Lend a hand at the Custom House & with our local Lighthouses!

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VOLUNTEER at the CUSTOM HOUSE MARITIME MUSEUM & local LIGHTHOUSES
Have you ever wanted to work in a museum or at a lighthouse?
Are you interested in helping others learn or working to preserve community landmarks?
If so, New London’s Custom House Maritime Museum needs you!

Custom House Maritime Museum volunteers have the unique opportunity to enlighten and inspire the public through stories about the many accomplishments of our maritime forebears. Volunteers support the museum by assisting with tours, educational programs, special events, the museum store, and other activities that serve the public. We also need volunteers to work for our lighthouses organizing events, giving boat tours, doing restoration work.

Who Can Volunteer?
Volunteering is open to adults, seniors, high school and college students. We need everyone: friendly docents for the museum, independent self-starteers to help plan events, capable workers to take on restoration projects. Individuals wanting to work at the Custom House museum as docents or greeters should enjoy history, be outgoing, and enjoy working with children and adults in a fun, interactive style. All volunteers must be reliable, work well in a team setting, and be self-motivated.

We work year-round, on both weekdays and on weekends. Greeters, docents, and museum shop volunteers sign on for at least one weekly 4-hour shift, from 1-5 PM. Lighthouses volunteers schedules are more flexible - they work as needed or as available.

Collections, special event, maintenance, and education volunteers' may work at any time throughout the day, beginning at 9 AM.

We are accepting applications for the following volunteer positions:

Greeters - a fun, griendly position, greeters welcome visitors, tell something of what we have available at the Custom House Maritime Museum, and answer basic questions about New London Maritime Society.

Docents - once you learn something about the museum, docents giive guided tours of the building and exhibitions if requested, in addition to the Greeters responsibilities listed above.

Lighthouse keepers - the Maritime Socisty owns three local lighthouses and we have ongoing maintenance, event, and fund-raising projects you may b a part of.

Education & Outreach Volunteers - assist the Museum Educator or director with hands-on learning activities and demonstrations.

Special Event and Hospitality Volunteers - assist in the preparation, set up, and break down of museum events including galas, receptions, and lecture series.

Administrative Volunteers - answer the phone in a friendly and helpful manner, help with mailing, and also bring information about the museum to the greater public by distributing brochures and posters to outside locations.

Collections Volunteers - assists staff behind-the-scenes with organizing and maintaining collections.

Museum Store Volunteers - ring sales on the cash register, stock shelves, clean & organize the sales floor, and various other duties as needed.

Volunteer benefits include access to a library with resource materials, a museum store discount, and the opportunity to meet others interested in history and museums. Training occurs annually and is provided by museum staff.

How to Apply
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please send a letter of interest to Susan Tamulevich, museum director, at nlmaritimedirector@gmail.com .