Volunteer

There are many ways to get involved at the Naugatuck Historical Society. Whether you enjoy working with people, researching local history, planning events, preserving collections, or sharing stories with the community, there is an opportunity to match your interests. Volunteers can contribute in a single area or become more involved over time through committees and leadership opportunities.

Our volunteers come from all backgrounds and bring a wide variety of skills, interests, and experiences. Whether you are looking to learn something new, share your talents, or simply give back to the community, we would be delighted to help you find the opportunity that is right for you.

Funding & Grants

Help strengthen the long-term financial sustainability of the Naugatuck Historical Society. Committee members identify grant opportunities, assist with grant writing, support fundraising initiatives, pursue sponsorships and community partnerships, and explore new funding opportunities that help the museum grow. The committee also works with local and state officials to stay informed about funding opportunities and advocate for projects that benefit the museum.

Whether you have experience in grant writing, fundraising, business, nonprofit organizations, government, or simply enjoy building community partnerships, your skills can make a meaningful impact.

Typical Commitment: The Finance Committee meets once each month. Additional opportunities may include assisting with grant applications, sponsorships, fundraising campaigns, and special financial initiatives throughout the year.

Leadership Development

Help build the future leadership of the Naugatuck Historical Society. The Nominations Committee identifies and recruits prospective board members, committee members, and volunteers who can help advance the museum's mission. Committee members work to strengthen relationships within the community, identify individuals with valuable skills and experience, and encourage them to become involved with the museum.

Whether you enjoy networking, building relationships, or connecting people with meaningful volunteer opportunities, this committee plays an important role in the museum's continued growth.

Typical Commitment: The Nominations Committee meets once each month. Additional opportunities include attending community events, reaching out to prospective volunteers and leaders, and helping welcome and onboard new board and committee members.

Become a Museum Docent

Help welcome visitors to the museum by greeting guests, answering questions, sharing information about exhibits, and assisting with museum store purchases.

Typical Commitment: Saturdays during museum hours (10 AM to 4 PM). Volunteers sign up for two-hour shifts on a monthly schedule. Training is provided, and you will always volunteer with another docent.

Create Exhibits

Help bring local history to life by creating engaging museum exhibits. Volunteers can contribute in many ways, including researching topics, selecting artifacts, writing exhibit text, creating signage, designing presentations, or assisting with exhibit installation.

Whether you are interested in helping with a single project or becoming part of the Exhibits Committee, there are opportunities for all experience levels.

Typical Commitment: Flexible. Most exhibit work is project-based, with increased volunteer opportunities as exhibit installations and openings approach. The Exhibits Committee meets in person at the museum on the last Tuesday of each month at 6 PM to plan and guide future exhibits.

Bring Events & Programs to Life

Help create memorable events and programs that bring our community together. Whether you enjoy planning behind the scenes or helping on the day of an event, there are many ways to get involved.

Volunteers may assist with securing sponsors, coordinating food and beverages, creating promotional materials, distributing flyers, scheduling volunteers, welcoming guests, photographing events, setting up and cleaning up, or helping with other event logistics. You can volunteer for a single event each year, assist with multiple events, or even take the lead in planning an event from start to finish.

The Events Committee welcomes volunteers interested in developing new ideas, planning future programs, and expanding the museum's community events. Committee members also oversee the museum's annual fundraising campaigns, including the Ion Bank Community Awards Program, Give Local Greater Waterbury & Litchfield Hills, and the Annual Fund Campaign. If you enjoy organizing projects, crafting fundraising campaigns, or coordinating community support, there are many ways to contribute.

Typical Commitment: Flexible. Volunteer opportunities vary throughout the year depending on upcoming events. The Events Committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 6 PM at the museum.

Collections Preservation

Help preserve and document the museum's growing collection for future generations. Collection volunteers assist with cataloging artifacts in PastPerfect, a museum collections management software used to document, organize, and track artifacts, photographs, archives, and historical information. Volunteers may also photograph items, research artifacts, conduct inventory, organize storage areas, prepare collections for exhibits, and assist with incoming donations.

The Collections Committee helps guide the long-term care and growth of the museum's collection. Committee members review potential donations and acquisitions, establish collecting priorities, recommend archival supplies and preservation practices, organize collections, and help make decisions regarding the acceptance and stewardship of historical materials.

Typical Commitment: Flexible. Collection projects are completed throughout the year based on museum needs. The Collections Committee meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 6 PM at the museum to help guide the care and development of the museum's collection.

Keep The Museum Looking its Best

Help keep the museum welcoming for visitors while protecting the historical collections we preserve. Volunteers assist with dusting exhibit spaces, vacuuming, cleaning restrooms, emptying trash, and completing seasonal or monthly projects such as cleaning windows and other deep cleaning tasks. A clean museum not only creates a positive visitor experience but also helps protect artifacts from dust and environmental damage.

Typical Commitment: The Cleaning Crew meets every Friday at 9 AM. Volunteers are welcome to join regularly or whenever their schedule allows.

Tell Our Stories

Help share the museum's stories and connect with our community. Volunteers may assist with creating social media content, writing weekly email updates, promoting upcoming events, designing graphics, photographing museum activities, updating the website, or sharing artifacts, research, and local history with the public.

Whether you enjoy writing, photography, graphic design, social media, or storytelling, there are many ways to contribute. Volunteers can choose a specific area of focus or assist with a variety of communication efforts.

Typical Commitment: Flexible. Some volunteers may contribute weekly by helping manage social media or email communications, while others assist with individual projects, campaigns, or event promotion as needed.

Board of Directors

Help guide the future of the Naugatuck Historical Society by serving on our Board of Directors. Board members provide leadership, help establish organizational priorities, support fundraising efforts, advocate for the museum within the community, and work alongside volunteers to ensure the museum continues to grow and thrive.

Previous nonprofit or board experience is not required. We welcome individuals who are passionate about local history and are willing to share their skills, professional experience, community connections, or fresh ideas.

Typical Commitment: The Board of Directors meets on the third Wednesday of each month. In addition to attending board meetings, members are expected to serve on at least one committee, provide leadership or shared leadership within that committee as a chair, co-chair, or project lead, and volunteer a minimum of four hours each month in support of the museum's mission.

Some of the Faces Behind the Museum

  • Collections & Exhibits Volunteer

    Andrew has been involved with the Naugatuck Historical Society in some capacity since childhood. His first experience with local history was at six or seven years old, when he helped raise money to restore the fountain on the Green. Loving the summer concerts and wanting to see the fountain preserved, he took it upon himself to collect donations during intermissions—sometimes even playfully persuading concertgoers by entertaining their children until they contributed. His early efforts even landed him in the newspaper when an article was published about the restoration.

    More recently, Andrew helped his grandfather assemble the rubber factory model exhibit in the summer of 2023, which led to his continued involvement behind the scenes at the museum. As a volunteer, he takes on a wide range of tasks but primarily focuses on managing and updating the museum’s online database, planning exhibits, sending promotional emails, and assisting visitors. He is an active member of the Collections and Exhibits Committees and is currently working on a complete inventory of the museum’s collection, ensuring records are accurate and up to date.

    Andrew enjoys interacting with museum guests, many of whom share personal stories that help fill in historical gaps. While he doesn’t have formal training in history or preservation, he has spent time traveling to national parks and learning about conservation through ranger-guided experiences. Outside of the museum, he volunteers with the Ecumenical Food Bank’s Thanksgiving meal boxes and has supported the Naugatuck High School Marching Band for the past three years.

    A lifelong Naugatuck resident, Andrew has a distant family connection to Charles Goodyear, sharing an ancestor with his grandmother. One of his more unique experiences was competing in an official capacity on an NFL field—not in football, but in high school marching band championships at MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Giants and Jets.

  • Collections & Exhibits Volunteer

    Brittany began volunteering with the Naugatuck Historical Society in July 2024, bringing with her a strong academic background in history and a passion for preserving the stories of the past. As a dedicated Collections & Exhibits Volunteer, Brittany supports a variety of efforts across collections management, exhibit development, and event planning. She also serves on the Collections, Exhibits, and Events Committees.

    Currently, Brittany is focused on researching and learning more about Naugatuck’s history and the people who shaped the community. She finds fulfillment in discovering local stories and helping to preserve artifacts that bring those stories to life.

    Brittany holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and has a particular interest in archival work. Her curiosity and enthusiasm make her a valuable part of the team, and she is always eager to expand her knowledge and lend a helping hand wherever needed.

    Though not originally from Naugatuck, Brittany has quickly developed a meaningful connection to the town through her volunteer work at the museum.

    An interesting fact about Brittany—she has an identical twin sister!

  • Museum Store Coordinator & Committee Member Volunteer

    I began volunteering with the Naugatuck Historical Society in December 2022. After retiring, I wanted to give back to the community, so my husband and I attended a Volunteer Meeting—and before we knew it, we were hooked! We’ve loved every moment of being involved and have met so many wonderful people along the way.

    I serve on the Finance Committee, the Program and Events Committee, and the Sanitary Engineer Committee, and I am also the Museum Store Coordinator.

    My family and I have lived in Naugatuck for over 30 years. Before retiring, I had a long career in education, teaching various grade levels, though I spent my last years as a 5th-grade teacher—my favorite! I even taught a class on machines that are rarely used anymore, bringing a unique perspective on how technology has evolved over time.

    Volunteering at the museum has been a rewarding way to stay engaged, contribute to preserving local history, and continue sharing knowledge with the community.

  • Sanitation Committee Volunteer

    Cindy joined the Naugatuck Historical Society as a volunteer in January 2025, shortly after retiring. A longtime admirer of the Tuttle House, she had attended several Historical Society fundraisers before deciding to offer her time in whatever way it was needed.

    Currently, Cindy is a dedicated member of the Sanitation Committee, where she helps keep the museum clean and welcoming. Her favorite part of volunteering happens every Friday morning, working alongside Leslie—the “Queen of Clean”—and Henry, the “Mop Master.”

    Although she doesn’t have a background in historical preservation, Cindy brings a wealth of experience from her career as a paralegal and Office Manager at Morrissey, Morrissey, and Rydzik, LLC. She is also a proud graduate of both Post University and the University of Connecticut.

    Cindy’s ties to Naugatuck run deep, going back three generations. Her grandfather, Sidney Baylis, once served as the Borough’s Tax Collector, and she grew up attending Western School, St. Francis Grammar School, and Naugatuck High School.

    While Cindy insists she’s “one of the most boring people you could meet,” her dedication to preserving Naugatuck’s history—one mop stroke at a time—proves otherwise.

  • Docent Volunteer

    Marlene began volunteering as a docent with the Naugatuck Historical Society in December 2022, shortly after the museum opened at the Tuttle House. Having worked in the Tuttle building for 28 years as the Special Education Secretary before retiring in 2011, she felt naturally drawn back to the place she once called a second home.

    Her return was also sparked by curiosity—wondering if Mary Tuttle’s spirit remained after the fire. What she didn’t expect was the depth of paranormal activity she would soon experience within the historic home.

    Though not currently on any committees, Marlene brings a wealth of local knowledge and lived experience to her volunteer work. Born and raised in Naugatuck, she enjoys engaging with museum guests and sharing insights about the town’s rich history and the Tuttle building itself. Her personal connections to Naugatuck run deep—her father worked at Risdon Manufacturing as a tool grinder, where she herself also worked in the data processing and payroll departments. Her mother worked at Foramatic, which later became Sylvania and GTE. All four of her grandparents immigrated from Poland and settled in Naugatuck, planting family roots that continue to grow.

    In addition to her dedication at the museum, Marlene has volunteered with the Ecumenical Food Bank for over 14 years and serves as a representative for St. Francis Church. She also handles the shopping and food ordering for the 275 Thanksgiving baskets distributed each year to families experiencing food insecurity.

    Whether she’s sharing ghost stories, local history, or a warm welcome, Marlene is a treasured part of the museum community.

  • Archives Volunteer

    Finley joined the Naugatuck Historical Society with a strong passion for local history and a deep appreciation for preserving the past. Though new to the town, Finley is eager to learn more about Naugatuck’s industrial roots and contribute to sharing its story with others.

    A recent graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, Finley earned a BA in History and discovered a love for archival work through hands-on internships. His experience includes organizing fragile newspaper collections at the New Haven Museum’s Whitney Library and inventorying a collection of historical photographs at the Buley Library Archives.

    Finley especially enjoys working with photographs, which offer powerful visual insight into people, places, and moments that shaped history. He finds great fulfillment in helping preserve these images so future generations can connect with the past.

    This fall, Finley will be pursuing a master’s degree in Library and Information Science online through Dominican University, with a certificate in Archives and Cultural Heritage Resources and Services.