Volunteer tour guides and greeters needed at the Washington State Capitol

The Washington State Department of Enterprise Services is seeking volunteer tour guides and greeters at the state capitol in Olympia.

Training will be provided. Must be 18 years of age, and willing to commit up to four hours a week.

Recruitment is underway for the following positions:

  • Tour Guides. Tour guides lead groups visiting the state capitol, share its rich history and provide facts about the government process.
  • Information Associates. Information Associates staff the Welcome Desk inside the Legislative Building and greet visitors from around the world. Information Associates provide directions and answer basic questions about the historic building, the government process and Washington state history.

Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world visit the Capitol Campus each year, this includes everyone from school children and tourists to lawmakers and diplomats. Nearly 50,000 people go on a civic or public tour each year.

“Our volunteers provide a valuable service to the state of Washington,” said Rebecca Catlett, Tour and Informational Services Coordinator at Enterprise Services. “We rely on them to bring history and government alive for our state capitol’s visitors. If you have a penchant for history and government, we hope you’ll consider a volunteer position at the ‘People’s House.’”

Apply online, or contact the Visitor Services office at (360) 902-8887 or tours@des.wa.gov.

Volunteer Bob Schafer talks to a small tour group near steps inside the Capitol Rotunda.

Enterprise Services volunteer Bob Schafer leads a tour in the Legislative Building on the Capitol Campus in Olympia. Bob is a retired Iowa State University sociology professor. He and his wife live in the Olympia area, and volunteer locally and internationally.

Volunteer Dick Van Wagenen leads a tour group inside the Legislative Building.

Enterprise Services volunteer Dick Van Wagenen leads a tour in the Legislative Building. Now retired, Van Wagenen was a policy advisor to former Washington State Gov. Gary Locke.

Video available

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