Fun in East Bay

Please select an activity of interest to you.

ACCI Gallery (Berkeley)

This gallery displays a wide range of work by member artists, including ceramics, glass, jewelry, photography, textiles, sculpture, paintings and other fine art. They attract first class member artists, with fresh, unusual, distinctive work of the highest quality. Volunteering opportunities include helping to put up and take down monthly shows (rearrange inventory, move display pedestals or walls, paint walls, create signage, etc.), provide temporary gallery staffing, front sales counter, put on a workshop or demonstration, participate in juries or do general gallery maintenance.

Ardenwood Historic Farm (Fremont)

This is an historical site that hosts an Ohlone Indian Village, mid 19th century pool house, Patterson house built in 1857, vegetable garden, an aviary once home to exotic birds, walnut orchard, 1850 blacksmith shop and shed and other historic buildings.  Volunteer opportunities include working in the farmyard or garden, Patterson house tour guide, or a horse drawn railroad worker.

Bay Area Older Adults East Bay (East Bay Region)

Do you want to help seniors live a longer, higher quality life?  Bay Area Older Adults™ is a charitable 501(c)3 organization that improves the health and well-being of adults age 50+ in the Bay Area.   Volunteering opportunities include web development, photography, videography, managing social media, leading hikes and fundraising.  The CEO will be your mentor and there will be opportunities to learn about what is involved with running a small company.  We are looking for someone who is self-motivated, reliable, organized; has good time management and people skills; and who wants to help the community.

Berkeley Art Center (Berkeley)

Berkeley Art Center (BAC) has a unique seven sided gallery that was designed and built by the Ratcliff architecture firm and donated by Rotary International to the city of Berkeley in 1967. BAC presents visual art exhibitions, musical performances and literary programs. Volunteer opportunities include suppoprting special events, gallery sitting, and helping with mailings or installing exhibitions.

Chabot Space and Science Center (Oakland)

The Center houses hands on interactive exhibits, a full dome digital planetarium show and a giant screen theater show. Volunteer opportunities include helping with the exhibits, guiding students through the center, classroom and lab assistants, help with the telescope, presenting at the planetarium and others. There are many benefits for volunteers including exhibit previews, free shows, free general admission, and discounts on gift shop purchases.

Frank Bette Center for the Arts (Alameda)

Exhibiting artists are from all over the Bay Area. Every month they change all of the galleries. Volunteer opportunities include working with artists, learning the art of displaying art, developing marketing and sales skills, and organizing activities and events. Volunteers are also invited to develop an education program to share their life experience and skills with artists and other creative people.

HAHS Museum of History & Culture (East Bay Region)

This museum has collections of local Hayward history. Volunteer opportunities include leading tours for schoolchildren and adults, acting as docents at the museum and historic properties, helping with programs and events, staffing tables for community outreach, cataloging documents and artifacts, and working at the front desk.

Lindsay Wildlife Museum (Walnut Creek)

The Center houses a natural history and environmental education center where more than 50 species of live, nonreleasable, native California animals are on exhibit. Please call for volunteering opportunities.

Oakland Asian Cultural Center (Oakland)

The cultural centers mission is to promote the understanding of Asian Pacific American arts, culture and local contributions. They have exhibits, events, workshops and classes. Examples of volunteering opportunities include supporting marketing, special events and translating.

Oakland Zoo (Oakland)

The Oakland Zoo is a nonprofit organization founded in 1922 and managed by the East Bay Zoological Society. Exhibits include the African Savannah, Rain Forest, Childrens Zoo and includes animal feedings and a wildlife ampitheater for live animal shows. Volunteer opportunites include being a zoo ambassador and docent teaching people about the animals, animal management, animal behavioral observation and habitat restoration.

Pardee Home Museum (Oakland)

The Pardee Home includes a carriage house, water tower and gardens. The house was built in 1868 by Enoch Pardee, a Gold Rush immigrant to California from the Midwest. Volunteer opportunties include becoming a docent to lead or assist with guided tours of the house, helping with gardening; cataloging; helping to plan, research, design, and install exhibits; writing articles for the Pardee Home Newsletter; and helping with special events.

PhotoCentral Gallery (Hayward)
PhotoCentral is a community program for photographers to grow, explore and enjoy the company of other photographers. They also offer classes and workshops for photographers of all abilities and ages and are appropriate to both traditional and digital imagemakers. Volunteer opportunities include librarian, gallery and class assistants.
Ruth Bancroft Garden (Walnut Creek)

Volunteer to help with maintaining the garden and docent tours.

The Douglas Morrison Theatre (Hayward)

The 250 seat capacity Douglas Morrisson Theatre is owned and operated by the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District. The mission of the Theatre is to provide an opportunity for amateur performers. Volunteer opportunities include helping out in the box office, as a house manager or usher and helping with technical or backstage with scenery construction, painting, lighting, costume construction and maintenance, prop building and painting, assistant stage managers, stage crew, light board operators, followspot operators, sound board operator, dressers and prop crew.

USS Hornet (Alameda)

The Aircraft Carrier USS Hornet Museum is a national treasure, having participated in two of the greatest events of the 20th century, World War II and the Apollo 11 manned space mission. It is now moored at historic Alameda Point on San Francisco Bay. There are exhibits all over the ships flight and other decks including Apollo artifacts and photos from WWII, Hornet Strike Fighter plane flight simulator and over 10 different types of aircraft including jets and helicopters. Opportunities include becoming a docent or tour guide, helping wtih safety, ship and aircraft restoration, overnight live aboard program for student, event set ups and community fairs.

USS Potomac (Oakland)

The USS Potomac is a National Historic Landmark that served as Franklin D. Roosevelts Presidential Yacht until his death in 1945. This is a 165 foot vessel, displacing 416 tons with cruising speeds of 10 to 13 knots. The opportunities for volunteers span a wide range from ships maintenance, cruise staffing, dockside tours and educational programs.