Natural History Museum Branch Seeks Volunteers

Volunteers are needed for the new branch of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County which is to open May 1 at the Media City Center Mall in Burbank.

“At our parent facility in downtown Los Angeles, if we didn’t have the volunteers, we couldn’t operate,” said Mary Ann Dunn, the administrator of the facility which will be the first branch of the museum that will focus on natural sciences.

The Burbank branch of the museum will only have five full-time paid staff members. For the rest of the work, Dunn estimates she will need at least 100 local volunteers.

“We need people stationed in each exhibit area to answer questions,” Dunn said. Volunteers will also be needed to work in the retail shop, selling memberships, give administrative help and to work in the Discovery Center, which gives children hands-on experience in science. Some will work once a week and others once a month, Dunn said.

“We need a large pool of volunteers because not everyone can come when we need them,” Dunn said.

Those interested in volunteering should call Dunn at (213) 744-3314. A meeting of volunteers will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. There will be a short training program.