Museum Interpreter

Job Description

Job Description

JOB SUMMARY

Are you a gifted storyteller with a passion for uncovering hidden truths? Do you believe that history belongs to everyone?

Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House is seeking a dynamic Museum Interpreter to join our team. We are a site of complex layers, from its history as a place of enslavement to its transformation through Quaker activism and the mid-century modernism of Frank Lloyd Wright. We are looking for a communicator who can bridge these narratives and make them accessible to a wider audience through Spanish, French, or American Sign Language (ASL).

The museum’s mission is to engage with our community to preserve history and care for nature at this former site of enslavement. Our programs, events, and interpretation foster racial justice, promote sustainable practices, nurture wellbeing, and contribute to community repair. Our goal is to share the full history of the site, provide historical context, and highlight the contributions of all the people who lived and worked in both houses. The site includes Woodlawn and the Pope-Leighey House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

COMPENSATION

• Base Rate: $20.00 per hour (Standard English tours and administrative/training time).
• Bilingual Rate: $25.00 per hour (For tours conducted in Spanish, French, or other non-English languages).
• ASL Rate: $30.00 per hour (For tours conducted in American Sign Language).

SCHEDULE

• 2–3 shifts per week, including one mandatory weekend day—Sundays preferred.
• Shifts are 6.5 hours (9:45 am – 4:15 pm, with one unpaid half hour lunch)

ANTICIPATED START DATE: Mid-May/early-June 2026

• Tour Delivery : Lead guided tours for diverse audiences, maintaining deep site knowledge to answer questions accurately and facilitate discussions.
• Specialized Interpretation: Deliver standard English-language tours as well as a second language or ASL as requested, ensuring the site’s complex history is accessible to all visitors
• Research & Study: Commitment to independent study to deepen expertise in local history and the site’s core interpretive themes (Indigenous, enslaved, and Quaker histories).
• Site Operations: Perform opening/closing procedures, monitor the safety of visitors and historic objects, and assist with general site cleanliness.
• Events & Support: Assist with special programs, school groups, and administrative tasks (e.g., answering phones, refilling brochures, or annual collections cleaning).
• Collaboration: Participate in mandatory trainings and staff meetings; share feedback and research findings with the supervisor to improve tour content.

• Subject Expertise: Experience or education in African American, Indigenous, or Quaker history is a major plus; a passion for learning these histories is required.
• Communication: Exceptional public speaking skills and the ability to handle difficult or sensitive historical discussions with grace.
• Language Skills: You possess high-level fluency in Spanish or French, OR proficiency in American Sign Language.
• Teamwork: A collaborative spirit and the ability to work effectively with a diverse team.
• Physical Ability: Ability to climb stairs and walk between historic houses in various weather conditions.
• Reliability: You are consistently available to work one weekend day, Sundays preferred. Must be punctual and flexible.

To apply, please submit a resume and a cover letter explaining your experience and interest in the position. In your letter, tell us a story: tell us about a time you used your language skills or storytelling ability to bridge a gap or change a perspective.