Requirements

Volunteers must be at least 15 years old.

Volunteers commit to different periods of time, depending on their interests, schedules, and availability. Some volunteers have been active with the Exploratorium for over twenty years; others join our team to see a specific project through to completion.

Volunteers participating in the Done-in-a-Day program may complete their projects in an afternoon (usually these are academic or corporate groups). Individual volunteers might complete forty hours of volunteer work, which is long enough to earn a year’s membership and other benefits.

Scheduling must be done at least a week in advance. (For groups, a month in advance is helpful.)

All volunteers must sign a volunteer contract, pledging to be reliable, dependable, and professional while representing the Exploratorium.

International volunteers: Please note that the Exploratorium regrets we are neither able to assist with visa applications (other than to send a letter of invitation), nor to offer housing or a stipend. If you plan to be in the San Francisco Bay Area and are able to arrange housing for yourself, please consider volunteering at the Exploratorium as a way to enrich your visit.

Process

Two staff members will be involved in helping you shape your volunteer experience. The first is the manager of Volunteer Services, who is responsible for overseeing the Volunteer Program and recruiting and who makes the initial contact with staff supervisors to set up a volunteer assignment. The staff supervisor determines the fit between volunteer applicant and job and will manage day-to-day volunteer activities. Communication between these two ensures the success of your Exploratorium experience. Together they will identify projects, resolve problems, and develop new volunteer opportunities.

Individuals should complete the Individual Volunteer Application Form, or print a copy and return it to the Exploratorium, Volunteer Department, Piers 15/17, San Francisco, CA 94111. If there is a good match between your interests and the museum’s needs, the manager of Volunteer Services, Deirdre Araujo, will call you to schedule an interview.

If you are a group interested in volunteering, please elect one person to complete the Corporate Group Volunteer Application Form or the School Group or Club Volunteer Application Form.

Volunteer work is not paid, though there are other types of benefits available. As a nonprofit educational science museum we rely on the goodwill and support of our community and our volunteers to develop and maintain our programs. If you are interested in a paid position, please see the job listings.

We look forward to receiving your application and thank you for considering the Exploratorium!