Interpreter I

Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 26,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

The Minnesota Historical Society seeks Interpreter I to engage, educate, and entertain visitors at the James J Hill House and Alexander Ramsey House in St. Paul, MN.

Staff present historical information to school groups and the public using interpretive and performance techniques while assisting with admissions, sales, and welcoming visitors. Position is part-time, seasonal, about 20 hours weekly from November through December; includes front-line customer service, basic clerical tasks, and

Qualifications

• Minimum: High School diploma or equivalent.
• Knowledge of Minnesota history and Victorian era preferred.
• Strong oral communication and ability to perform theatrical interpretation.

Responsibilities

• Interpret, educate, and entertain visitors about Hill House and Ramsey House history.
• Handle admissions, gift shop sales, and reception duties for visitors.

Skills

Museum interpretation

Theatrical performance

Storytelling

Customer service

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

College coursework in history/theater/education

Job description

LOCATION: James J Hill House, 240 Summit Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102

Alexander Ramsey House, 265 Exchange St., St. Paul, MN 55102

COMPENSATION: Typical starting range: $19.92 hourly

STATUS & HOURS: Part-time, regular (approximately 260 annual hours) position. These are seasonal positions working approximately 20 hours a week from November to the end of December.

DESIGNATION: Regular

POSTING DATE: September 14, 2026

DEADLINE DATE: September 28, 2026

DESCRIPTION: The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) seeks Interpreter I applicants to work at the James J. Hill House and Alexander Ramsey House to engage, educate, and entertain visitors and to present historical information to school groups and the general public using a variety of interpretive and performance techniques and to assist in the operation of the Hill House and Ramsey House sites by providing front-line customer service, processing admissions, sales, welcoming, and receiving visitors.

SUMMARY OF WORK: 1) Interpret, educate, and entertain visitors about the history of the Hill House site and Ramsey House site, which includes the family, household, neighborhood, St. Paul, and Minnesota from 1872-1921, using a variety of interpretive techniques; 2) Perform admissions, gift shop sales, and reception services so all visitors are served, and accurately perform related clerical tasks; 3) Learn and study the site manual and program‑related materials provided by site program staff while contributing and operating within the larger interpreter team as assigned; 4)Assist in the maintenance, organization, and protection of the historic site, grounds, facility, and collections so that the site is well maintained and secure; 5) Perform limited cleaning and other duties as assigned in support of ongoing operations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

High School diploma or equivalent.

Knowledge of state and local Minnesota History and the Victorian era.

Strong oral communication skills and some ability to perform theatrical interpretation.

Basic accounting and math skills.

Ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 20 pounds; 50 pounds with a team lift.

Ability to stand for extended periods of time while giving tours and selling tickets or merchandise.

Ability to bend, crouch, and kneel to move furniture or merchandise and perform light cleaning duties.

Weekend and occasional evening availability.

DEMONSTRATED SKILLS IN OR KNOWLEDGE OF:

Demonstrated experience in museum interpretation, theatrical performance, and storytelling.

Demonstrated experience working with children in an educational environment.

Experience working with diverse audiences of varying cultural backgrounds, ages, and abilities.

Ability to work cooperatively within a team setting.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Demonstrated experience in a high-level customer service environment and/or special event environment.

Ability to perform some manual tasks.

College coursework in history, theater, education, or related fields.

At MNHS, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on diversity for the benefit of our employees, our products and services, and our community. The Minnesota Historical Society believes that an inclusive culture among our team members is critical to our success as a historical society and museum, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The Minnesota Historical Society is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and employer.