Are you looking for ways to give back in your community? With only a single full-time staff member, we could use your help. Such a mammoth undertaking requires plenty of elbow grease, and the museum is always searching for volunteers to help fulfill our mission. Mabry-Hazen House offers a variety of opportunities for individuals interested in volunteering and becoming involved with the Foundation. Placement is made based on an individual’s interests, experience, abilities, availability, and on current volunteer openings. If you have a passion to help, we can find a project that works with your own personal style. To volunteer, fill out our Volunteer Sign-Up Form!

How You Can Assist Us:

Garden Work

With nearly 11 acres of property and designation as Level 1 arboretum, there is always an outdoor project that needs attention.  Garden volunteers help with the maintenance and care of our grounds. Tasks like garden bed care, grounds maintenance, bush pruning and weeding are typical.

Green thumbs are welcome to adopt a bed and make it their own. For those without green thumbs, we are always looking for people to help water and weed. Our garden volunteers are welcome to come and go at their convenience and/or participate in scheduled garden days. Mabry-Hazen House has tools and gloves available for use during larger gatherings. This is a wonderful volunteer activity for the whole family.

Docent (Tour Guide)

By far the element most visible to the public, guides and interpreters present the history of the home to the guests in an engaging and accurate manner. These docents open/close the museum, house host, and are specially trained to give the orientation portion of our tour. Thus, in addition to public speaking, these volunteers will engage in primary and secondary source research in order to craft their own tour program. Ideally, programs will develop as volunteers interpret new works and sources. They also provide private tours for groups, as needed.

Archival Assistants  

With a collection of approximately 5,000 artifacts, it is imperative that every piece is properly preserved and accounted for. Task include organizing and cataloguing documents and artifacts, researching objects, updating information in the collection management databases, preparing condition reports, collections care, and exhibition development.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

• Board Member

• Special Events

• Data Entry

• Community Outreach

• Musician/Entertainment

• Light cleaning/maintenance

• Writing

• Costumed Interpretation

• Professional Services

• Skilled Tradesmen

• Much more…let us know what you have in mind!

Internships

Mabry-Hazen House is seeking interns. We are searching for candidates to contribute to our collections, interpretation, and communications departments. Candidates will have the opportunity to choose a department in which to focus, but throughout the internship, individuals will work across museum functions to gather valuable experience and a holistic perspective of the museum field.

Candidates will work directly with the director to assist with projects, which can include the planning and presentation of educational programming, interpretation research and facilitation, visitor services, special event coordination, updating information in the collection management databases, and preparing condition reports, collections care, social media creation, communications planning, and exhibition development. Interns will receive hands-on, practical experience.

The positions are unpaid, but Mabry-Hazen House will work with the intern’s home institution to provide academic credit.

The intern should be prepared to work 8-15 hours per week for 8-10 weeks. Mabry-Hazen House is flexible with scheduling.

Candidates should have strong writing skills, an enthusiasm for local history and preservation organizations, and an interest in applying history in a variety of mediums or non-profit communication strategies. 

Skills and qualifications are preferred, but not required.

To apply, please send a resume to Patrick Hollis at director@mabryhazen.com.

Collections Internship

Duties:

·   Update information in PastPerfect database

·   Accession artifacts from collection and create new records in PastPerfect

·   Photograph objects

·   Assist in preparation of condition reports

·   Help pack objects

·   Research artifacts and write catalogue descriptions

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

·   Object handling experience

·   Experience using PastPerfect or other museum collections database software

·   At least 3 semester hours (1 course) of museum studies classwork

·   Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite

·   Transportation to and from the museum

·   Ability to lift up to 30 pounds

Interpretation Internship

Duties:

·   Become knowledgeable of the history and features of the historical site

·   Greet visitors and perform operational duties of the site

·   Research and present public interpretative programs

·   Conduct tours of historic house and site

·   Assist with marketing projects such as email newsletters and social media

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

·   Experience in public speaking and handling diverse audiences

·   Effective communication skills

·   At least 6 semester hours (2 courses) in American history

·   Possess a keen interest in and knowledge of Knoxville history

·   Ability to perform basic research and organize large amounts of information

·   Handle controversial issues with tact and professionalism

·   Transportation to and from the museum
 

Communications Internship

Duties:

·   Become knowledgeable of the site’s history, style guide, and voice

·   Prepare social media content through copywriting, graphic design, and short-form video recording and editing

·   Research and present non-profit communication strategies

·   Assist with event planning, outreach, and execution

·   Assist with additional marketing projects, such as email newsletters and press releases

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

·   Experience in public speaking and handling diverse audiences

·   Effective communication skills

·   At least 6 semester hours (2 courses) in Communications

·   Possess a keen interest in Knoxville history

·   Ability to perform basic research and organize large amounts of information

·   Handle controversial issues with tact and professionalism

·   Transportation to and from the museum

Lastly, ADVOCATE for us! Tell your friends, family, and representatives about the rich history that we preserve. Encourage them to visit us and attend one of our special events. Help preserve history!