• 73 people are interested
 

Van Wyck Homestead Museum Tour Guide (Docent)

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ORGANIZATION: Fishkill Historical Society

  • 73 people are interested
Spring at the Van Wyck Homestead Museum

  1. Musem Tour Guides and Greeters:

The museum building is open to the public for tours on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4, June through October. When the museum is open, the trustees try to schedule two tour guides and one greeter to man the museum during open times.

Museum Greeter Position Description: Welcome visitors to the museum with conversation. Ask visitors to sign the museum's guest book. Manage the queue of visitors that arrive while tours are already in process.

Museum Tour Guide Position: Lead visitors from room to room of the museum, stopping in each room to talk about the historical theme that the room is dedicated to like Fishkill's role in the Revolution, notable Fishkill families, artists and craftspeople and well as interpreting aspects of 18th-Century colonial life.

Sometimes Tour Guides prefer to start as Greeters and use the opportunity to observe guides for awhile to become comfortable with the idea of being a Tour Guide. Some people jump into being a tour guide on the first day after reading the information in the Tour Guide and Greeter folder that the Fishkill Historical Society's Trustees have prepared.

Volunteering at the museum is fun because you have the opportunity to forge friendships with other volunteers and meet visitors from all over the region, country and the world. Voluteering at the museum also instills a sense of self-ownership of the well being and sharing of a valuable piece of Fishkill's place in American history.

To learn more about the Van Wyck Homestead Museum, inquire to this advertisement or see our website at: fishkillhistoricalsociety.org

More opportunities with Fishkill Historical Society

No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.

About Fishkill Historical Society

Location:

504 Route 9, PO BOX 133, FISHKILL, NY 12524, US

Mission Statement

The purpose of this society shall be to gather and preserve information, objects, and resources relating to the history of Fishkill, including the Van Wyck Homestead, and to encourage a knowledge of the Hudson Valley, including its role in the American Revolution.

Description

The Fishkill Historical Society is an organization of 12 volunteer trustees, approximately 30 actively volunteering members and many dues paying members. The historical society is headquartered at the Van Wyck Homestead Museum in Fishkill. The museum is open to the public for tours that are led by volunteer docents on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4, June-October.

In addition to the museum being open for tours the historical society organizes other events as well including lectures/presentations, costumed interpreters, book signings, historical dramatizations, craft vendor sale, holiday open house and other events as opportunities arise. All of the historical society's activities hold volunteering opportunities as well as the "behind-the-scenes" work related to maintaining and cleaning the museum and its grounds.

The museum building was first built in its current spot in 1732. It was used as an Officer's Headquarters at the Fishkill Supply Depot during the Revolutionary War. The founding members of the historical society organized when the original plans to build Interstate-84 called for demolition of the building in 1962.

The house is an example of 18th Century Dutch style architechture. The building bears its original flooring, mouldings, many of the doors, the open hearth kitchen and fire places. The museum exhibits include Fishkill's role in the Revolution, notable people of Fishkill and interpreting aspects of 18th century family and farming lifestyle. The public can also enjoy self-guided tours of features on the grounds.

CAUSE AREAS

Arts & Culture
Community
Education & Literacy
Arts & Culture, Community, Education & Literacy

WHEN

We'll work with your schedule.

WHERE

504 U.S. 9Intersection of Snook Rd. and Route 9Just south of I-84Fishkill, NY 12524

(41.523056,-73.88906)
 

SKILLS

  • History
  • People Skills
  • Public Speaking
  • Marketing & Communications (Mar/Com)
  • General Education
  • Community Outreach

GOOD FOR

N/A

REQUIREMENTS

  • Must be at least 12
  • We ask for at least one 3-hour "shift" a month

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