Volunteer

Youtube video about the beauty of being part of PIBS

Get Involved!

Become a volunteer at Palestine Museum of Natural History (PMNH) and Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability (PIBS). We have many volunteer opportunities that will enhance your skills and allow you to be part of a team that is dynamic, energetic, and making a difference locally.

post-October 7th, 2023: International travel became difficult but we still welcome volunteers and Bethlehem itself is perhaps the safest place in Palestine ("Israel"). Also here are many opportunities for volunteering remotely, including working on research papers, writing, and designing the website, and creating material for the exhibition rooms. When volunteering remotely, you can dedicate as much or as little time as you wish. Contact us to find out more! Local volunteering is also encouraged.

Volunteering Oppurtunities

Volunteers have worked on various different projects, and often bring their own ideas and areas of expertise to the museum. For those who enjoy being outside, we need help with outdoor activities such as working in the botanical garden and helping with animal rescue and rehabilitation. Volunteers can also help with research, conservation, creating displays for the natural history museum and cultural heritage exhibition, fundraising, collection management, administration, and giving guided tours of the museum.

Why Volunteer?

Volunteering at PMNH provides the oppurtunity to learn new skills, make a valuble contribution, meet new people, and learn about Palestinian culture. Palestine is part of the fertile crescent, where agriculture first developed. Today, Palestine is under Israeli occupation, yet is still a fascinating and welcoming place to visit. The museum is in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. Volunteers often go on day trips to nearby areas such as Jericho (the oldest continously inhabited town on earth), and Battir (a world heritage site).

For non-local volunteers, all living costs (meals and accommodation) are covered. Minimum volunteering time to partake of benefits like lodging and accommodation is 3 weeks. Space of lodging is limited.

Volunteers plant trees as part of a community project.

Travel

Most people coming to visit get through when they declare at Lod (“Ben Gurion”) Airport that they are tourists coming to visit the holy sites, Nazareth, Jerusalem, Bethlehem. If asked where you will be staying mention hostels in Jerusalem. From the airport you can take a Sherut (shared service taxis) or the high speed train to Jerusalem. From Jerusalem to Bethlehem, take bus 231 or 234 from Damascus gate. If taking the 231 bus, when you get to the last stop (Bab Zqaq), take a taxi to the museum (15 shekels). If taking the 234 bus, get off at the last stop at the wall, cross over through the wall and then simply walk to the museum (see map here) or again take a taxi (usually about 15 shekels). Taxi drivers are usually happy to call using their phone to get directions to where we are (in the Karkafa area of Bethlehem), but agree to the price before you get into the taxi.

Previous projects

We have many volunteer opportunities that will enhance your skills and allow you to interact with others, both internationals and locals. We are thinking globally and acting locally. Below are examples of areas previous volunteers have worked in and to which you can contribute according to your interest.

1) Participate in a research project. See our current and past research projects here

2) Maintaining the botanical and the community gardens and the aquaponics and hydroponics systems.

3) Working towards education and behaviour change. This can include developing education systems in schools to increase children's curiosity and hep them learn more about nature; teaching children about recycling and upcycling, and helping with school visits.

4) Cultural Heritage. A major current project is preserving, valueing, and sustaining Palestinian cultural heritage relating to nature and agriculture. This includes both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Many volunteers are needed for cataloging, data entry and much more.

5) Fundraising and sustainable income planning. Volunteers are needed to write grant proposals, hold fundraising events, and brainstorm projects for our own sustainability.

6) Administration, for example writing newsletters.

7) Media and IT work such as updating our Instagram and Facebook pages, or build and develop a database for the museum's collection and research so that we have an online library in the future.

8) Writing and translation, for example writing about PMNH and our work.

9) Making documentaries or animations (click here and here to see two videos made by previous volunteers). Make documentaries and animation movies for children.

10) Field work. Volunteers often come on field trips to study and document natural history in Palestine.

11) Creating new displays for the natural history and ethnography exhibition rooms.

11) Tour guiding and hospitality: Thousands of visitors are already coming and we expect more so volunteer to help host and take care of visitors.

Once you decide to volunteer, we ask you to fill out this Volunteer Application Form

"Dear Dr. Mazin, Jessie, Reena, Khawla, Elias, Mohammad, Darian, the Turtles, the Peacock, The Scorpions, and the other Amazing PMNH creatures: Thank you Thank you Thank you for providing me with such a wonderful home for the past month. I have been constantly amazed by the dedication and passion that you apply for everything that you do here. This museum is one of the most welcoming spaces that I have ever encountered. Every moment is an opportunity to learn so many things. Every individual from visitor to volunteer to staff is absolutely treated with the respect and kindness that he preaches. PMNH is a special place..." - Julie