Volunteering at the Rice Museum is a great way to make a difference in our community. Museum volunteers contribute thousands of service hours each year. In fact, we could not provide many of our museum services without their talent and dedication.
Volunteer Interest Form
Volunteer Hour Tracking
Thank you for choosing to support the Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals by volunteering! Many projects and museum activities would not be possible without your support. Thank you!
The Rice’s project based internship program offers training and direct work experience. If you are a college student interested in learning more about how museums work or are considering a museum career, we encourage you to apply. We seek talented people of all backgrounds.
Interns assist professional staff, interact with the public, conduct research, and gain valuable training, skills, and work experience. The Rice offers both summer and academic year internships that are both remote and in-person.
Sample projects include:
Exhibit Research and Design: Research and generate additional educational content for existing or new displays. Topics include Volcanics of the Pacific Northwest, Mineralogy and Industry, Terroir of the Pacific NW, and Stone Tools of the Pacific Northwest. These projects will involve outreach and coordination with other institutions.
Museum Education: Collaborate with Museum staff to generate a new educational program. This could include a specialized tour, a new hands-on activity, or a traveling exhibit available for loan to schools. Possible topic examples include the historic Rice House, Minerals in Industry, Careers in Earth Science, Art and Minerals.
Community and Inclusivity: Work with the Curator to foster an inclusive environment where visitors will be able to relate to exhibits and see themselves represented. Research the museum’s place in our local community. Develop a testbed display in the NW Gallery, with a corresponding online component that will be continually evaluated and tested by visitors and staff; solicit and collect feedback from visitors through comment boxes, visitor tracking, web and or email surveys, invitational contribution board in the gallery.
