Our Volunteers

Volunteers are the backbone of the Museum; without them, it could not exist.  They have become a family and give the Museum a tremendous spirit.  Operating without regular government funding, the Museum relies heavily on the enthusiasm of its 200 volunteers, who have a major role in the day-to-day operation of the Museum. 

Volunteers make the difference for the Museum in so many ways, and they remain the cornerstone upon which we develop as a national museum.  From those early discussions between canoeists and historians about creating a museum through to today's volunteers, people from all walks of life have been involved in every aspect of our development.

The difference they make is as essential as allowing us to open our doors to the public seven days a week.  Our frontline volunteers, for example, have chosen us because they want to contribute, and we have chosen them because they have the guest service skills, retail skills and business management skills that we need to provide our guests with the best experience possible.

Our volunteers make a difference in the workshop and with our public programmes when they provide their woodworking skills, artisan skills, and interpretive skills that allow us to show our guests the many facets of canoe building and canoe restoration, paddle carving and all those crafts our forebearers knew.

Caring for the world's largest collection of canoes and kayaks would be an impossible task without the devoted hands of volunteers who clean and monitor the watercraft ensuring their integrity, preserving them for other generations.

And the list of volunteer contributions goes on:  Board members, archivists, exhibit designers, maintenance crews, fundraisers and educators.  To become a member of this dynamic team, or for more information on our Volunteer Program, please contact Susan Ramey at or by , or use our Request Information form.