Help local history come to life as a Tour Guide at the Interurban Railway Museum in downtown Plano!
Volunteer Tour Guides greet scheduled groups and walk-ins, keep accurate visitor records and educate on museum exhibits and railway travel history. Ideal for cheerful, proactive individuals with a passion for customer service. Interest in trains, engineering or Plano history is a plus, but not a requirement. The most important requirement is interest in engaging and educating visitors of all ages.
As a volunteer, you will receive the training and support necessary to develop the following skills:
- Engaging groups and individuals of all ages and backgrounds with educational content
- Understand and effectively communicating the science of trains, history of train travel, and its impact on local communities like Plano
- Tailor explanations and level of detail based on the age of audience, familiarity of subject and questions asked
- Evaluate the impact of free educational opportunities on community engagement
Documentation
We keep detailed volunteer records and confirm total hours volunteered if needed for a specific course, student organization or to for a future recommendation letter. If you are looking for class credit or potential volunteer internship, let us know the parameters/guidelines for the course so that we can decide whether this opportunity is right for you and documentation is needed.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be 18 or older
- Complete a background check
- Must understand and recall written and verbal instructions
- Interested in volunteer a minimum of 1 day/week on an ongoing basis (weekdays) OR volunteering every other Saturday
Complimentary Coursework*: Elementary, Middle and High School Education (EDUC, EDEE, EDME, EDSE), History of Texas (HIST2xxx), (History of Texas), Speech/Public Speaking (COMM1xxx, COMM2xxx, SPCH1xxx), Physics (PHYS 1xxx)
*Note: This list is not exhaustive. Course abbreviations and codes vary based on the university.