Get Involved with the Museum

Reception volunteers play a critical role in shaping a visitor’s experience at the Textile Museum of Canada. They create a welcoming, helpful environment where visitors feel comfortable and engaged. They are knowledgeable about the space, history and policies of the Museum. 

Volunteers are asked to commit to a minimum of two shifts per month. 

Reception volunteers sit at the reception desk, located in the lobby of the Museum. This is a wheelchair-accessible space.  

Retail volunteers support the Museum’s mandate by providing a welcoming atmosphere in the Museum Shop. They handle sales, restock inventory, support the online Shop by packaging items, and engage customers in conversation. 

Volunteers are asked to commit to a minimum of two shifts per month. 

Volunteers sit/stand at the sales desk, located in the Shop. This is a wheelchair-accessible space. 

Gallery Guide volunteers support the Education department by fulfilling School Visits and Group Tour programming for school groups, organizations, private bookings and other groups.

For details on all of the Museum’s School Visits and Group Tour offerings and to get a sense of the content that Gallery Guides deliver, visit textilemuseum.ca/visit/#tour.  

Requirements

• Some prior experience in a public-facing role.  
• Comfortable with public speaking and engaging discussion.  
• Expected to follow program guidelines as provided by Education staff and tailor content to suit the needs of School Visits and Group Tour participants.   

Textile Reuse Program volunteers manage textile donations to the Museum. They process and sort fabric donated to the Museum and ensure that quality control and pest prevention standards are met. Along with reference to the Museum’s Fabric Identification Guide, they use their knowledge of textiles to sort fabric, crafting materials and notions into various categories for sale. They welcome visitors into the Reuse Program and engage them in the reuse process. 

Volunteers are asked to commit to a minimum of two shifts per month. Volunteers support in the Museum’s Learning Hub, located on the 2nd floor.  

Requirements

• Volunteers are required to follow the Museum’s COVID-19 safety guidelines, and must be fully vaccinated to attend onsite shifts.  
• Should have interest in learning how to operate a sewing machine and iron, and feel comfortable providing support for visitors’ use of this equipment after training. 
• Should be able to process sales with an iPad after some training. 

• Should feel comfortable engaging with visitors, in-depth textile knowledge is not a requirement. 
• Interest in making, sustainability issues, reuse, upcycling appreciated. 

The Maker Team support the Museum’s sustainability mandate by sewing re-usable fabric packaging, fabric masks and assembling craft kits. The Maker Team creates items to be sold in the Museum Shop, or assemble craft kits for sale or fundraisers. Materials are provided by the Museum. This team helps the Museum reduce the amount of packaging waste and upcycle donated fabrics.   

Volunteers can either participate remotely or sew onsite using the Museum’s sewing machines. 

Requirements

• Volunteers are required to follow the Museum’s COVID-19 safety guidelines, and must be fully vaccinated to attend onsite shifts.  
• Access to sewing machine   
• Past experience with sewing is preferred, but beginners are also welcome  
• Please be advised we are unable to provide training for this role. Volunteers must have basic knowledge of sewing and access to a sewing machine. Volunteers can use their own material (100% cotton or cotton blends), or the Museum can provide materials (including elastic and Textile Museum fabric tags), available for pick up or sent by mail. We also provide patterns.