Volunteer - Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum

Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum has only one paid staff position, we rely on volunteers for everything else! There are many ways you can make a difference with just a small commitment.

We have created a volunteer survey (that takes less than five minutes to fill out, promise!) in order to learn more about our amazing community of current and future supporters. Have a look and see if any of the activities listed interest you, or you see skill sets that you would like to exercise in service to the museum community:

Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum Volunteer Survey

Available Volunteer Positions

Tea Volunteer Coordinator

This person coordinates the helpers who are needed to set up the Tea Room, bake and cook at home and prepare food items at the museum, as well as servers and kitchen helpers to clean up and do laundry.

Speaker Night Coordinator

Locating/contacting possible presenters for the three SN annually: Feb, June, Oct (or more when the opportunity arises)
liaising with Shanna to anchor the dates on the museum calendar
coordinating with the presenters about what they need (PA system, screen, laptop, connector cables....)
corresponding with the presenters to answer their questions and making sure they know the parameters of the Speaker Night (time, set-up, etc.)
greeting the presenter and making sure the equipment works and everything they need is in place
introducing the presenter with a short biographical/career overview
(This may be done by another museum volunteer, but if none available, the speaker coordinator does it)
making contact info of the presenter available for the Board Secretary to write them a Thank You note

Coordinator for Bricks and Tiles Sales

Order Management

- Receive and process orders from individuals and companies for commemorative bricks and tiles on the museum walkway or walls.
- Address donor requests for changes to engraving details before finalizing orders.
- Act as the primary contact for donors, addressing inquiries, placement requests, and follow-ups.

Engraving and Installation

Partner with Laser Impressions in Sunnyvale for engraving. This company uses computer-controlled laser technology to create permanent marks on the clay bricks and tiles.
Submit finalized engraving details to Laser Impressions by the July 1 deadline each year.
Contact Walton & Sons Masonry in Morgan Hill to schedule installation in August.
Verify that bricks are numbered and placed in order of receipt unless specific placement requests are made (e.g., next to another brick, with Murphy family member bricks)

Record Maintenance

Update two brick and tile location binders located at the museum's front desk, one for bricks and one for tiles. Each binder includes:
Listings by donor name.
Listings by honoree name.

Volunteers

Victorian Teas

behind the scenes workroom

Help keep local history alive by volunteering for one of the numerous opportunities covering a broad range of duties and skills:

Become a docent and take visitors through the exhibits and talk about Sunnyvale’s past. Training and materials will be provided.
Join the Museum Store staff and help customers select one-of-a-kind items from the new or vintage treasures, books, games, and other choices available.
Join the School Program and guide groups of local third grade students in a hands-on experience of Sunnyvale history (training and scripts will be provided).
The two annual Victorian Teas need bakers, cooks, servers, kitchen helpers, tea makers, clean-up crews, as well as volunteers to set the tables with vintage china.
The many artifacts on display and in the museum’s collections need cataloging and archiving. Every few months, a new exhibit is set up that needs volunteers with presentation skills to display the individual items. You could be part of that team.
The SHSMA hosts several annual events, such as Speaker Nights, as well as bigger affairs such as a community festival/event. The opportunities for supporting the planning and organizing of these events are endless.
Assistance with IT and everyday office work is always greatly appreciated.
And many more….

Student Docent Program

The Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum formed a student volunteer program, a perfect opportunity for teens to fulfill volunteer service hours and enhance their college resumé in a fun and interactive way!

Students may volunteer in various ways, for instance, as assistants in the Museum Store, as docents, doing clerical work, helping with events, and other opportunities. Following their training, participants will be working several hours each month through the school year in their chosen field, leading tours, interacting with visitors, and assisting with museum activities and programs, or assisting shoppers in the store.

The student volunteer program provides real work experience. The students explore local history and are involved with community outreach while working on building their public speaking, presentation, and customer service skills. Volunteering will enrich their life experience.

Program details and an application can be obtained by emailing the Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum: info@heritageparkmuseum.org Join Us!

For more information, drop by the museum or call 408-749-0220 when it is open (Noon-4pm Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday), or send an email with all your contact information to: info@heritageparkmuseum.org