Get Involved

The Lehigh County Historical Society extends an eager invitation to friends, neighbors, scholars, and history buffs to join our growing membership.

Make a Donation to Support Our Daily Operations
The Lehigh County Historical Society gratefully accepts contributions to support the daily operations of the institution.

Add to the Collections
The Society is dedicated to increasing both the library and museum collections with material that complements and enhances the mission of the Society.

Make a Gift in Honor of or in Memory of Someone Special
Have you ever been at a loss about what gift to get that special someone?

Endowment Opportunities
Make an endowment gift to one of the Society’s sites that will last for generations.

Become a Member

The Lehigh County Historical Society, a nonprofit organization, needs your membership support to achieve its mission.  By joining the Society, you can help preserve our past while insuring that the newest generation of Americans will learn from the lessons of history.

Membership Benefits Include…

• Free admission to the Museum & historic sites
• Free use of the research library
• Free subscription to Society newsletter
• 10% discount on most items in Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum gift shop
• Free admission to members only programs

Membership Levels:

• Local Student ($15) Annual membership benefits for one local student. Local student membership requires documentation of full-time student status and status as a resident or student of Lehigh County, PA.
• Individual ($35) Annual membership benefits for one person plus 2 guest passes to the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum.
• Family ($50) Annual membership benefits for two adults and all children under the age of 18 residing at the same address, plus 4 guest passes to the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum.
• Associate’s Circle ($100) Annual membership benefits plus 6 guest passes to the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum.
• Sponsor’s Circle ($250) Annual membership benefits plus 6 guest passes to the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum.
• Patron’s Circle ($500) Annual membership benefits plus 20 guest passes to the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum. Higher levels offered.

Consult you tax advisor for tax advice concerning memberships. Pennsylvania law requires that we provide the following notice: “A copy of the official registration and financial information of the Lehigh County Historical Society may be obtained from the PA Dept. of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.”

Consult you tax advisor for tax advice regarding charitable giving. Pennsylvania law requires that we provide the following notice: “A copy of the official registration and financial information of the Lehigh County Historical Society may be obtained from the PA Dept. of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.”

Volunteer

Currently, there are no volunteer opportunities available.

Extremely limited positions exist on a case-by-case basis for self-starting, highly skilled individuals over the age of 18 who require minimal supervision and are good at following complex directions. Volunteer opportunities for historical reenactors, clerical volunteers, and other select positions are occasionally available. All volunteers must submit to and pass background checks that comply with Pennsylvania State law. Orientation is held on average twice a year. All volunteers must attend orientation and training.  For more information, please contact Jill Youngken at the Historical Society, 610-435-1074, Ext. 13.

If you are a full time college student interested in internships, please click here for more information!

Do you have some spare time? Do you have an interest in the 18th Century? We have an exciting variety of volunteering opportunities available and are always keen to welcome new volunteers to our friendly team.

Museum or Heritage Studies students are also invited to apply for work experience.

Room Guides
Shop Volunteers
Internships

The Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum is committed to providing a high quality learning experience for motivated individuals interested in pursuing a career in the museum or public history field.  We offer “hands-on” opportunities coupled with an overview of museum operations through our internship program.  The needs of the Museum and those of the prospective intern are taken into consideration during the selection process.  Applications are accepted on a limited basis.  We regret that we do not have funding to pay interns nor are we able to accept all who apply.  It takes considerable staff time to manage, instruct, and monitor interns.  Special consideration is extended to residents of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania who are full-time college students in public history.

To be accepted into the internship program, candidates must fit a number of criteria including, but not limited to:

• Prospective interns should be college undergraduates or graduates with a major or minor in history.
• Be in good academic standing with their institution maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
• Be available for a specific number of hours during the semester, usually 250+ hours; 20-30 hours per week.
• Be proficient in writing and computer skills.

Our internship program introduces students to museum operations and practice through “hands-on” participation in a variety of museum projects.  All projects represent institutional priorities and may include exhibition development and installation. Collections care, processing, research, and education programs are also part of the program.  Candidates for internships should not expect or require specialized training and workshops; rather our internships are designed to provide a representation of “hands-on” museum work. Students seeking to be formally trained, or trying out the field, should not apply for this opportunity.

Our ideal museum intern is an ambitious self-starter who appreciates a fast-paced environment, willing to take on new challenges.  They must be mature, cooperative, dependable, able to work in a team environment, and willing to undertake routine job functions.  You will learn through on-the-job experience; some tasks will be boring and dull.

Interns working toward college credit must make all arrangements through their own colleges. The Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum will complete the required paperwork provided by the college. We require at least one initial consultation with your professor prior to your acceptance. It is the responsibility of the intern to make sure they fulfill all requirements for credit.

If you are interested in an internship and believe that you meet the above requirements, please call and speak with us. We value conversation. Internships cannot be arranged exclusively by email.

Please submit the following materials:

• Your resume, which should include your computer skills.
• Your official college transcripts.

A writing sample consisting of a narrative of at least one page or 500 words explaining:

• Your goals and expectations for the internship
• The skills you bring to the internship
• Your schedule of availability, usually 20+ hours per week

Please submit these materials to
Chief Curator Jill Youngken by email at
j_youngken@lehighvalleyheritagemuseum.org
or by regular mail at
Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum
432 W. Walnut Street
Allentown, PA 18102.

Thank you for your interest!