BE AN EXTRAORDINARY VOLUNTEER!

Volunteers at Children’s Museum of Illinois are key to what we do each and every day. Our volunteers help spark curiosity and engage children and families in ways that shape their lives forever. They get to explore behind the scenes and learn what makes us one of the finest children’s museum in Central Illinois!

Contribute your time and talent throughout the museum all year long. You can choose a schedule and opportunity that works best for you. Volunteers can work daily, weekly, twice a month, once a month, on the weekends, for special events, or a variety of other options.

Adult Volunteer Opportunities

Children’s Museum of Illinois is a fast-paced and energetic place to volunteer. Help us be sustainable by engaging with guests, working directly with children, and keeping our museum safe.

Requirements:

Application and background check
Training and Orientation
Minimum of one (1) shift per month

Front Desk

The first face our guests will see when visiting is whoever sits at our Front Desk! This position involves operating the front register, handling money, admitting guests, answering calls, plus a general knowledge of frequently asked questions. The bigger the personality the better for this welcoming position!

Guest Services

Those who assist in our Guest Services will mainly be out on our museum floor interacting with guests and helping to keep our museum ready for play through light cleaning and resetting exhibits.

Special Events/Education

We’re looking for enthusiastic, upbeat, and energetic volunteers to help with various special events and educational programs. Paint, make slime, and play games with children visiting on field trips or during a special event. This is an as-needed position and volunteer hours vary month to month.

Outdoor/Maintenance

Are you handy? Do you like to fix things, work outdoors, or enjoy problem solving? We are looking for volunteers to help fix exhibits, maintain our building, mow or other grounds work, and help with special projects.

Apply for Adult Volunteer Opportunities

Junior Volunteer Program

The JV Program at CMofIL is the perfect way to introduce service learning and job skills to teens. Youth will gain volunteer hours while learning what it means to work as a team, take direction, and make a difference in their community.

CMofIL offers two different volunteer tracks: Junior Educators and Play Guides.

Applicants must:

Entering 6th-11th grades in Fall of 2020
Commit to at least one shift per week
Purchase a Museum T-shirt for $10
Attend mandatory orientation and training : June 2nd, 2020 from 10:00pm-1:00pm
Application and Background Check required

Play Guide

Being a Play Guide is a perfect fit for outgoing and energetic volunteers that enjoy meeting new people and being in social settings. We will train Play Guides on each exhibit to understand the educational importance of the exhibit as well as proper ways to play with the exhibits and families during their visit to the Museum. Play Guides will be responsible for encouraging safe play and communicating with Museum Staff on any issues that may occur on the exhibit floor.

This program is available June – August with two shifts: 10:00am – 12:00pm and 1:00pm – 3:00pm.

Junior Educators

We’re looking for enthusiastic, upbeat, and energetic volunteers to help with our summer programs. The Junior Educators will assist in educational activities for Summer Camps and pop-up programs during Museum hours. Junior Educators will be trained in safety, child development, and activity planning.Teens will paint, play games, and help supervise summer camp participants.

This program is available June – July with two shifts: 8:45am – 11:00am and 11:00am – 1:15pm

Apply to Junior Volunteer Program

Questions on volunteering? Contact us: 217-423-5437 or info@cmofil.org

Volunteering