Join Oakland Cemetery’s Volunteer Team
At Historic Oakland Foundation, our volunteers are essential for helping us to fulfill our mission to preserve, restore, enhance, and share Oakland Cemetery. Whether motivated by a love of history, care for our residents, or a quirky sense of humor (or all three!), Oakland volunteers move mountains and make things happen.
Type of Volunteering
Guides
Take our visitors back in time to explore Atlanta’s diverse and complex history. Whether leading school groups through important moments in time, or introducing visitors to notable residents during our regular Sights, Symbols, and Stories of Oakland tour, you’ll be helping to bring history to life every day for those who come to Oakland to learn its fuller story.
Visitors Center
Be the face of Oakland! Our Visitor Center is housed within the cemetery’s historic bell tower, constructed in 1899. When you work in the VC, you take on the roles of shopkeeper, host, and guide, all-in-one. Our VC volunteers welcome visitors to the historic site, provide important information about Oakland’s layout and history, and help guests pick out the perfect memento to remember their visit.
Preservation
If you would like to get hands-on with the preservation of Oakland Cemetery, consider volunteering with our preservation team. Learn how to clean headstones, assist with resetting monuments, and carry out general maintenance duties. Weekday volunteers are preferred, but all interested are encouraged to reach out.
Gardens
Get your hands dirty and help bring beauty to Oakland’s 48 acres of trees, shrubs, and gardened lots. We welcome gardeners of every level of experience. Oakland Cemetery is Atlanta’s first public green space, and our gardeners help continue its long tradition of providing a beautiful landscape for Atlantans to stroll and enjoy.
Special Events
Share Oakland with a crowd! Dress to impress while lending a hand at Sunday in the Park, listen to some music while taking tickets at Tunes from the Tunes, or help direct visitors through the cemetery as our residents share their stories at Capturing the Spirit of Oakland. Whichever you choose, you’re sure to have a fun time supporting Oakland!
Next Steps
Interested in learning more? Email Mary Fernandez at mfernandez@oaklandcemetery.com. Volunteer orientation and training starts at the end of January, so don’t wait to get started!
