There’s Something For Everyone, Members and Friends Alike
Contact us: mhsm.officemanager [at] gmail.com
For over 100 years the Medford Historical Society & Museum has been working to capture, preserve and celebrate the history or one of New England’s oldest cities. From Pre-Columbian America, through the Civil War and on to the present day, MHSM’s collections of artifacts, art work, books and documents are continuously inventoried and preserved by volunteers. Volunteering at MHSM is a great chance for you to:
- learn more about our city’s complex evolution
- acquire new skills
- use your creativity
- meet new and interesting people
- help a public organization flourish
Below is a sampling of volunteer opportunities. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to participate or if you have new ideas.
Sunday Staff
Join our expanding group of core staffers who help to ensure that MHSM headquarters is open to the public each Sunday afternoon from 1:00-4:00 PM. Volunteers greet visitors, sell books and other items, and help with reference and general information questions. Volunteers will be trained in the Sunday procedures and introduced to the basic books, indexes, files, photos, and other resources most commonly used in Medford research.
Time: A commitment of at least two hours on Sunday from 1:00-4:00 PM at least four Sundays per year. Training time would be one Sunday afternoon from two to three hours.
Collection Committee
Researchers – The Collection Committee has responsibility for acquiring, cataloging, preserving, and occasionally “de-accessioning” items that do not meet our criteria for the collection. We need volunteers to research items whose purpose or origin is unclear. Most of this work can be done on the web from home with visits to the MHSM building to photograph or examine the research object.
Time: Minimum 1 hour/week average
Garden Committee
The Society has a small garden in the front of the building and a narrow naturalized shade strip on one side of the building. There is a fenced in area in the back of the building which needs raking in the fall. Spring cleanup includes raking, minor trimming, soil loosening, and feeding. We have an automatic watering system.
Time: The maintenance effort is about 20 hours per year which can be shared with companions.
House Committee
1) Committee Members – Help us assess the maintenance needs of MHSM headquarters, and develop long-range maintenance and improvement plans. Participation is open to everyone, particularly those who have construction, electrical or facilities management background. We also make small interior repairs, occasional painting, and work with the MHSM Garden Committee to improve and maintain the grounds of our headquarters.
Time: The committee meets four evenings a year for two to three hours. Any other time commitment would depend on the nature of a project.
2) Light Housekeeping Brigade – The exhibition area of MHSM headquarters needs regular, light cleaning. We are looking for a volunteer or volunteers to come in once a month to sweep, dust and tidy up a bit. On occasion we also need help setting up and taking down exhibitions at the headquarters.
Time: Once a month for one to two hours.
3) Snow Shovel Staff – When the snow flies we need a healthy soul or two to come by MHSM headquarters with a shovel and broom to clear and sweep its front entryway and adjacent sidewalk.
Time: An average of four times a snow season. If a snow accumulation is less than a foot, the effort should take around 30 minutes. The volunteer must be in good general health and fit for the task, and have access to a snow shovel and broom.
Programming/Events Committee
The MHSM develops and hosts education programs throughout the year with the help of volunteers. Volunteers are essential to our success. Join our committee and help plan programs, lectures, member events and other educational activities. The sky’s the limit when it comes to innovation, diverse programming, and good cheer. As a committee member you would help research/plan/develop programs, formulate a calendar of programs and events and help with logistics (set-up, staffing programs).
Time: The committee meets for planning purposes approximately once a month for an hour; programs take place once a month (excluding July and August) generally from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Historic House Marker Committee
The Historic House Marker Program is seeking volunteers interested in doing house history research and writing up the narrative report. An interest in genealogy and writing skills would be important assets. Research can mostly be done online from a home computer using available tools and links to databases such as the Middlesex South Registry of Deeds. Our current researcher can train and assist new volunteers, and can provide a vast library of digital reference materials.
Time: Varies, but 20 or more per house history.
–> If you are interested in volunteering, contact us: mhsm.officemanager [at] gmail.com