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Volunteers Who Grow Together
Reynolda depends on the daily support of volunteers, who educate and enrich the lives of our guests by creating remarkable experiences both inside the Museum and outdoors in the Gardens. Reynolda’s range of available volunteer opportunities welcomes a variety of abilities and interests.
September 9, 2024 9:00 am- 12:00 pm Sign up in Volunteer Impact to Attend
Read the latest stories from Reynolda volunteers.
Volunteer Opportunities
Leading tours
Docents who lead tours at Reynolda House first prepare by familiarizing themselves with tour content and routes. They greet and orient tour visitors to the history and collections at Reynolda. Then, they lead the visitors on an interactive tour of the historic house and the Babcock wing’s featured exhibit. Reynolda House offers tours to groups of adults, college students, and school-aged children.
Guides who lead tours at Reynolda Gardens prepare themselves with the tour content and what’s in bloom. They greet tour visitors and orient them to Gardens’ history, layout, and purposes. Then, they lead the group on an interactive tour of the greenhouse, formal gardens, and greater gardens, depending on the tour’s focus. Reynola Gardens offers tours to adult groups, college students, and school-aged children.
Assisting in the studios with art projects
Volunteers who assist in the art studio help prepare the space or materials (i.e., cutting paper). They assist children and adults with the project ensuring safety and encouraging creativity. They may also instruct visitors about art-making processes or materials.
Greeting museum guests
Volunteers who greet guests stay in the front lobby area near the store. They greet visitors and direct them to restrooms and lockers to stow personal belongings. They may review the museum etiquette guidelines and orient visitors to the history and collections at Reynolda. They help people find what they are looking for or help introduce the different areas of the museum to them.
Engaging museum guests within the historic house
Volunteers who engage museum guests float through the historic house. They help orient guests to various locations in the historic house, offering historical context and/or interpretation of the art on view.
Decorating
Volunteers who help decorate at Reynolda arrange flowers for events, restrooms, and other spaces as needed. They help decorate for the Christmas season, handling antique glass ornaments and other period décor.
Assisting in the library and archives Limited Availability
Volunteers who assist in the library and archives help shelve materials, find and organize relevant articles for Reynolda and its collections, and handle the archival collection (books, letters, papers) under the supervision of Reynolda’s archivist.
Assisting with merchandise
We need occasional seasonal volunteers to help organize and package merchandise for retail sales.
Working in the gardens
In the formal gardens, volunteers help prune, deadhead, harvest, mulch, weed, and water.
In the greater gardens, volunteers plant, clear brush, cut vines, and spread wood chips on trails.
In the Greenhouse, volunteers help maintain the cleanliness of the Greenhouse,
transplant cuttings, plugs, bare root, and nursery stock into containers, as well as prepare plants for sale.
Other volunteer opportunities include working Community Days, after-hours events, and assisting during public programs. There are also opportunities for organizations or groups to come and volunteer together.
Each semester we offer a course to prepare Reynolda House volunteers. Volunteer applicants for the House will receive registration information automatically once the course opens.
We offer two orientations a year for Gardens volunteers, one in February and one in August. Volunteer applicants for the Gardens will receive orientation information automatically at least a month in advance.
If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the application linked below or contact Stephani Eaton, Coordinator of Tours and Volunteers, at stephani@reynolda.org or 336.758.5389.
Online Resources
Read the latest stories from Reynolda volunteers.
Reynolda curators and staff take a closer look at one work of art or one story from our history.
Upcoming Events
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Feb 22, 2022 — Dec 31, 2025
Discover the lives of the Black women and men who helped shape Reynolda as it evolved from a Jim Crow era working estate into a museum.
Oct 20, 2023 — Oct 27, 2024
Portraits are often taken at face value—as accurate representations of a person’s appearance, sometimes removed by decades or centuries. But portraits are often the products of delicate negotiatio…
Ongoing
This exhibition presents archival objects, news articles, and other primary sources to lay bare the mystery in all its fascinating complexity.
Aug 24, 2024 — Dec 15, 2024
Barbara Babcock Millhouse has dedicated much of her life to untangling the mysterious ways in which art functions. Since the dedication of Reynolda House in 1967, she has guided the development of one…
Sep 14, 2024, 2:00pm — 4:00pm
Member Swim Club is back! Grab your goggles, don your favorite swimwear and enjoy up to two hours with your family in Reynolda’s original 1937 indoor pool.
Sep 17, 2024, 12:30pm — 1:30pm
Presented by the City of Winston-Salem Department of Sustainability Bee City USA Program & Bashavia Gardens, Locally Rooted delves into principles behind ecological landscaping utilizing native pl…
Sep 18, 2024, 10:00am — 11:00am
Join us in the Gardens to learn more about the natural world around us. Each session will engage a young naturalist in hands-on learning as we closely study a topic while enjoying the Gardens and Grou…
Sep 19, 2024, 6:00pm — 8:00pm
Doors open at 5 p.m. | Drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres to follow. R.J. and Katharine Reynolds’s granddaughter Barbara Babcock Millhouse founded Reynolda House Museum of American Art in 196…
Sep 20, 2024 — Oct 19, 2025
In her Phenoms series, artist Leigh Ann Hallberg creates large-scale abstract paintings inspired by her journey through local landscapes, including the Reynolda landscape. Hallberg, who has taught pai…
Sep 20, 2024, 10:00am — 11:30am
To promote reading readiness and visual literacy, preschoolers and their caregivers will explore Reynolda through activities that encourage dramatic play, music, movement, nature exploration, and art-…
Sep 21, 2024, 10:00am — 11:30am
Reynolda Discovery Lessons promote reading readiness and visual literacy for preschoolers through dramatic play, music, movement, and artmaking, using a work of art or item from Reynolda’s colle…
Sep 24, 2024, 11:00am — 12:00pm
In the spirit of art collecting, join Reynolda Reads to discuss a story of intrigue and art. B.A. Shapiro’s The Collector’s Apprentice takes us to Europe in the 1920s, following Paulien Mertens, a…
Sep 27, 2024, 10:00am — 11:30am
To promote reading readiness and visual literacy, preschoolers and their caregivers will explore Reynolda through activities that encourage dramatic play, music, movement, nature exploration, and art-…
Sep 28, 2024, 8:00am — 2:00pm
Autumn is the time for planting and Reynolda’s fall plant sale is a popular opportunity to purchase a great selection of native plants as well as a smattering of staff favorites. Friends of Reynolda…
Oct 1, 2024, 12:30pm — 1:30pm
Bring a container from home (20” max. width) and join lead horticulturist Michelle Hawks in this hands on workshop. Soil and a selection of Michelle’s favorites will be available to choose…
Oct 2, 2024, 10:00am — 11:00am
Join us in the Gardens to learn more about the natural world around us. Each session will engage a young naturalist in hands-on learning as we closely study a topic while enjoying the Gardens and Grou…
Oct 4, 2024, 10:00am — 12:00pm
This program is now full. Feel free to join the waitlist using the link below! In this workshop, we’ll practice a few mindfulness practices in the natural world that you can incorporate into future …
Oct 6, 2024, 2:00pm — 4:00pm
Level up your watercolor skills by learning a few techniques for painting with these flowing paints to create your own work of art.
Oct 8, 2024, 12:30pm — 1:30pm
Put on your learning Caps(icum) & explore the brilliantly beautiful world of peppers, led by Reynolda Gardens vegetable gardener Joey Martin. Discover all different varieties from hot, sweet, orna…
Oct 9, 2024, 12:00pm — 1:00pm
This monthly series offers an in-depth examination of a work of art or object at Reynolda by curators, educators, and students. Our fall 2024 series highlights works of art from the exhibition Founder…
Oct 11, 2024, 10:00am — 11:30am
To promote reading readiness and visual literacy, preschoolers and their caregivers will explore Reynolda through activities that encourage dramatic play, music, movement, and art-making.
Oct 11, 2024, 10:00am — 11:30am
Calling all Middle Schoolers! Read the classic novel The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg and join other readers to discuss the story and the inspiration of this beloved…
Oct 15, 2024, 12:30pm — 1:30pm
Fire is a natural part of the environment and many of our forests and natural spaces require fire to remain healthy and thrive. James Bentley of the NC Forest Service will talk about how prescribed bu…
Oct 16, 2024, 10:00am — 11:00am
Join us in the Gardens to learn more about the natural world around us. Each session will engage a young naturalist in hands-on learning as we closely study a topic while enjoying the Gardens and Grou…
Oct 16, 2024, 3:00pm — 4:00pm
Founder’s Vision emphasizes the founder of Reynolda House Museum of American Art Barbara Babcock Millhouse’s collecting savvy over several decades, demonstrated in the two-dimensional and three-di…
Oct 18, 2024, 10:00am — 11:30am
To promote reading readiness and visual literacy, preschoolers and their caregivers will explore Reynolda through activities that encourage dramatic play, music, movement, and art-making.
Oct 19, 2024, 2:00pm — 4:00pm
Member Swim Club is back! Grab your goggles, don your favorite swimwear and enjoy up to two hours with your family in Reynolda’s original 1937 indoor pool.
Oct 22, 2024, 9:30am — 4:30pm
Homeschool students and teachers, join us at Reynolda House for art and history-based learning.
Oct 22, 2024, 12:30pm — 1:30pm
Bromeliads are a wonderfully diverse family of plants, and they contain species that are suitable for many indoor situations – and possibly outdoors as well. Find out how to acquire and grow these g…
Oct 25, 2024, 10:00am — 11:00am
Come join us for an outdoor storytime perfect for children who are emerging readers. Featuring a different theme each month, we’ll hear stories, sing songs, and participate in fingerplays. Leader…
Oct 26, 2024, 10:30am — 12:00pm
Travel in the Meadow on a hayride, hear a story, and learn songs about how pumpkins grow. Then, choose a pumpkin in the field and bring it to Mod podge natural elements on it. We will also explore STE…
Oct 27, 2024, 1:30pm — 4:30pm
Free for all to attend! Celebrate one of Katharine Reynolds’s favorite holidays – Halloween!
Oct 29, 2024, 12:30pm — 1:30pm
Attract more birds and butterflies to your garden with inspired plant choices. Christina will discuss the natural foods, water, and shelter various birds need to thrive. Learn how to integrate these e…
Oct 30, 2024, 10:00am — 11:00am
Join us in the Gardens to learn more about the natural world around us. Each session will engage a young naturalist in hands-on learning as we closely study a topic while enjoying the Gardens and Grou…
Nov 1, 2024, 10:00am — 11:30am
To promote reading readiness and visual literacy, preschoolers and their caregivers will explore Reynolda through activities that encourage dramatic play, music, movement, and art-making.
Nov 3, 2024, 2:00pm — 4:00pm
Combine fabric, paint, and paper on a canvas base to create your own mixed media assemblage. We’ll take inspiration from artist Miriam Schapiro’s multimedia collage Hot Pad (1979) and two abstract…
Nov 5, 2024, 10:00am — 11:30am
Calling all high school students! Join peers at Reynolda House to discuss Gary Schmidt’s young adult novel, Okay for Now and tour the museum, focusing on the impact art can have on someone. This pro…
Nov 5, 2024, 12:30pm — 1:30pm
Join guest speaker, Eric Jackson, Director of Horticulture at Old Salem Museums & Gardens, as he explores the agricultural and horticultural legacy of the early Moravians in North Carolina, the fo…
Nov 6, 2024, 10:00am — 11:00am
Join us in the Gardens to learn more about the natural world around us. Each session will engage a young naturalist in hands-on learning as we closely study a topic while enjoying the Gardens and Grou…
Nov 6, 2024, 6:00pm — 8:00pm
Enjoy an evening at the Museum with art, cocktails and music during Reynolda’s “Drinks at Dusk” event. For ages 21 and up.
Nov 8, 2024, 10:00am — 12:00pm
Any artwork can be an opening to conversation and fresh seeing. Through guided meditations, mindful walking, and spending enough time for a piece of art to speak to you, participants will learn the an…
Nov 12, 2024, 12:30pm — 1:30pm
Join Pasquale Caccavella, Owner and Microscopist Salem Soil Solutions, LLC, as we discover the vital role of the soil food web in fostering robust plant growth and maintaining ecosystem health. Attend…
Nov 13, 2024 — 1:00pm
Join Julia Hood, director of teaching and learning, for a deep examination of Joseph Cornell’s Untitled (Shadow Box). Our Object of the Month series offers an in-depth examination of a work of art…
Nov 14, 2024, 9:30am — 5:30pm
Members receive 20% off in the Reynolda Museum Store along with 50% off one item. Some exclusions do apply.
Nov 15, 2024, 10:00am — 11:00am
Come join us for an outdoor storytime perfect for children who are emerging readers. Featuring a different theme each month, we’ll hear stories, sing songs, and participate in fingerplays. Leaders w…
Nov 17, 2024, 1:30pm — 4:30pm
Visit Reynolda free of charge and enjoy self-guided tours of Founder’s Vision. Enjoy art activities available for all ages.
Nov 19, 2024, 12:30pm — 1:30pm
One huge accomplishment of Reynolda Gardens this year was the restoration of the Brown Family Conservatory (reopened in October 2024). The dedicated team of horticulturalists also met many other impor…
Nov 20, 2024, 10:00am — 11:00am
Join us in the Gardens to learn more about the natural world around us. Each session will engage a young naturalist in hands-on learning as we closely study a topic while enjoying the Gardens and Grou…
Nov 20, 2024, 3:00pm — 4:00pm
Founder’s Vision emphasizes the founder of Reynolda House Museum of American Art Barbara Babcock Millhouse’s collecting savvy over several decades, demonstrated in the two-dimensional and three-di…
Dec 1, 2024, 2:00pm — 4:00pm
It’s that time of year again! We’ll ink the leaves of evergreens to create paper prints using a printing press. Families with children in grades K – 6 will also create stamped and collaged c…
Dec 2, 2024, 6:00pm — 7:30pm
Get into the holiday spirit with Reynolda Gardens Horticulturist Michelle Hawks as she guides to wreath-decorating perfection during these festive DIY workshops. These workshops are a holiday season t…
Dec 3, 2024, 6:00pm — 7:30pm
Get into the holiday spirit with Reynolda Gardens Horticulturist Michelle Hawks as she guides to wreath-decorating perfection during these festive DIY workshops. These workshops are a holiday season t…
Dec 4, 2024, 10:00am — 11:30am
Katharine Smith Reynolds loved to decorate for the holidays using greenery from the estate, and now you can, too! Join Reynolda Gardens in the Barn at Reynolda Village to create festive eight-inch wre…
Dec 4, 2024, 6:00pm — 7:30pm
Get into the holiday spirit with Reynolda Gardens Horticulturist Michelle Hawks as she guides to wreath-decorating perfection during these festive DIY workshops. These workshops are a holiday season t…
Dec 6, 2024, 2:30pm — 3:30pm
Gather in the Reception Hall of the Historic House to share the Christmas cheer through song and community. While pre-registration is encouraged, it is not required — nor is singing experience! …
Dec 8, 2024, 2:00pm — 3:30pm
Get into the holiday spirit with Reynolda Gardens Horticulturist Michelle Hawks as she guides to wreath-decorating perfection during these festive DIY workshops. These workshops are a holiday season t…
Dec 13, 2024, 10:00am — 11:00am
Come join us for an outdoor storytime perfect for children who are emerging readers. Featuring a different theme each month, we’ll hear stories, sing songs, and participate in fingerplays. Leader…
Dec 13, 2024, 2:30pm — 3:30pm
Gather in the Reception Hall of the Historic House to share the Christmas cheer through song and community. While pre-registration is encouraged, it is not required — nor is singing experience! …
Dec 17, 2024, 5:30pm — 8:00pm
This after-hours family friendly event is sure to spark the magic of the season! Take a self-guided stroll through the historic house decorated in the style of the first Christmas at Reynolda in 1917 …
Dec 20, 2024, 2:00pm — 4:00pm
Member Swim Club is back! Grab your goggles, don your favorite swimwear and enjoy up to two hours with your family in Reynolda’s original 1937 indoor pool.