The Florence Griswold Museum invites you to join our group of volunteers by contributing your time and talents. Some volunteer jobs have a public role, others are more behind-the-scenes, but each is vital to the Museum.


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Volunteer roles include:

Working with the public as...

Docents guide visitors through the Museum's historic house while relating information about the Lyme Art Colony, the Griswold family, and the history of Lyme and Old Lyme. Docents informally answer questions and greet visitors in the Krieble Gallery. Docents receive in-depth training.
Time Commitment: Minimum of two, 2 hour shifts per month.

Educators lead school-aged children on fun and informative student-focus tours of the Griswold House as well as interactive tours of the exhibitions. Educators are hands-on teachers who lead art projects in the Hartman Education Center. Educators can also distribute art supplies to Impromptu Encounters with Art participants.
Time Commitment: Responsibilities are year round and training is held several times throughout the year. Impromptu Encounters is a four-hour commitment once a month from April-November.

Holiday Greeters welcome guests during the busy holiday season.
Time Commitment: Half a day

Being Behind-the-Scenes...

Office Assistants work with Museum staff on clerical projects and data entry.
Time Commitment: Flexible and variable, depending on needs.

Curatorial Assistants assist the staff in research for upcoming exhibitions; restructuring and organizing the cataloging database; genealogy, town and object research; and collection inventory.
Time Commitment: Flexible and variable, depending on needs.

The Membership Committee helps maintain and boosts membership by planning and participating in various Museum events, presenting outreach programs to other sites, and assisting with membership mailings.
Time Commitment: One committee meeting per month, plus several membership events annually.

The Mailing Team prepares various mailings and printed communications produced by the Museum.
Time Commitment: One morning or afternoon as needed.

Publicity and Marketing Archivists assists Marketing Director with clipping service, researching mailing lists and publications, maintaining photo libraries, data entry, and other related activities.
Time Commitment: Varies

The Distribution Team distributes Museum brochures and information to surrounding towns when needed.
Time Commitment: Varies

Helping with Special Occasions...

Hospitality Events help with all details of Museum special events as defined by the Museum's yearly calendar of events, including exhibition opening receptions, midsummer festival, tour group luncheons, etc.
Time Commitment: Varies; intensive at time of event.

Benefit and Auction Committee Benefit volunteers coordinate decorations and set-up for the preview party and the benefit. Auction volunteers are needed to pick up auction items, catalog writers and editors, people to stage items, and work the night of the auction to process items.
Time Commitment: Monthly committee meetings from April to September, plus additional meetings as needed prior to event.

Hot Air Club: Steering Committee volunteers are vital in planning this new and increasingly popular after hours programming for young professionals. The Hot Air Club is responsible for presenting a series of cultural events in the spirit of the original bohemian art colony. Committee members brainstorm, research, and help coordinate programs that provide a lively mix of arts and entertainment, as well as lend a hand with bartending and serving hors d'oeuvres during a cocktail hour before each event.
Time Commitment: Bi-monthly planning meetings for six annual events (three in the Winter/Spring and three in the Late Summer/Fall).

and for Nature Lovers...

The Garden Gang tends to the site's gardens. This is an opportunity to be involved in one of the most admired and important aspects of the Museum... the gardens. During the cold months, the group meets to plan for the coming season, and takes excursions to other garden sites. Come spring, the focus shifts to the garden clean-up, planting and maintenance.
Time Commitment: Every Friday morning for approximately 3 hours.

Miss Florence's Flower Arrangers provide fresh flower arrangements in the Krieble Gallery, the Museum's center hall, and period rooms. Arrangements are also needed for special events.
Time Commitment: One or more times per week.

For more information, please call Shawn Savage at (860) 434-5542, ext. 112, or e-mail Shawn@flogris.org.

THANK YOU!