Community Volunteer Opportunities at VMFA
Community Volunteers at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts help to make our collections available to the public 365 days a year! From greeting and escorting visitors or assisting children in the Art Education Center to developing databases or dusting display cases, a variety of volunteer opportunities are available.
Volunteers are utilized seven days a week from before the museum opens to when it closes, making it convenient to find a schedule that accommodates any volunteer’s lifestyle. Some volunteer positions require an ongoing commitment, while others are one-time activities or on-call positions.
VMFA strives to place volunteer applicants of all ages, backgrounds, and interests into appropriate assignments and encourages intergenerational, family, and group volunteering. Students with community service hour requirements for school or other extracurricular activities may fulfill their commitment at the Museum. Please note that, while the volunteer programs offer much flexibility, various circumstances such as position availability and suitability may prevent VMFA from placing an applicant. In addition, most volunteer positions require a reference and background check.
Currently, our primary volunteer openings are as follows:
Ask Me Ambassadors (AMAs): Serving as the welcoming face of VMFA, AMAs help greet visitors, assist with way finding, check visitors’ coats, usher, take tickets, thank visitors, gather feedback on visitors’ experiences, and perform other special assignments. AMAs should enjoy working with the public and have positive customer service and interpersonal skills. They should also be reliable, like working on a team, and be able to take initiative.
AMAs commit to a minimum of two 2½-hour shifts per month. Shifts are generally available from 9:30 am–12 pm, 12–2:30 pm, and 2:30–5 pm, seven days a week, and on Thu and Fri evenings from 5–7 pm and 7–9 pm.
Family Day Event Assistants: Family Days are one-time opportunities that provide a great way to get involved with volunteering at VMFA. Family Day Event Assistants greet visitors and direct them to activities, help with art stations, assist artists and performers, organize lines, usher guests into and out of performances and film screenings, prepare and disseminate materials, and help with setup and cleanup.
Volunteers for Family Days should be friendly, patient, and customer service-oriented. Likewise, they should enjoy working with a large, diverse, multi-generational audience.
Learn more about upcoming Family Days →
To apply for one of these positions or to learn more about these and other volunteer opportunities, please contact Kim Frola, Program Manager for Volunteers and Community Service, at kim.frola@vmfa.museum or 804.340.1461.
Thank you for your interest in volunteering at VMFA. We hope to hear from you soon!
Current Volunteers Log In to Volgistics Here