Museums are always in need of volunteers. In fact, the vast majority of museums in Essex are run entirely by volunteers, and all of the larger museums have an army of dedicated helpers. Museums need people to help with:
· stewarding - dealing directly with visitors
· research
· cataloguing museum collections
· press and publicity
· events
· housekeeping
· mounting exhibitions
· and much more ….

People volunteer in museums because:

· it’s fun and friendly and they get to meet interesting people
· they are interested in local history, or a specific subject covered by the museum
· they develop skills which can be used in work or life generally
· they care about helping to preserve our heritage

If you are interested in volunteering for a museum, contact us to find a museum near you.

Working in Museums

 

There are a wide variety of career opportunities in museums. However all museums and galleries aim to interpret their collections and open them up to as many people as possible. As a result they call on a range of specialist skills and experience. Most museums in Essex are volunteer run organisations with few or no paid staff who will be expected to carry out a variety of tasks. The larger museums the more specialised staff. Big national museums like the British Museum or the Museum of London will employ specialists staff.

Perhaps the most well known type of job in museums is that of curators who want to learn more about their collections and conservators who preserve and care for objects. But museums use educators, craftsmen, designers, technicians, fundraisers and many other professional skills. Although this can be very rewarding work there are downsides: there is huge competition for jobs, many people are educated to degree level and beyond, and the pay is low, even for public service jobs.

Starting salaries for people with post-graduate qualifications can be as little as £13,000 and ten years later you will probably still be earning less than £30,000. However the museum profession often requires a high degree of responsibility early in your career. So, whether you want to pursue a passion, become actively involved in your community or simply help people have a good time, then museums and galleries have something for you. If you are interested in working for a museum you may wish to consider the type of work you would like to Museum work can vary enormously from curatorial work, education, outreach, front of house to marketing. For further information about a career in museums explore the Museums Association website which has more information about opportunities in the sector. www.museumsassociation.org
One of the best ways to get into the museum profession is to become a volunteer at your local museum.