Become a Volunteer
Each year, Washington, DC’s National Mall hosts over 36 million visitors, making it the most visited national park in the country. With this level of use, volunteers play a vital role in helping the National Park Service (NPS) engage with visitors and maintain the grounds. As the official nonprofit partner of NPS, the Trust for the National Mall is committed to building a sense of stewardship for this iconic park.
As part of the commitment, NPS and the Trust are working together on an enhanced volunteer experience. This is an excellent opportunity for those fascinated by history, and those who love meeting new people and enjoy spending time outdoors. This is also a great chance to gain valuable experience working at a national park. Special thanks to the Merrill Family Foundation for its support in helping the Trust expand the volunteer program.
Current Volunteer Opportunities:
National Mall Orientation and Visitor Services Volunteer
Orientation and Visitor Services Volunteers help the National Mall function at its best by creating a hospitable and visitor- centered environment. The primary task of this role is to assist visitors in navigating and enjoying their visit to the National Mall. This may include offering directions around the park and surrounding area, supplying maps and brochures, and providing introductory information on the Mall and the site at which the volunteer is stationed. Orientation and Visitor Services volunteers will also be responsible for directing visitors to appropriate resources for further learning. Other duties include maintaining kiosk supplies and reporting safety, security, and maintenance concerns and emergencies to appropriate staff contacts. Sites include the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the World War II Memorial.
Interpretation Volunteer -
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
The memorial represents Dwight D. Eisenhower's legacy in a four-acre urban park at the base of Capitol Hill. Features include world-class architecture, a one-of-a-kind stainless-steel tapestry depicting beaches of D-Day, heroic-sized bronze sculptures, and stone bas reliefs. Interpretation Volunteers help educate the public about pivotal moments in Eisenhower’s life, including D-Day and his time as President, through the various elements of the memorial's art and architecture.
U.S. Park Police Horse Stables and Education Center
In 2023, the Trust for the National Mall and the National Park Service unveiled the new Horse Stables and Wells Fargo Education Center on the National Mall. The Trust led this transformational project to replace and upgrade the original horse stables built in the 1970’s and to create the new Education Center in partnership with the National Park Service and the United States Park Police Mounted Unit. The Mounted Unit is one of the oldest and most beloved equestrian units in the U.S. Starting in 1934 with just one horse rented from a local stable, the unit expanded over the next several decades to provide guidance, protection and a friendly equine presence on the National Mall.
Interpretation Volunteer - Lockkeeper’s House
The Lockkeeper’s House is the oldest structure on the National Mall. Finished in 1838, the house sat at the intersection of what used to be the C&O Canal and the Washington Canal, where the Lockkeeper collected tolls and kept trade records for merchandise that entered the city. The house was abandoned for decades, becoming a squatter residence for a family before the Army Corps of Engineers took ownership in 1902. Over the years, the Lockkeeper’s House evolved to meet the needs of the times – serving as a tool shed for park staff, a watchman’s lodge, and even a temporary holding cell for the U.S. Park Police. The house has been moved twice, with each previous location outlined in brick nearby. The Trust for the National Mall funded a major renovation effort completed in 2019. The exhibit space aims to tell the history of civics, commerce, development, and ecology on the storied site.
Beautification Volunteer at African American Civil War Memorial and Museum
The African American Civil War Memorial and Museum are located in the historic "U" St District in Washington, DC, and together help tell the story of the United States Colored Troops' involvement in the American Civil War. The African American Civil War Memorial, which honors the 200,000 African American soldiers and sailors who fought in the Army and Navy during the Civil War, is the only memorial dedicated primarily to African American soldiers in Washington, D.C.
Administrative Volunteer at Buckeye Drive
Volunteers at Buckeye Drive assist park rangers in answering phone calls and questions from visitors, volunteers, and other interested parties. By assisting at Buckeye Drive, volunteers join rangers as an essential support to operations on the National Mall.
Future Volunteer Opportunities:
Please check back here later or apply to any of the opportunities above.
Apply Today
Please submit your information using the form below (You can also access the form directly using this link).
The suggested time commitment is at least 8 hours, or 2 shifts per month. If you have any questions around our positions, please email volunteer@nationalmall.org.