We had 365 active individual and family volunteers in 2025.

Functioning as a single volunteer unit, our family volunteers are placed to work together as a team, giving you the opportunity to spend time together while giving back. Family volunteers work throughout the museum and can help assist visitors in exhibits or work at special events.

The Museum Apprentice Program (MAP) is a leadership development and skill-building program for teens ages 13–18. The Museum Apprentice Program aims to develop well-rounded thinkers and active citizens with a sense of autonomy, which requires competency, empathy, responsibility, and community. Program participants, known as MAPs, work together on various projects and volunteer opportunities related to The Children’s Museum throughout the year. They also have opportunities to work alongside museum staff, peek behind the scenes, and more!

MAP applications for the 2026–27 season are open through May 31, 2026.

Founded in 1933, The Children’s Museum Guild has a rich history of service and leadership in support of the museum. Guided by its mission, to help promote and support The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis through fundraising projects and volunteer assistance, the Guild is an independent volunteer organization composed of 100 Active Members and more than 500 Associate Members (alumni). In 2025–26 alone, Guild members generously contributed 38,390 hours of volunteer service. Their signature fundraising project, the annual Haunted House, is the museum’s largest annual fundraiser. Beyond this incredible effort, Guild members support the museum year-round by reading to children in the public library, hosting programs during the StarPoint Summer Program, assisting with the museum’s neighborhood holiday celebration, and much more.

We are deeply grateful for their more than 90-year legacy of partnership and the unwavering support they continue to provide year after year.

Approximately 500 Individuals volunteer through group and one-time  volunteer opportunities each year.

We strive to create opportunities for local organizations that add value to your group and the museum. Some common opportunities include: greeting and navigating guests on peak visitation days, landscaping with our facilities team, or assisting with large events. At least five volunteers are required to be considered a group. Generally, outdoor opportunities can accommodate up to 30 volunteers. Indoor opportunities usually have a maximum of 10.

If you're interested in group volunteering, please email volunteercenter@childrenmuseum.org.

The Board of Trustees of The Children’s Museum provides governance and oversight of museum business to ensure alignment with the Museum’s mission and strategic goals. The 60-plus member Board is staffed by volunteers from across Central Indiana and as far away as California. These unpaid members meet four times a year with the full Board and serve on multiple committees and working groups, which include:

• Audit Committee
• Development Committee
• Executive Committee
• Experience Development Family Learning Working Group
• Finance Committee
• Governance Committee
• Investment Committee
• Master Campus Working Group
• Neighborhood Development Working Group

Together, our Board of Trustees gifts the museum with more than 1,000 volunteer hours each year alongside their individual philanthropic giving. Our Trustees, Honorary Trustees, Distinguished Advisors, and Community Leaders are the backbone of our ability to spark joy, wonder, and curiosity for the hundreds of thousands of guests we welcome to The Children's Museum each year. We owe much of our success to these tireless leaders, and we are so grateful to each member of the Board for their contributions.

Learn more about our Board leadership.

Our volunteers don’t just support The Children’s Museum—they shape it. Every hour donated, every program supported, and every guest welcomed reflects the passion and generosity of people who believe in the transformative power of our learning experiences. Together, these volunteers help us spark joy, wonder, and curiosity for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Whether you’re looking to serve as a family, join a leadership group, contribute to a one‑day project, or help guide the museum’s future, there’s a meaningful place for you here. We are endlessly grateful for the time, talent, and heart our volunteers share—and we can’t wait to welcome the next wave of changemakers into our museum family.