Volunteer

Brooklyn Botanic Garden volunteers contribute many hours in almost every department throughout the Garden. New volunteers are interviewed and placed according to the Garden’s needs. As these needs change, other opportunities for volunteering can become available. Please review the list of Volunteer Opportunities to determine your areas of interest.

Volunteer Opportunities

Weekday Office and Event Support

Assist Development and Membership staff with mailings, member event coordination, and other special projects. (Monday–Friday; 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.)

Children’s Garden Horticulture & Composting

Assist Education staff with garden tasks in the Children’s Garden once per week during the growing season. Volunteers can choose either horticulture or composting. Horticulture volunteers assist with weeding, pruning, watering, bed preparation, and other tasks. Compost volunteers assist with processing food scraps and other plant debris, sifting, and making compost for the Children’s Garden.
(Tuesday mornings, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m., March–November)

Corporate Groups

Corporate groups have the opportunity to volunteer at the Garden through our Corporate Membership Program. Volunteering at BBG is a great team-building exercise for your employees and helps us keep the Garden beautiful. Not a Corporate Member? Visit Corporate Partnership.

Discovery Garden Docents

Discovery Docents lead activities for visitors in our Discovery Garden, a one-acre space for children to explore plants and ecosystems through hands-on play and scientific investigations. Commit to one three-hour shift each week for the duration of a season. This position requires a one-day training session.
(Tuesday–Sunday mornings, spring–fall)

Garden Guides

Lead free public tours and registered adult tour groups Tuesdays–Sundays. This position requires extensive training and monthly continuing education sessions.

Horticulture

Assist the gardeners by pruning, planting, raking, mulching, watering, and weeding. Work with the gardeners to help maintain and further the Garden’s beauty.
(Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays only when openings available; 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.)

Special Event Support & Weekend Greeters

Welcome visitors, answer questions, and staff information tables. During special events, assist in crowd movement, hand out programs and support materials, work behind the scenes with the performers, and fill in wherever needed.
(Saturdays or Sundays; 9 a.m.–6 p.m.)

Visitor Center

Welcome our visitors to the Visitor Center and help by giving directions, answering questions about the Garden, selling Memberships, and stocking brochures and maps. This position requires one day of training.
(Tuesday–Sunday; 10 a.m.–5 p.m.)