Hi Mike,
I volunteered at the NEAq for three years part-time (one day a week) during college, and it was that more than anything else that got me hooked on marine bio and cephs. The people there are great and volunteers are a huge part of what makes the aquarium successful, so if you are willing to commit to a certain period of time, they are often fairly accommodating in setting up a schedule that works for all involved. There are several different departments you can volunteer for - fishes, lobsters & jellies, birds, etc, but even if you work in a department that doesn't include the resident ceph(s) as part of the normal duties, you can always visit frequently. They let me feed the GPO pretty much every week.
Good luck!
Kat