Volunteer Opportunities - The Art Institute of Chicago

VOLUNTEER POSITIONS

Guest Engagement Volunteers

The Art Institute is dedicated to providing a world-class visitor experience. With this in mind, and our public contact volunteers are one of our most important resources.

Enthusiastic and outgoing, visitor engagement volunteers are the face of the museum to both our members and the public. They make sure that everyone who walks through our doors is greeted warmly and has the most up-to-date information available about the museum, our collections and programs, and the city of Chicago. There are three categories of these volunteers:

Guest Guide Volunteers

These volunteers are responsible for sharing information about the museum in a unique and authentic way, much as someone would with friends and family. Duties include:

• Welcome all of our guests as they enter the museum
• Aid in line management in our admission areas
• Answer question about the museum and our collection
• Direct people to admission areas or Information and Membership Desks
• Move around the museum looking for people who need directions and information
• Must be able to stand for long periods of time and love to work with diverse guests from around the world.

Special Exhibition Guest Guides

This special group of volunteers will help greet, orient, and inform visitors who are here to experience special ticketed exhibitions. Duties include:

• Greet guests around the exhibition space
• Orient visitors to the buildings and galleries
• Answer questions about the exhibition
• Aid in line management
• Engage with visitors inline 
• Walk around the museum or stand in high traffic areas to actively engage guests
• Must be able to stand for long periods of time and love to work with diverse guests from around the world.

Information Volunteers

Information volunteers help at the various information desks and kiosks located throughout the museum. These volunteers:

• Are placed at 9 different Information stations throughout the museum
• Can spend more time with our visitors and give more in-depth information about our artists, the collection. and our programs
• Information volunteers can sit down but they are encouraged to move around the immediate area
• Information volunteers should feel comfortable using computers and iPads and working closely with other volunteers and staff.

EXPECTATIONS

Training

• 2 half-days of weekend training
• 3 mentoring sessions

 Shifts

• Thursday–Mondays (closed Tuesday and Wednesday)
• Morning: 10:00–1:00
• Afternoon: 1:00–5:00

 Active volunteer hour minimums

• Regularly scheduled volunteers/weekday substitutes: 7 hours per month
• Weekend volunteers/weekend substitute: 3.5 hours per month

 Dress code

• No jeans, sneakers, or athleisure wear