Join Our Team!

VOLUNTEER with WDS: Our community is stronger when we work together. We’re always looking for volunteers for programs and events and to work in our beautiful Colonial Revival Garden. Have a special skill that you’d like to put to good use—let us know and we might have a role for you! Inquire at info@wdsmuseum.org.

Note: volunteering can entail working in a variety of indoor and outdoor conditions, long periods of standing, climbing stairs, and lifting objects.

OPEN POSITIONS | Administrative Assistant and Museum Guide

The museum currently has two available positions. Please read below for descriptions of each.

Administrative Assistant

The Administrative Assistant brings excellent organizational and interpersonal skills to the essential day-to-day operations of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum (WDS) and its parent organization, the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Connecticut (NSCDA-CT). Established as a museum in 1919, our eight-acre campus of Revolutionary-era houses and grounds in the heart of Old Wethersfield is tied to key events in the history of Connecticut and the founding of the American nation.

This role offers a unique and exciting opportunity to work with a cohesive, mission-driven team and nationally recognized director during a period of organizational renewal and growth. As a leader in Connecticut’s America 250 celebrations, WDS is undertaking extensive capital improvements and a robust calendar of programming and exhibitions throughout 2026.

The Administrative Assistant reports to the Chief of Staff & Director of Events but will interact with a wide range of colleagues, providing various administrative support to the Executive Director, campus rentals program, museum programming and development staff, and general operations of the NSCDA-CT.

Key Responsibilities

Support for general Museum operations:

Make weekly bank deposits.
Facilitate approval and weekly submission of invoices.
Collect and submit bi-weekly employee timesheets for approval and payment.
Facilitate end-of-month credit card expense reporting.
Monitor general email and voicemail inboxes and respond to routine inquiries.
Maintain internal calendars for programming and meeting spaces.
Maintain organization-wide digital subscriptions (e.g., Microsoft 365, Zoom, Adobe Creative Cloud) and coordinate IT support through an external contractor.
Update the member and donor database and facilitate preparation and mailing of gift acknowledgment letters.
Provide other administrative support as needed, including copying, mailing, filing, and scanning.

Support for the Executive Director (ED):

Provide scheduling support for the Executive Director, including communicating with internal and external participants to schedule meetings.
Coordinate meeting logistics (in-person and virtual) for the ED and Board of Managers.
Attend meetings to record minutes or notes when needed.
Provide filing support for the ED and Board of Managers.

Support for NSCDA-CT Operations:

Make weekly bank deposits.
Record incoming payments for membership dues and event registration.
Manage invitations, registration, and event logistics for Spring and Fall meetings of the NSCDA-CT membership, in coordination with the Social Committee chair and President.
Facilitate postal and electronic mailings, including announcements, invitations, and distribution of the member directory and newsletter.
Assist the President, Chief of Staff, and ED in preparing and distributing monthly board meeting materials.
Format and distribute the tri-annual NSCDA-CT newsletter in cooperation with the Newsletter Editor.
Process incoming payments for NSCDA-CT dues and event registration and make weekly bank deposits.

Support for venue rentals and Museum programming:

Support contract preparation, invoicing, and payment processing for rental clients.
Collect client documentation and assisting the Chief of Staff & Director of Events with associated task tracking.
Liaise with vendors to coordinate deliveries, cleaning services, etc.
Prepare and track presenter contracts, tax documentation, and reimbursements for museum programming.
Facilitate receptions and other hospitality needs related to museum programming and donor events.

Key Position Requirements

Ability to integrate quickly and flexibly into a fast-paced environment where team members maintain extensive and wide-ranging workloads.
Ability to exercise independent judgment, initiative, and full confidentiality.
Excellent organizational skills, attentiveness to detail, and self-initiative.
Strong spoken and written communication skills.
Experience supporting projects or programs by managing logistics and relationships.
Excellent technological proficiency, preferably with relevant Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud products, Canva, Constant Contact, and general literacy for troubleshooting technical problems.
Experience with, or ability to gain quick familiarity with, donor and member database software is preferred.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.

Workplace Requirements:

Ability to navigate stairs in historic structures without elevators.
Ability to lift objects up to 30 lbs.
Ability to stand for extended periods and move frequently between spaces.
Ability to provide occasional evening and weekend support for museum programs (varies by season with greatest need in Fall and Spring).

This position is part-time, non-exempt; 30–35 hours/week.

To Apply: Send Cover Letter and Resume to info@wdsmuseum.org | Subject Line: Administrative Assistant Position

Museum Guide

The Museum Guide serves as a knowledgeable and welcoming ambassador for the Webb
Deane Stevens Museum (WDS), engaging visitors with the stories, collections, and historic
spaces of the WDS campus. Museum Guides lead interpretive tours for diverse audiences,
provide front-of-house visitor services, and support public programs and daily museum
operations.

As a Museum Guide, you’ll be on the front lines helping visitors discover new ways of
looking at the past and the present. From thinking carefully about the lives of people who
shaped the American nation to examining historic architecture and how different
generations have changed or preserved it over time, Museum Guides bring national, state,
and local history to life.

This position reports to the Guest Services Manager and Director of Preservation &
Collections and works on a variable part-time schedule according to museum needs.
About the Webb Deane Stevens Museum

Situated in the heart of Old Wethersfield, Connecticut’s oldest largest historic district, the
Webb Deane Stevens Museum has celebrated the rich and diverse legacy of the American
spirit and its impact on Connecticut since 1919. The 8-acre campus includes historic
gardens and 10 structures, three of which are nationally significant houses built between
1752 and 1789. The Joseph Webb House served as George Washington’s headquarters in
1781, when he met with the French General Rochambeau to plot the campaign that ended
the Revolutionary War at Yorktown. Beside it, the Silas Deane house was home to the
United States’ first foreign diplomat, who negotiated French support for the War.
Throughout the houses and in galleries inside our state-of-the-art Holcombe Education
Center, WDS teaches visitors about American decorative arts and craftsmanship through
our collection of objects and artworks. Lectures and performances, both indoors and
outdoors, engage visitors year-round, and the historic Webb Barn and panoramic
Waterman Room are available to community members for rental.

Primary Responsibilities

Guided Tours & Interpretation

Complete required initial training and participate in ongoing learning.
Lead accurate and engaging guided tours of the 1752 Joseph Webb House, 1773
Silas Deane House, 1789 Isaac Stevens house, and 1711 Buttolph-Williams House,
as well as orientation tours of gallery exhibitions.
Present content based on room-by-room interpretive plans and research provided
by museum staff.
Adapt tours for a variety of audiences, including adults, school groups, families, and
special-interest groups.
Maintain tour lengths within established guidelines (generally one hour).
Support a high-quality visitor experience that reflects the museum’s mission and
interpretive goals.

Visitor Services & Front-of-House Operations

Welcome visitors in a courteous, professional, and inclusive manner.
Facilitate admissions and Museum Shop transactions in accordance with
established procedures.
Answer phones, respond to inquiries, take messages, and provide general visitor
information.
Assist patrons with reservations for programs and special events when necessary.
Promote museum programs and offerings in a positive and knowledgeable manner.

Museum Operations & Safety

Open and close the museum following established procedures and complete daily
checklists.
Maintain visitor attendance records and demographic data.
Assist with monitoring the safety and security of visitors, buildings, collections, and
grounds.
Respond calmly and professionally to emergencies and report incidents or unsafe
conditions promptly.

Programs & Additional Duties

Assist with the delivery of public programs and special events as assigned.
Conduct research or work on museum-related projects between tours, as directed.
Complete additional duties as assigned to support museum operations.
Schedule & Work Environment
This is a seasonal position, with regular work available from May through October
and December.
Limited hours may be available on a reduced basis during the off-season,
depending on museum needs.
Hours are scheduled monthly and may include weekends and holidays.
Work includes standing for extended periods and navigating historic buildings with
stairs and uneven surfaces.

To Apply: Send Cover Letter and Resume to info@wdsmuseum.org | Subject Line: Museum Guide Position