Job Details

To apply: Email your resume and cover letter to emily@sbhistorical.org

About the Position

At the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, Visitor Services Representatives serve as a central point of connection between the public and the Museum, supporting visitor experience, gallery stewardship, communication, retail, membership, events, hospitality, venue rentals, and daily Museum operations.

This position plays a critical role in ensuring the safety of the Museum's galleries and guests, while creating a welcoming,inclusive, and engaging experience that connects visitors with the history, people, and stories of Santa Barbara.

This position is designed to provide a strong foundation for a career in museum work, with opportunities to develop skills and experience across departments. As Visitor Services Representatives develop their knowledge, skills, and experience, they may take on additional responsibilities and special projects with the potential to grow into other roles within the Museum.

The ideal candidate:

• Is highly personable and genuinely enjoys helping others succeed.
• Demonstrates trustworthiness, responsibility, and professionalism.
• Communicates with warmth, confidence, and clarity.
• Demonstrates strong organizational skills, sound judgment, and the ability to prioritize tasks amid frequent interruptions and changing needs from visitors and staff.
• Demonstrates initiative and resourcefulness; takes ownership of responsibilities; follows through; and actively seeks opportunities to learn new skills and contribute beyond routine duties.
• Demonstrates curiosity about the Museum, a willingness to learn about its mission, history, collections, exhibitions, programs, and operations, and understanding of how different Museum functions contribute to the visitor experience and the Museum's overall mission.

Starting Pay: $20 per hour, with opportunities for advancement.

Reports to: Director of Education

Schedule & Availability

Regular scheduling is based on Museum operating hours. Available shifts are Wednesday–Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m., with an extended Thursday shift from 11:30 a.m.–7:15 p.m.

Additional and extended shifts during scheduled evening and weekend programs, events, and private rentals is required.

Position Duties & Responsibilities

At the Museum Front Desk

Gallery Safety

• Assist with opening and closing procedures and daily Museum operations.
• Follow established safety training/protocols and support their implementation to consistently maintain a safe environment for staff and visitors.
• Maintain accurate visitor attendance and other operational records using Museum systems.
• Perform daily walk-throughs of galleries and public spaces to identify safety, security, accessibility, and maintenance concerns. Record or report Museum temperature and humidity readings and other gallery conditions as directed to help protect collections, technology, and facilities.
• Monitor security camera feeds covering Museum galleries, entrances, Museum grounds, remaining alert to unusual, suspicious, or potentially unsafe activity and promptly communicating concerns to the appropriate Museum staff member.
• Monitor visitor activity and enforce established Museum policies regarding food and beverages, photography, bags and personal belongings, animals, children, and appropriate behavior in galleries. Politely and professionally remind visitors of Museum guidelines when necessary.
• Respond appropriately to accidents, injuries, or other safety concerns, following Museum emergency procedures and notifying the appropriate staff member and emergency personnel when necessary. Document and communicate safety incidents, accidents, damage, maintenance concerns, and other significant issues.
• Assist with maintaining appropriate lighting, signage, barriers, and other visitor-facing elements in galleries and public spaces.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and accessible environment in all exhibits, facilities, and at the Front Desk, ensuring that all public spaces are prepared to meet the needs of visitors.

Visitor Experience

• Serve as a knowledgeable first point of contact for visitors, members, school groups, event guests, and vendors.
• Develop a strong working knowledge of the Museum's mission, history, exhibitions, collections, programs, facilities, policies, and visitor resources in order to answer questions about Museum hours, wayfinding, exhibitions, programs, membership, events, merchandise, facilities, accessibility, policies, local attractions, and basic Santa Barbara history.
• Assist visitors in navigating the Museum and its resources, including exhibitions, public programs, the Museum Store, Gledhill Library, and website.
• Encourage visitors to participate in Museum programs, become members, shop at the Museum Store, and return for future visits.
• Anticipate visitor needs rather than simply responding to requests, providing thoughtful assistance and helping visitors navigate the Museum with confidence.
• Document visitor feedback, questions, suggestions, and concerns to help the Museum continually improve the visitor experience.

Communication & Daily Operations

• Serve as a central communication point between Museum visitors and staff, professionally answering, transferring, and routing telephone calls, emails, messages, and other inquiries to the appropriate department or staff member in a timely and professional manner.
• Receive, sort, and distribute incoming mail, packages, and other deliveries to appropriate Museum staff.
• Handle visitor, member, donor, and prospective-client information with discretion and follow Museum procedures for confidentiality, recordkeeping, and data privacy.
• Listen to visitor questions, concerns, and feedback and respond with professionalism, good judgment, and appropriate follow-through.
• Learn to use the Museum's communication systems, calendars, software, databases, point-of-sale technology, and other digital tools confidently and professionally. Provide basic troubleshooting when needed.

Sales

• Process a variety of Museum Store transactions, returns, donations, memberships, and other sales accurately using the Museum's point-of-sale system.

Membership

• Promote and support Museum membership by maintaining a thorough working knowledge of membership levels, benefits, events, and other opportunities, and communicating this information to prospective and current members.
• Process new memberships and renewals accurately and assist members with questions about their benefits in person, over the phone, and through email correspondence.
• Maintain accurate membership information in DonorPerfect and communicate changes, questions, or issues to the appropriate Museum staff member as needed.
• Assist with membership outreach, communications, and other administrative tasks assigned.

Museum Store

• Develop and maintain knowledge of Museum Store merchandise.
• Process, package, and prepare Museum Store orders for shipment, including online, telephone, and in-person purchases.
• Assist with receiving, restocking, organizing, and maintaining Museum Store inventory, as well as other retail-related tasks assigned.

Venue Rentals

• Conduct tours of the Museum and event spaces for prospective wedding and private event clients, accurately and professionally highlighting the Museum's venue rental offerings and policies.
• Maintain knowledge of Museum rental policies, spaces, capacity information, basic venue guidelines, and frequently asked questions.
• Respond to prospective clients' questions by phone, email, and in person, providing information within the scope of the position and connecting clients with the appropriate staff member when additional information or decision-making is required.
• Communicate prospective client feedback, questions, concerns, and sales opportunities to the appropriate staff member.

Events & Hospitality

• Directly support the Director of Education in executing 40–50 public programs and special donor events annually, ranging from small gatherings to large-scale events. These include exhibition openings, fundraisers, concerts, lectures, VIP tours, member events, and community celebrations that welcome thousands of attendees each year.
• Assist with event registration, ticketing, guest lists, membership sales, and other assigned front-of-house responsibilities.
• Assist with event preparation, setup, execution, and breakdown, preparing event spaces by arranging tables, chairs, linens, signage, décor, serving equipment, displays, and other materials.
• Provide exceptional hospitality service by preparing and managing food and beverage stations, serving guests, bussing tables, and maintaining clean and organized service areas.
• Monitor event spaces and anticipate guest and operational needs, proactively addressing issues, guest feedback, and supply needs or communicating them to the appropriate staff member.

Additional Responsibilities as Assigned

• Assist with Education, Collections, or Library-based projects as needed, including digitization, research, exhibition preparation, school and adult tours, and media requests.
• Assist with developing visual and written content for social media, educational publications, websites, marketing materials, presentations, and community outreach.

Qualifications

Required

• Previous experience in customer service, hospitality, retail, tourism, or non-profits.
• Ability to perform routine front desk and administrative tasks, including using a computer, telephone, and other office equipment.
• Retail, cash-handling, or point-of-sale experience.
• Experience using Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft 365, or similar workplace systems.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time.
• Ability to bend, reach, and move items over 40 pounds.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred

• Familiarity with Santa Barbara history and/or an interest in local history.
• Familiarity with Lightspeed, DonorPerfect, and/or Canva.
• Experience working with children, families, school groups, or diverse audiences.
• Spanish or another additional language.