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Mathias Ham Historic Site – Site Lead

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

1 Positions

ID: 86200

Posted On 01/15/2026

Job Overview

The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium [NMRMA] is an outgrowth of the Dubuque County Historical Society [DCHS], which also operates the Mathias Ham Historic Site [MHHS], and is home to the National Rivers Hall of Fame. Its mission is to inspire stewardship through educational experiences where history and rivers come alive.

The Mathias Ham Historic Site Lead is a part-time position that serves as the primary on-site leader for MHHS, overseeing daily operations, visitor experience, and site readiness. This role supports education programming, supervises staff and volunteers, assists with special events, and helps grow community awareness and attendance. The MHHS Site Lead works collaboratively across departments to ensure the historic site is safe, engaging, and professionally operated.

_The Dubuque County Historical Society and its properties, the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and Mathias Ham Historic Site, are committed to embracing diversity, practicing equity, and ensuring accessibility and inclusion. We continually strive to achieve a welcoming environment in all our spaces, where our staff and community feel reflected and valued for their unique perspectives and backgrounds. DEAI values guide and impact all the decisions the museum makes, both internal and external._

Primary Duties (Appx. 70%)

+ Serve as the primary on-site lead for the Mathias Ham Historic Site, ensuring a welcoming, safe, and professional environment for visitors, staff, volunteers, and partners.

+ Support daily operations, including supervision of tour guides, gift store management and daily housekeeping.

+ Maintain accurate records, reports, and documentation related to attendance, operations, and site activity.

+ Coordinate with education staff to prepare the site for scheduled groups, programs, and events.

+ Act as on-site host or contact for special events, rentals, and select programs, including signature events such as the Fourth of July Ice Cream Social celebration.

+ Supervise and support interns, volunteers, and education staff assigned to the site.

+ Assign responsibilities, assist with daily tasks, and arrange coverage for team members as needed.

+ Ensure all staff and volunteers follow site procedures and uphold the Education Department Code of Conduct.

+ Serve as a site tour guide or facilitator as needed

+ Collaborate with the DCHS Curatorial team to monitor the condition and care of the site.

Secondary Duties (Appx. 30%)

+ Support efforts to grow community awareness and engagement with the MHHS.

+ Assist with advertising and promotion through the marketing team, social media platforms, and community events.

+ Provide input on strategies to increase attendance and earned revenue, including school field trips, facility rentals, partnerships, and community programming.

+ During the off season, focus on planning and promoting monthly events, recruiting group visits, and developing strategies to grow visitor traffic to the site.

Additional Duties

+ Serve on at least one working group or committee as assigned.

+ Maintain familiarity with history, conservation, and STEM-related topics to support cross-training and cohesion across the NMRMA and MHHS sites.

+ Attend required training sessions and staff meetings.

+ Participate in ongoing learning about the institutional collections, including artifacts, animals, and plants.

+ Collaborate with Curatorial, other DCHS departments, and city staff as needed.

+ Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

+ Associates degree in a related field preferred, or equivalent experience (e.g. business, marketing, education, history, anthropology, etc.).

+ Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

+ Must be able to read, write, and speak the English language.

+ Strong customer service, analytical, and organizational skills.

+ Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work successfully with diverse individuals, teams, and departments.

+ Comfortable working in a fast-paced, visitor-focused environment.

+ Familiarity with computers, point of sales systems, and the Microsoft Office suite of programs.

+ Must possess or be able to acquire a valid Iowa, Wisconsin or Illinois driver’s license within 3 months of hire.

+ Capable of holding certification in First Aid and CPR.

+ Must be able to perform any physical demands of job duties, either with or without reasonable accommodation.

+ Must possess and maintain a high degree of scheduling flexibility and willing to work some holidays and weekends.

+ Final candidates will be subject to a reference and background check.

How To Apply

To learn more, visit www.rivermuseum.org/join-our-team . Apply by emailing your resume, cover letter, and references to [email protected] . Apply in person at 350 E. Third St., Dubuque, IA 52001.

_We recognize that it is highly unlikely that any applicant is able to meet all of the qualifications for a given role. Therefore, if you are drawn to this position and feel your strengths would be an asset to the organization, we highly encourage you to apply._

Primary Contact

13113

Marilyn Snyder

Assistant, Administration

563-557-9545

Phone

Phone

Phone

Fax

[email protected]

Email

True

False

True

Job Details

Categories

Arts and Entertainment

Education

Hotel/Hospitality/Tourism

Tourism

Volunteer and Non-profit

Location

Dubuque, IA

Shift

First Shift

Job Type

Employee

Full/Part

Part Time

Qualifications

Education

High School/GED

Company ID

1175

Job REQ #

\# Positions

1

Start Date

20260115

End Date

20260314

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National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

About the Company

The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium is owned and operated by the Dubuque County Historical Society, which also operates the Mathias Ham Historic Site. The River Museum and Mathias Ham Historic Site together see over 200,000 visitors and manage outreach programs that serve over 50,000 more per year. Part aquarium, part museum, part science center, it is the mission of the institution to inspire stewardship by creating educational experiences where history and rivers come alive. The organization employes more than 90 full- and part-time employees, as well as hosts several interns amongst departments.