The Waterworks Museum is looking for volunteers who want to be a part of Boston's legacy of engineering, science, and innovation! We seek individuals who want to spend time in our magnificent architectural landmark, and who want to help us build community awareness about the importance of clean, safe drinking water for all. If you have time to engage our visitors and school groups (more than 10,000 per year!), or work on projects related to Boston history, architecture, and engineering, we are waiting for you!

Located a very short walk from the Boston College main campus and the Cleveland Circle T stop, the Metropolitan Waterworks Museum at 2450 Beacon Street in Boston is a non-profit museum dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the historic waterworks and landmark buildings that supplied the City of Boston with public water.

The Museum presents unique stories of this early metropolitan water system through exhibitions and educational programs on engineering, architecture, social history, urbanism, and public health. The Waterworks sits on the site of the original Chestnut Hill Reservoir and pumping station in a Richardsonian Romanesque building dating to the late 1880’s. The Museum consists of the Great Engines Hall, housing three monumental steam-powered pumping engines, and a two story glass-enclosed pavilion, featuring the Overlook Gallery, where temporary exhibits and special programs are held. Education programs, guest lecture series, self-paced tours, and other programs are part of the regular calendar of events.

What is the value of clean, safe drinking water? That question is as relevant today as it was to the engineers of the 19th century, who sought to supply Boston with this essential resource. The Waterworks' collections and archives tell the story of how clean water was first delivered to the city and surrounding towns, beginning in the 1840s. It examines the engineering feats that fed a growing urban center, prevented the advance of water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid, and ensured the defense against city-wide fires. It also examines the earliest technological and scientific advances in public health, such as the advent of the field of microbiology and the earliest techniques for water quality testing.

Volunteers are welcomed to the Museum, trained in our unique story and engagements, and supported through ongoing enrichments. We ask for two 2.5 hour shifts per month (minimum), and we are looking for individuals with interests in engineering, architecture, environmental and water science, public health, education, archival and collections management, museum administration, history, and other fields. Opportunities to interpret, work with museum staff, and facilitate the domestic and international travelers or groups who come to Boston are all part of the fun.

The Museum's regular open hours are Wednesday through Sunday, from 11am to 4pm, with longer hours 11am to 9pm on Wednesdays from March through October. We are closed to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check out our website at www.WaterworksMuseum.org for more on our history and community engagements, or find us on Facebook and Twitter @MetroWaterworks. Call or email for information about volunteer opportunities.