AIHA Issues Call for Volunteers

The Albany Institute recently completed a two-year, $ 17.8 million renovation and expansion project and is planning a Grand Opening Celebration Weekend for September 21-23, 2001.   As the museum returns to full operation with both floors of exhibitions installed, volunteers are needed to assist with administrative and program-related activities for visitors of all ages and interests.

Volunteer opportunities range in time commitment and may focus on special interests or special skills.  Assistance is needed with general office work such as filing, typing, answering phones and collating mailings.  More specialized duties, such as assisting with retail operations in the Museum Shop, hosting duties during special events and serving as a docent for the Museum Education office, may require more training and a more substantial time commitment.

Volunteers within the Museum Shop will need to know details on product lines, understand and be comfortable operating a cash register, help with sales of shop merchandise, memberships and school group souvenirs and assist with inventory activities.

Special events may range from exhibition opening receptions to formal black-tie dinners, open houses to family festivals.  Volunteer responsibilities may include greeting event participants, distributing of programs or keepsakes, ushering guests to event seating and directing attendees within the museum facilities.

Docents provide programs for K-12^th grade school groups, lead gallery tours for adult groups and contribute assistance for special events.  Through gallery interpretation and programming, docents make the objects and exhibitions in the museum relevant to visitors.  New and returning docents will participate in a rigorous training period (September 24-28, October 1-5, 9:00am-12:00noon) in preparation for the re-opening of all of the galleries in the museum. 

Individuals interested in volunteering may contact Marcie Bergan in the Human Resources Department at 518-463-4478.  Participants who are specifically interested in the docent program may contact Stacia Partin in the Museum Education Office at 518-463-4478 for more information.