The volunteer program at The Historic Village at Allaire plays a vital role in fulfilling our museum’s mission to preserve and share early American history with our visitors. Our amazing volunteer community devotes thousands of hours to bringing our Village to life every year.
Do you love meeting new people? Would you like to share your talents with the people around you or develop new ones? Whether you want to step into the past and share it with the world or would prefer to support our museum from behind the scenes, there’s a place for you in the Village!
Our volunteers typically fall into two categories – volunteer interpreters and village or event volunteers.
Volunteer interpreters
If you’ve ever visited our museum you’ve seen our interpreters in action! These fantastic volunteers are at the front lines of our museum, bringing the past to life as they welcome visitors to our 19th-century iron town. Volunteer interpreters wear historic garments supplied by our museum and receive training in a range of historical trades and crafts of their choice.
If dressing up and settling down in one of our homes or workshops sounds like your idea of a good time, you’ll be right at home as a volunteer interpreter. We welcome volunteers of all ages, identities, and experience levels! Individuals and families can:
- Share their passion for the past with visitors to our museum.
- Learn and practice 19th century crafts and activities, such as blacksmithing, tinning, carpentry, cooking, gardening, sewing, and leatherworking.
- Teach guests to play games, dance, sing, and more!
- Invite visitors to participate in hands-on activities like apple-pressing, seed-saving, sand-casting, and more!
Our living history program is open to volunteers from April to December every year. Join us on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11am to 4pm! We ask interpreters to volunteer at least once per month during the operating season. Participation in some trade programs, such as blacksmithing, is only available to adult volunteers.
Village or Event Volunteers
If being on the front-lines of a living history museum isn’t your thing, there are lots of other ways that you can help! Groups, students seeking service hours, and individuals can:
- Sew, knit, or crochet clothing and accessories for our volunteer wardrobe.
- Conduct historical research through our archives.
- Develop a program or activity.
- Assist our facilities department with projects.
- Greet guests, check tickets, or support admissions.
- Help clean or organize our resources.
- Hand out crafts or lead an activity during special events.
Opportunities for Village and Event volunteers are available year-round. There is no minimum age or volunteer hour requirements for Village and Event Volunteers. Scout project proposals are welcome!
All volunteers aged 18 and older must pass a background before their first day volunteering.
Becoming a volunteer
Want to join our volunteer community? Click here to submit an application!
For more information about volunteering, please contact our Manager of Volunteers Dr. Linnea Kuglitsch at lkuglitsch@allairevillage.org or 732-919-3500×12.
All volunteers ages 18 and older must complete a background check prior to their first day of volunteering.
What do our volunteers have to say?
- When we moved to New Jersey over forty years ago, one of the first places we explored with our young children was Allaire. What a treasure we found! Now retired, we are enjoying volunteering there often with grandchildren in tow. This is a wonderful opportunity for all ages to be part of living history, meet new friends and have fun! —Alanna
- I have been a youth volunteer for a few years now and it’s been one of the most uplifting and wonderful things I have ever taken part in. I started when I was 13-14 and am 17 now. It feels like a vacation every Sunday I attend! —Ben
- Allaire Village has been a fantastic place to volunteer and everyone welcomed me with open arms. I’ve not only learned more about history but I’ve had a valuable experience interacting in a living history museum. Everyone at Allaire Village is like a big family and it has been a very rewarding experience. —Katherine