Volunteer Opportunities
Support MSI by donating your time and talents! Below are some of the ways our volunteers engage with our guests. Volunteer for one position or many! Interested? Apply online.
Fab Lab Team
Volunteers assist MSI’s staff working in the Fab Lab with the delivery and facilitation of interactive, hands-on workshops involving 3-D printers, laser cutters and other state of the art technologies. By volunteering in the Fab Lab you become an integral part in cultivating our next generation of makers, inventors and engineers.
Learning Lab Team
Do you love working in a classroom setting? Each week during the school year, student groups experience the thrill of scientific discovery in the Museum’s Learning Labs. Led by a Museum educator, labs are focused, hands-on, multidisciplinary programs for school groups that align with state and national learning standards in science. Volunteers assist Museum educators by helping students answer questions and complete lab activities. Experience in teaching is helpful; a passion for education is required!
Sci-finding Team
Sci-finders are among the most important personal connection guests will make during their visit, especially for those who are new to MSI. This team of volunteers help our guests plan their visit based on their personal needs and unique interests. Then, Sci-finders will direct or escort guests to the exhibits they will find most inspiring and engaging. This position requires a strong knowledge of the Museum’s geography, physical stamina, friendliness, and a contagious excitement for MSI’s mission, vision and extraordinary exhibits.
Science Connections Team
Science Connection facilitators incorporate hands-on activities to connect the science found throughout our exhibits. You'll introduce Museum guests to specific concepts in a fun, engaging and entertaining way through five- to 10-minute activities. A science or teaching background is helpful but not required. An interest is science is necessary. This program requires additional training and a volunteer time commitment of one year. Science Connections topic units include: Genetics, Microscopy, Flight, Science Storms, Human Body and Submarine. Begin your training by selecting one unit.
Behind-the-scenes Team
Running a Museum takes a large amount of administrative support. Help behind the scenes with office tasks, data entry and other episodic requests.
A la Cart Team
The A la Cart program gives guests a peek inside the Museum’s collections artifacts. This unique activity cart promotes critical thinking as guests examine objects from our collection and determine what they are and how they were used. This is a great volunteer opportunity for history gurus.
YOU! The Experience Team
One of the keys to improving health and longevity is the ever-advancing field of medicine. The Medical Innovations section of YOU! The Experience showcases some of the latest breakthroughs, celebrates the innovative thinking that will shape our future care and sparks thought-provoking dialogue about the role of medical technology in our lives. Volunteers in YOU! The Experience engage guests in discussions about the human body (organs, muscles, nervous system, etc.). A medical background is helpful, but not required.
Great Train Story Team
Where in Chicago can you still see Cows on Parade? The Great Train Story, of course. Volunteers escort guests on a trip from downtown Chicago to Seattle, Wash. and explain the differences in past and present rail cars. The Great Train Story is an HO-scale model exhibit which contains 34 running trains, 1,400 feet of track and more than 500 scale structures and custom-made buildings. Volunteers are provided resources and materials to lead informal mini-tours, challenge guests to “spy” numerous scenes such as the Presidential motorcade, Cows on Parade, forest elves and more!
Episodic Events
Volunteers are often requested to work during special events. These may include our very popular overnight Science Snoozeums and annual Member Camp-In, Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light decorating projects, and various STEM festivals both at the Museum and throughout the greater Chicagoland area.