Date Posted: 2026/07/14
Apply by: July 26, 2026
Description of role:
Outdoor Engagement Volunteers help to re-orient people to the services of the museum. They are a welcoming presence in the Museum’s outdoor spaces, supporting visitors as they arrive, explore, and move through the site. Wearing clearly identifiable garments, volunteers are stationed at key and safe exterior locations such as entrances, plazas, sides of pathways, and gathering areas, where they help orient visitors and create a positive first impression of the Museum.
In this role, volunteers help encourage visitor engagement and flow into the Museum by offering friendly greetings, answering basic questions, and sharing information about exhibitions, events, and services. They also play an important role in supporting accessibility, comfort, and orientation of the museum’s outdoor space and offers, while promoting the Museum as a vibrant cultural destination which is part of a broader local tourism experience.
Responsibilities:
Volunteers may be asked to support any of the below tasks:
- Support visitor flow and orientation in the outdoor Museum spaces by guiding visitors to entrances, pathways, plazas, and connections between sites, and by assisting with accessibility needs, including directing visitors to accessible entrances and available mobility services and supports;
- Provide and promote basic Museum information, including hours, admissions, highlights, exhibitions, programs, events, and visitor experiences such as passes, tours, and special initiatives;
- Greet and welcome visitors arriving by foot, bicycle, aqua taxi, or other transportation modes at Museum outdoor entry points;
- Share information about site connections and nearby attractions, including transportation options, pathways, and links between partner museums;
- Encourage visitors to explore and engage with the Museum grounds, including outdoor artworks, temporary installations, and family-friendly or self-guided activities, as well as nearby cultural and tourism offerings;
- Offer to take photos of visitors with their preferred backdrop;
- Distribute or promote digital and hard-copy resources such as QR codes, maps, event listings, and self-guided experiences;
- Encourage visitors to enter the Museum and speak with Information Desk staff for more detailed assistance;
- Provide assistance with visitor comfort in changing weather conditions (e.g., shade guidance, rain shelter direction, umbrella support);
- Represent the Museum in a welcoming, respectful, and professional manner at all times.
Skills and Competencies:
- Friendly, approachable, and confident engaging with diverse visitors
- Strong communication and active listening skills
- Comfortable providing directions and answering basic visitor questions
- Flexible and adaptable in outdoor environments and changing conditions
- Calm, patient, and supportive approach to visitor needs
- Ability to remain proactive and attentive in a busy public space
- Interest in cultural tourism, visitor experience, or public engagement
Eligibility Criteria:
- Adolescents and adults (ages 16 +)
- Bilingual: French/ English Oral
Time commitment and Logistics:
- Shifts are available for in-person volunteering in the outdoor spaces of the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum.
- Volunteers will be stationned outside and may experience changing weather during shifts.
- Volunteers must attend a training session specific to this activity, prior to their first shift.
- Minimum commitment of a 2-hour shift is required.
- Shifts are scheduled during peak visitor periods, including weekends, holidays, and special events.
- Volunteers will be scheduled in pairs when possible.
- Volunteers shifts will operate on a set schedule and on an as-needed basis.
- Additional shifts may be available based on operational needs and seasonal programming.
- Volunteers are expected to notify staff in advance if they are unable to attend a scheduled shift so coverage can be arranged.
The masculine form is used in this document for the sole purpose of simplifying the text: it is not discriminatory in any way.
We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including candidates from all cultures, racialized communities, all abilities, all sexual identities and genders, and anyone else who can contribute to the diversity of ideas. We are committed to an inclusive, barrier-free selection process and volunteering environment.
Both the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum were built on the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg, on land that has held, and continues to hold – great historical, spiritual, and sacred significance. The Museums respect and honour the enduring presence of the Algonquin people and strive to ensure that this is reflected in their work.
If you require an accommodation (including alternate formats of materials) in order to participate in this application process, please contact us to make your needs known in advance. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially. Contact: benevole-volunteer@museedelhistoire.ca
