Museum of Modern Art volunteers have the opportunity to gain exposure to the workings of a major art museum and contribute valuable visitor services to a nonprofit institution. Applications are accepted at all times. We keep all applications on our waiting list, and will contact applicants with the required skills, interests, and availability for interviews as volunteer positions become available.
Qualified candidates should possess a love and appreciation of art, a flexible attitude for dealing effectively with the public, proficiency with computers, and an understanding that reliability is critical. To volunteer at MoMA, candidates must make a one-year commitment and be available for at least two shifts each month, unless otherwise stated in the volunteer requirements.
Please review the position descriptions before applying. Listed are some volunteer positions that become available most frequently.
Volunteering at MoMA PS1
Warm Up Volunteer
MoMA PS1 seeks hard-working and energetic volunteers for its annual Warm Up summer music series. Ideal applicant is punctual, friendly, articulate, extremely outgoing, comfortable with large crowds and festive atmospheres, and possess physical stamina (as most of the shift will be spent outdoors with long periods of standing, walking, and moderate lifting.) Assists with various aspects of the event, including staffing information tables and providing details about MoMA PS1, The Young Architects Program, and Warm Up to visitors; front-of-house support, including line management, ID verification, and assistance with guest list; encouraging visitors to sign up for the MoMA PS1 email list; and staffing water stations and coat check.
A cover letter including brief answers to the following questions.
Have you volunteered at Warm Up before?
Do you have any prior volunteer and/or relevant experience, specifically at events? If so, please describe.
What would you bring to the Warm Up team?
Why do you want to volunteer at MoMA PS1?
What do you hope to gain from the experience?
Please use “Warm Up Volunteer” as the subject line of your email.
Commitment of at least one shift for four Saturdays is required. Daily shifts are approximately four hours long and are organized accordingly: shift 1 runs 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; shift 2 runs 3:00–7:00 p.m.; shift 3 runs 5:00–9:00 p.m. Some shifts are subject to change.
Benefits
Free admission tickets to select Warm Ups; free admission to The Museum of Modern Art and MoMA PS1; free admission to many other NYC cultural institutions; a 50% discount at the MoMA Store on MoMA-produced items and a 40% discount on non-MoMA produced items; free custom Warm Up volunteer T-shirt; and guest passes to Warm Up events.
Volunteering at The Museum of Modern Art
Lobby Greeter
Greets and directs visitors, distributes general information, educates visitors about Museum programs and membership, answers general questions about the neighborhood and NYC, keeps visitor traffic moving and controlled, and assists lobby staff with other tasks upon request. Approaches families in the lobby and informs them about the resources available to families at MoMA. Seeks out and approaches groups at lobby entrances, and helps to orient them by greeting them, establishing whether they have a reservation, taking the group leader to group processing area, assisting the groups to check and retrieve belongings in the checkroom, and escorting them to the group waiting area. Maintains thorough knowledge of exhibitions, education programs, and other public offerings available at MoMA.
Friendly, welcoming, and proactive about seeking out visitor contact; excellent communication skills; excellent problem-solving skills; ability to use variety of information resources provided; good memory; comfortable interacting with visitors of all ages; physical stamina (shift will be spent standing and walking); and iPad proficient
Program schedule
Daily, year-round
Time requirements
Shift: three hours
Weekday volunteers: once per week
Weekend volunteers: twice per month
Information Desk Volunteer
Answers visitor questions at information desks beyond the lobby and on upper floors, including the Education and Family Information desk, and stocks and organizes brochures and materials at desks. Helps track visitor requests, questions, and comments to aid the Department of Visitor Services, including occasional visitor surveys. Maintains thorough knowledge of exhibitions, education programs, and other public offerings available at MoMA.
Friendly, welcoming, proactive about seeking out visitor contact; excellent communication skills; excellent problem-solving skills; ability to use variety of information resources provided; good memory; comfortable interacting with visitors of all ages; able to work well with other volunteers; and iPad proficient
Program schedule
Daily, year-round
Time requirements
Shift: four hours, with breaks
Weekday volunteers: once per week
Weekend volunteers: twice per month
MoMA Art Lab Greeter
Greet visitors, instruct them where they can leave strollers and coats, record attendance, ask them to wait to be introduced to the Lab by a facilitator, and maintain a waiting list when necessary. Prepare art-making supplies, sharpen pencils, and help tidy the space. Educate visitors about Museum programs and inform them about the resources available to families at MoMA.
Comfortable taking initiative and being proactive about seeking out visitor contact, friendly and outgoing, iPad proficient
Program schedule
Daily, year-round
Time requirements
Shift: four hours, with breaks
Weekday volunteers: once per week
Weekend volunteers: twice per month
Family Gallery Programs Volunteer
Tours for Tweens (Gallery Talk): Greets and signs in families preregistered for Tours for Tweens. Creates name tags; waits for and guides latecomers to their group; assists Museum educator with group management in the galleries; hands out postcards and passes at the conclusion of the tour; and answers questions about Family Programs.
A Closer Look for Kids and Tours for Fours (Gallery Talks): Greets families as they enter the Museum, making sure they are escorted to the correct program; helps families store their belongings in lockers; answers questions about Family Programs and introduces new families to the program; creates name tags; guides families to their group; assists Museum educator with group management in the galleries; and hands out family activity guides, postcards, and passes at the conclusion of the tour.
Enjoys working with families; must be punctual, proactive, and responsible; some physical stamina required (shifts involve standing and walking).
Program schedule
Weekends, late fall through late spring
Time requirements
Shift: three hours, 18 shifts per year
Family Art Workshop Assistant
Greets and signs in families preregistered for Family Art Workshops. Assists in set-up of classroom for art workshops and with overall upkeep of the classroom. Assists Museum educator with group management in the galleries, during the workshop, and during cleanup. Hands out family activity guides and passes at the conclusion of the tour. In the studio, volunteers may help families directly, but will consult with Museum educator for specific instructions on how to best assist.
Some experience working with children; comfortable working with art materials; assistant-teaching experience helpful; and must be punctual, proactive, and responsible.
Program schedule
Weekends, late fall through late spring
Time requirements
Shift: four hours, 18 shifts per year
How to apply
To apply to be a MoMA Volunteer, please download an application (Adobe Acrobat Reader required) and send your completed application to:
