If you have an interest in history, the arts or culture then why not get involved with a local museum? Museums are often cash-strapped and can depend on the goodwill of volunteers to operate.
If you're not sure whether museum volunteering is right for you, or want to explore other opportunities in your area, you might find it helpful to use our free Volunteer Role Finder.
Keep an eye open in the local newspaper for appeals for volunteers or get in touch directly to ask if the Museum is looking for assistance. There are usually different ways of getting involved.
Friends organisations
Many Museums have a Friends organisation. This usually means that you pay a nominal sum each year and then enjoy the various benefits of becoming a Friend. Friends often organise and hold charitable events to raise funds for the Museum. They may also hold exclusive events for Friends only including museum tours and talks by curators or visiting speakers.
There is quite a lot of organisation involved in a Friends organisation and it will usually be run by a committee. Find out about vacancies on the committee – your contribution may well be welcome. For example you could help with planning and organising events, writing and putting together a Friends newsletter or helping to recruit and involve new Friends. All of this helps to support the work of the museum and to promote it within the local community.
Answer a few questions about your interests, skills, and availability and get matched with the types of volunteering that suit you best. Whether you want to work with people, animals, or the environment, we will find your ideal role.
Try our Volunteer Role Finder free, here on this site →Help with Front of House
There are plenty of other roles available within local museums. Some museums are so small that may have only one or two staff and rely on community helpers for the day to day running of the museum. For example you may be invited to act as front of house and welcome new visitors to the museum. You will be the first point of contact and could be asked a whole range of questions. You will need to be calm, confident and prepared to learn about the collections so that you can answer questions from the public.
A similar role is acting as a voluntary warder or assistant. Your role is to ensure the security of the collections by either sitting in one room or patrolling through the museum. You will need to enjoy interacting with the public and once again be keen to learn about the collections as you can expect to be asked questions about the displays by visitors.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Help behind the scenes
Behind the scenes museums may welcome a voluntary fundraiser who is keen to get involved in targeting sources of potential money for the museum. This is a key area and increasingly central to the work of local museums. Other roles which may also be available include marketing and communications and public relations. If you have existing skills or experience in these areas then museums will be especially pleased to hear from you. Taking on such a role can also provide you with a valuable opportunity to gain new expertise.
Working with the collection
At the heart of any museum is the collection and you may want to help out with this directly. This work is perhaps the most sought-after in museums. You may be able to help out with the accessioning of new material that has come into the collection, this may entail handling original artefacts and objects under the supervision of museum curators. You may also help out with filing and paperwork relating to the objects.
You may also be able to support the work of the conservators who look after and maintain objects within the collections.
Another fascinating opportunity is to help out curators with the historical research needed to create an exhibition. You could even help to write the captions that accompany the displays.
Within the last month a new manager in charge of volunteers is now only prepared to pay expenses for a 40 mile return journey thus leaving me to pay for the 12 miles out of my own pocket.
Is this fair?
Do I have any rights at all regarding this?
My name is Francis Johnson a health worker in mental health hospital here in Ghana as a Ward Assistant to be precised. I wish to volunteer in your wonderful and adorable country in a capacity as a Voluntary worker. Please i may be available from April 2017 to September 2017. Please kindly let me know if my service will be needed as i am prepared to volunteer. Thank you.
Ask Voluntary Worker a question
Ask our editorial team a question and we will reply with our advice. Tell us as much about your situation as you can: the more detail you give, the more useful our answer can be.
You do not need to use your real name. Please do not include your full address, phone number, email address, or the names of other people. We may edit or remove identifying details for privacy and legal reasons.
Comments are moderated before publication.