There are many ways to get involved and volunteer at the National Museum of American History. Becoming a Museum Ambassador is one of them. To learn more about this volunteer program, please see the descriptions below.

Museum Ambassadors at the American History Museum are a mobile source of information that helps bridge the gap between two other volunteer groups here at the museum — information desk specialists, who provide orientation (方向) assistance when guests arrive, and volunteer docents (讲师), who provide Highlights tours, facilitate hands-on demonstrations and circulate through many of our exhibitions to interact with visitors. Each year, our Museum Ambassadors help over 100,000 people get the most out of their visits by welcoming groups, circulating throughout the museum's public zones to answer basic questions, and directing visitors to programs and exhibitions of interest. The museum has also employed the Museum Ambassadors to assist with special projects and events as needed.

To learn more about what Museum Ambassadors do, check out what Larry has said, “As museum ambassadors, we get to share in the curiosity of a child, the nostalgia (怀旧) of returning visitors, the treasure hunt of students assigned to find important historical objects, and the amazement of those experiencing our eye on the nation's history for the first time. We can help recommend a meaningful museum visit just for you. There's more. We're also traffic cops when elevators and escalators break and extra eyes for museum security."

If you enjoy…

•interacting with diverse audiences, age groups and learning styles.

•working in an often busy and changing environment.

If you have…

•strong interpersonal and communication skills.

•an interest in history and communication.

If you can…

commit to three shifts a month (weekday Ambassadors) or twice a month (weekend Ambassadors).

The museum is open 364 days a year, including weekends and holidays.

•handle frequent walking, standing, and talking.

To Apply

To learn more information about the application process, please contact Ruth Shirley.

NOTE: Acceptance into the program is subject to successful completion of an interview and background investigation.

Volunteering was not something that peaked my interest until a couple of years ago. I was not in an environment which talked about or encouraged volunteering back then, therefore I never saw it as something that could help both me and the community. I just felt like that is something people who have a lot of free time do. My view of volunteering changed when I started my university.

When I was around 19, I volunteered in schools and kindergartens, which were closely connected to my university degree, as that was what I felt most comfortable doing. Later, when I realized that I’m being quite stagnant — I didn’t really get anything new out of opportunities closely tied to my field of study, I decided to branch out by volunteering at some events which are a bit out of my comfort zone. I volunteered at events like the Gymnastics World Cup, different Art Festivals and similar places where I didn’t necessarily participate as a creator but as a coordinator of other volunteers.

The most important and life-changing volunteering experience for me came in 2018 when I decided that volunteering locally just was not enough anymore and I went to volunteer abroad. I spent a month and a half in Romania teaching children with fewer opportunities English. That experience not only helped me to better my teaching skills, but also completely changed me as a person, making me meet people from all over the world.

All of these experiences brought me here, on an ESN (Erasmus Student Network) project in Zagreb at home. This is a project I’ve been excited for a long time because it meant.

I was going to change my surroundings for a longer period of time, which obviously meant more challenges and more personal growth for me. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that volunteering is something you shouldn’t do, because it’s one of the best things you could ever do, both for yourself and for the people you’re going to help along the way.

China is to hire five young volunteers and send them to Laos at the end of April to provide six months’ voluntary service, symbolizing the start of China’s voluntary service overseas programme.

The organizers, the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and the China Young Volunteer Association, are now recruiting five healthy Chinese citizens between the age of 20 and 40 from the community who can communicate in English, with college education and working and voluntary experience.

“It is the first step for Chinese volunteers before they can provide service abroad and marks a significant move in the development of a volunteer sector in China,” said committee official Hou Baosen.

The committee plans to continue the programme by sending volunteers to neighbouring countries in the future, aiming to boost the development of regional economies in targeted countries and strengthen communication between volunteers of the two countries.

According to an agreement made on March 17 between China’s Young Volunteers Action Guiding Centre under the committee and a teenager development centre in Laos, the five volunteers will work respectively as Chinese and English teachers, computer and network trainers and medical experts.

Financially backed by a domestic company, the volunteers will enjoy a monthly subsidy of 800 yuan (US$ 96), and have their air tickets, medical treatment costs and insurance covered.

Inquiries can be made by telephone on 010-85212239 and applications must be submitted before April 10.