The groups are kept small in order to facilitate optimal interaction between student and guide. Guides receive additional training in the art of helping students with learning differences.

The Met Cloisters (Grades K–12)

Guides conduct tours immersing students in the art and culture of the medieval period. This touring program resides at The Met Cloisters, a branch of the Museum located in Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan (accessible via the A train to 190th Street; free parking is also available).

Applications and Inquiries

The application period for the 2019–20 Weekday Guided Highlights Tour Program, Weekday International Guided Tour Program, and School Tour Programs is closed.

The next application period will be October 2019 through mid-February 2020. The application will be available on Monday, September 23. Please check back then to apply online.

Note: The Volunteer Organization does not accept applications from high school, undergraduate, or graduate students. Tristate-area high school students are eligible to apply for an high school internships. A number of internships are offered for undergraduate and graduate students.

If you have any questions, please email us at volunteers@metmuseum.org.