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Volunteer

Volunteers make the programs happen and the successes we all enjoy. You can bring your passion and personal experiences to our programs and activities. In turn, you’ll learn about local Japanese American history, meet new people with fascinating stories, and learn new skills.

If you are interested in volunteering for the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, please submit our volunteer application form online or call 503-244-1458.

Docents greet visitors or guide tours through the museum exhibits. As volunteers at the museum, all docents will receive on-going training through our education department. More information can be found here.

Speakers give tours of the museum, the Historical Plaza, and/or go out to local classrooms. The Museum in a Suitcase is also an option for new speakers.

Visitor Services/Front Desk Volunteers are the first people guests encounter when they visit the museum. These volunteers greet and check in visitors, help guests navigate the exhibits, cashier for the museum store, and answer visitor questions.

Office Volunteers do research, clerical work, digital image management, and photography.

Archive Volunteers sort, identify, and catalogue photographs, documents, and artifacts.

Exhibit & Event Volunteers help install temporary exhibits, set up and clean-up exhibit openings, and assist with book signings and other annual programs or events.

Off-Site Events Volunteers staff our information booth at public events and fairs.

Omiyage Museum Store Volunteers help with sales, merchandising, and inventory.

Interns are welcome in the Collections and Exhibits department of the Japanese American Museum of Oregon. Scope of work may encompass a broad range of duties, including collections, research, education, or visitor relations. Interns with a specific project in mind are welcome to discuss opportunities.

The intern will gain experience in a small, community-based nonprofit museum and will receive hands on training. The Japanese American Museum of Oregon maintains historical collections, a library, and research files that comprise the collections resources for the museum. Materials in the collections document the Japanese American and Issei experience in Oregon and the surrounding region, with an emphasis on events leading up to and during World War II.

Skills and Experience desired: Undergraduate or graduate student enrollment in history, museum studies, Asian American studies, or related fields. Thorough attention to detail, computer skills including typing, familiarity with database concepts, basic knowledge of digital scanning, and ability to keep detailed information records is helpful.