Opportunities From: VolunteerME Heart of Maine

Overview

Assist in maintaining the Thomas A. Hill House and its grounds. A caretaker will work with the Curator and the Building and Grounds Committee to make the property presentable to visitors.

 

Key Responsibilities

Assist in maintaining the exterior of Hill House by raking, shoveling, gardening and performing light maintenance, etc. Help decorate the exterior of the building for holidays and events. Help set up for BHS events located at the Hill House as needed Opportunity to staff BHS events

 

Training

Caretakers are required to attend an orientation course at the BHS. Courses are regularly scheduled and will last approximately an hour. Caretakers will be supplied with information regarding the Hill House and its history and are encouraged to ask staff for help at any time.

Commitment

Caretakers are asked to be available for at least one shift a week. Caretaker shift target length varies depending on duties, but is a max of three hours each. Shifts can be scheduled from Monday-Saturday, 10am to 4pm Location: Thomas A. Hill House

Qualifications and Skills

Reliable and punctual Knowledge of or willingness to learn about the care of historic houses Able to work independently Attention to detail Be comfortable on ladders The ability to lift 30lbs unassisted. Comfortable working outdoors

Benefits

Free admission to Thomas A. Hill House museum Access to the museum’s resources and collection as well as learning materials Free entrance to BHS events 15% discount on gift store purchases After 100 hours of service, a free one-year membership to Bangor Historical Society

Overview:

Using a BHS provided script, Tour Guides lead groups throughout the city learning about places, people and events that shaped the Queen City. Costumes (we provide those too) are encouraged.

Key Responsibilities:

Educate tour attendees about the history of Bangor Interact with the public in a positive and engaging manner Collect tour fees from attendees and deposit money at the Hill House

 

Training:

Tour Guides are asked to attend an orientation course at the BHS. Courses are regularly scheduled and will last approximately an hour. In addition, Tour Guides will shadow experienced BHS guides as they give tours. Tour Guides will be supplied with information regarding the Hill House and its history and are encouraged to ask staff for help at any time.

Commitment:

Tour guides are expected to commit to at least 3 tours per year Tour dates and times vary- a mix of weekday evenings and weekend mornings/evenings. Location: Downtown Bangor, Mt. Hope Cemetery

 

Qualifications and Skills:

Reliable and punctual Comfortable speaking in front of small groups Desire to learn about local history Outgoing and enthusiastic about interacting with the public Able to work independently Responsible money handling

 

Benefits

Learn about local history topics Access to the museum’s resources and collection as well as learning materials Gain public speaking experience Free admission to Thomas A. Hill House museum 15% discount on gift shop purchases After 100 hours of service, a free one-year membership to Bangor Historical Society

Overview:

Our Education Assistants help develop educational materials and activities based on objects from the Bangor Historical Society’s collection to enrich the social studies curriculums of local students.  

Key Responsibilities:

Design lesson plans and educational materials connected to Maine Learning Results and local standards Develop and adapt materials for students of different grade levels

Training:

Assistants are asked to attend an orientation course at the BHS. Courses are regularly scheduled will last approximately an hour. All volunteers are encouraged to attend at least one walking tour to learn more about Bangor history. Assistants will be supplied with information regarding the Hill House and its history and are encouraged to ask staff for help at any time. Education assistants will receive training on effective research techniques and the creation of educational frameworks.

Commitment:

Education Assistants are asked to be available for at least one 3 hour shift a week Weekdays 10am-4pm to work onsite; flexible schedule for online work. Location: Thomas A. Hill House; offsite virtual work

Qualifications and Skills:

General knowledge of history and teaching experience is beneficial Basic computer skills Excellent communication skills Creative thinking Successful completion of a criminal background check

Benefits

Opportunity to learn about a wide variety of historical topics Access to the museum’s resources and collection as well as learning materials Gain professional experience Free admission to Thomas A. Hill House museum 15% discount on gift store purchases After 100 hours of service, a free one-year membership to Bangor Historical Society Can be adapted to meet academic requirements for school credit

Overview: Do you enjoy working with multi-generational groups of people in a variety of environments?  The BHS hosts a number of lectures, receptions and other events throughout the year. The Special Events Assistant works with BHS Staff to plan, organize and implement these community events.

Key Responsibilities:

Assist event set up and take down Assist in running games and activities Duties vary – anything from selling tickets to handing out craft materials 

Training:

Assistants are asked to attend an orientation course at the BHS. Courses are regularly scheduled and will last approximately an hour. All volunteers are encouraged to attend at least one walking tour to learn more about Bangor history. Assistants will be supplied with information regarding the Hill House and its history and are encouraged to ask staff for help at any time. Volunteers working with children will be given background checks.

Commitment:

Amount of Time: 3-4 hours per event, including prep and clean up Events will be scheduled at a variety of times on both weekdays and weekends Location: Thomas A. Hill House; other downtown partner locations

Qualifications and Skills:

Enjoys working with children and families Excellent interpersonal skills Enthusiasm for local history

Benefits

Have fun interacting with visitors of all age groups Learn about local history topics Children of event volunteers may participate in the event at no cost Free admission to Thomas A. Hill House museum 15% discount on gift shop purchases After 100 hours of service, a free one-year membership to Bangor Historical Society

Overview

Assist the curator in managing the BHS collection, including artifacts, paintings, and the Hill House itself, primarily through organization of the collection and digitization of new BHS acquisitions.

Key Responsibilities

Assist in archiving the BHS collection Assist in organizing and digitizing new acquisitions Opportunity to staff BHS events

Training

All volunteers are required to attend an orientation course at the BHS. Courses are regularly scheduled and will last approximately an hour. Assistants will be supplied with information regarding the Hill House and its history and are encouraged to ask staff for help at any time. In addition, staff will work with each volunteer to help them learn to use the BHS archival database.

Commitment

Curatorial Assistants are asked to be available for at least one 3 hour shift a week. Shifts can be scheduled from Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm. Location: Thomas A. Hill House

Qualifications and Skills

Reliable and punctual Desire to learn about local history Basic Computer Skills Able to work independently Good organizational skills Attention to detail

Benefits

Free admission to Thomas A. Hill House museum Access to the museum’s resources and collection as well as learning materials Free entrance to BHS events Gain professional experience 15% discount on gift store purchases After 100 hours of service, a free one-year membership to Bangor Historical Society

Overview
Have you ever wanted to know more about Bangor history? Learn more about the storied past of the Queen City and help others do the same! Museum Guides at the Hill House are the most visible members of our staff, giving tours to visitors and staffing events like our membership receptions.

Key Responsibilities

Educate visitors about the history of Bangor and the Hill House Interact with program participants in a positive and engaging manner Opportunity to staff BHS events Work with staff to improve the programs BHS offers

 

Training

Museum Guides are asked to attend an orientation course at the BHS. Courses are regularly scheduled and will last approximately an hour. In addition, Museum Guides will shadow BHS staff as they give tours. All volunteers are encouraged to attend at least one walking tour to learn more about Bangor history. Museum Guides will be supplied with information regarding the Hill House and its history and are encouraged to ask staff for help at any time.

Commitment

Museum Guides are expected to be available for at least one 3 ½ hour shift a week. Shifts are from 9:30 to 1:00 and 1:00 to 4:00 Monday through Saturday. Location: Thomas A. Hill House

 

Qualifications and Skills

Reliable and punctual Comfortable speaking in front of small groups Desire to learn about local history Outgoing and enthusiastic about interacting with visitors Able to work independently Enjoys working with children

 

Benefits

Free admission to Thomas A. Hill House museum Access to the museum’s resources and collection as well as learning materials Free entrance to BHS events Gain professional experience 15% discount on gift store purchases After 100 hours of service, a free one-year membership to Bangor Historical Society

 

Overview

Assist in organizing and maintaining the Hill House museum for the general public. A caretaker will work together with the Executive Director and Curator to make the house presentable to visitors as well as help set up for BHS sponsored events. 

Key Responsibilities

Assist in maintaining the Hill House by providing general cleaning, like dusting and sweeping along with occasional organizing of objects Help set up for BHS events located at the Hill House as needed Help prepare museum artifacts for display Opportunity to staff BHS events

Training

Caretakers are required to attend an orientation course at the BHS. Courses are regularly scheduled and will last approximately an hour. Caretakers will be supplied with information regarding the Hill House and its history and are encouraged to ask staff for help at any time. In addition, caretakers will be shown how to operate the digitized collection.

Commitment

Caretakers are asked to be available for at least one shift a week. Caretaker shift target length varies depending on duties, but is a max of three hours each. Shifts can be scheduled from Monday-Saturday, 10am to 4pm. Location: Thomas A. Hill House

Qualifications and Skills

Reliable and punctual Knowledge of or willingness to learn about proper museum care Able to work independently Attention to detail Be comfortable on ladders The ability to lift 30lbs unassisted.

Benefits

Free admission to Thomas A. Hill House museum Access to the museum’s resources and collection as well as learning materials Free entrance to BHS events 15% discount on gift store purchases After 100 hours of service, a free one-year membership to Bangor Historical Society

Overview: Ever want to know more about the Bangor area?  Join the Bangor Historical Society’s research team to dig deep into the Queen City’s past.  Our Research Assistants help answer questions from the public, research objects in our collection, and investigate potential donations to the BHS. 

Key Responsibilities:

Research and respond to inquiries about Bangor history Research objects already in our collection as well as potential donations Assist with exhibit research and creation

Training:

Researcher Assistants are asked to attend an orientation course at the BHS. Courses are regularly scheduled and will last approximately an hour. All volunteers are encouraged to attend at least one walking tour to learn more about Bangor history. Researchers will be supplied with information regarding the Hill House and its history and are encouraged to ask staff for help at any time. In addition, researchers will be given training on research methods as well as proper documentation and citation.

Commitment:

Amount of Time: at least 3 hours a week Weekdays 10am-4pm to work onsite; flexible schedule for online or library research Location: Thomas A. Hill House; offsite virtual research

Qualifications and Skills:

Basic computer skills Ability to research Clear written communication Attention to detail Interest in history

Benefits

Training in how to conduct historical research Training in how to use primary and secondary source materials Opportunity to learn about a wide variety of historical topics Access to the museum’s resources and collection as well as learning materials Gain professional experience Free admission to Thomas A. Hill House museum 15% discount on gift store purchases After 100 hours of service, a free one-year membership to Bangor Historical Society Can be adapted to meet academic requirements for school credit