Museum volunteer roles

Volunteer Admissions Assistant

You'll be multitasking throughout the day, with a mix of responsibilities including customer service, ticket sales, promoting Gift Aid donations, shop duties, guiding visitors and providing information about the Museum and the collection. If you enjoy a fast-paced environment and love engaging with people, this is the role for you. 

The Volunteer Admissions Assistant role is all about making a lasting impression and creating a memorable visitor experience. You’ll be:

• Welcoming and engaging with visitors, sharing information about the museum and its collection.
• Selling tickets and gift shop items, ensuring smooth transactions and great customer service.
• Collecting data for Gift Aid and marketing purposes, including how visitors found out about us.
• Creating positive experiences to encourage return visits and word-of-mouth recommendations.
• Helping visitors explore the Museum through interpretation, answering questions and distributing trails, accessibility and family activities.
• Maintaining the gift shop, including restocking, counting stock, and setting up attractive displays.
• Conducting online research and building contact lists to support marketing efforts.
• Promoting the Museum locally, raising awareness and encouraging more visitors to discover what we have to offer!

Who we’re looking for:

We’d like to extend an invitation to anyone, particularly members of the local community.  Full training will be provided, we are looking for anyone with:

• Great customer service skills – you will be friendly and confident about approaching visitors of all ages and backgrounds
• Great communication skills – you will be able to clearly explain information about the Museum and ticketing to visitors
• Good computer skills – with training, you will be able to use our ticketing system, email and Microsoft Office
• Good Sales Skills – you will be able to promote ticket sales and gift shop items as well as encouraging Gift Aid donations
• Multitasking skills – with various responsibilities such as selling tickets, guiding visitors, and managing the gift shop, you will be able to juggle tasks efficiently
• A good telephone manner
• Good team working skills

This role offers plenty of variety, and you'll play an important part in making every visitor's experience unforgettable.

Training and support:

All volunteers will first be invited for a training shift.  We have an induction and training process, during which we give volunteers the information they need to enjoy their time with us. Training is mainly 'on the job', supported by an experienced volunteer as well as the manager on duty. Volunteers are given regular feedback and we remain open to suggestions on how we can improve the volunteer experience. The Admissions Assistant receives continued training and development throughout their time with us.

Availability:

We are looking for volunteers who would ideally like to donate 2-4 shifts per month, weekdays or weekends, either as a 10-1.30pm shift, or a 1.30-5pm shift, for a minimum of 3 months. Ideally, you will be able to start immediately, although this is not essential. Travel expenses up to £5 will be paid, with up to an additional £5 for lunch expenses if you are on a full day shift.

Please note: Applicants from some overseas countries are required to have a relevant work permit or student visa to volunteer in the U.K. We’ll need to see this for our records before volunteering can commence.

Do you enjoy making people feel welcome? Do you love to engage and chat with people, young and old? Come and join the Visitor Experience Team and help us to provide an engaging day out for our visitors.

What is the role? 

As a Welcome Host you will be joining the Visitor Experience department, greeting visitors and sharing the stories of our exhibits.  The RAF Museum’s vision is to inspire everyone with the RAF story - the people who shape it and its place in our lives. The RAF Museum Midlands welcomes thousands of visitors of all ages from all over the world. Our Welcome Host volunteers help us make their visit engaging and impactful, creating special moments and memories within the unique setting of our museum.

What will I be doing?

-Meeting and greeting our visitors, providing a warm welcome to the museum

-Providing a point of contact to interact with visitors throughout their visit, sharing information, providing directions, and answering any questions

-Presenting a positive image of the Museum to all visitors

-Discussing our exhibits and sharing the RAF story with visitors.

-Sharing our handling collection of uniforms, helmets and other historical items

There may also be opportunities to get involved with other visitor-facing interactions such as supporting public events when time allows.

This role will be perfect for you if you are…

-Keen to interact and engage with our visitors

-Enthusiastic and personable

-Happy to work as part of a team

-Punctual and reliable

-Comfortable undertaking a variety of tasks

-Knowledge of our subject matter is useful, but not necessary.

If there are adjustments, we could make to support you in this role e.g. ensuring seating is available, do please let us know. Some front-of-house volunteers may be requested to be outside for some/all their shift – if this would be problematic for you, again do please let us know.

How much time would I need to commit?

We are ideally looking for a minimum commitment of two shifts a month, but this is flexible depending on personal circumstances.This is a seven day a week opportunity, with morning (9:30-13:15), afternoon (13:15-16:00/17:00) and whole-day shifts available.  Which shifts you choose is entirely your own decision, depending upon your own availability. 

What we offer you:

· Become part of a great team of volunteers and staff 

· Make new experiences and meet new people

· Improve your communication skills

· Volunteer tickets for certain events 

· Discounts in our gift shop and café 

· Travel expenses reimbursed up to £14.50 per day, in line with our policy 

· Free entry to a wide selection of other museum and heritage sites and exhibitions nationwide. 

. Free onsite parking for volunteers

What happens next?

Suitable applicants will be invited to a Welcome Day to learn more about the role, with the opportunity to speak to current volunteers. The Welcome Day will take place on 3 October 2025.

Kids in Museums is an award-winning small charity dedicated to making museums, galleries and heritage sites more welcoming and accessible for all families, children and young people, especially the millions who still face significant barriers to visiting. We are looking to appoint a new Chair of Trustees to join our Board in December 2025. 

At an exciting point in Kids in Museums’ development, the new Chair will play an instrumental role in shaping the charity’s future. They will be passionate about access to culture and heritage and able to lead organisational development that is grounded in our mission and values. 

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone:

• with a deep understanding of the UK museum sector,

• experience of developing long-term strategies for growth,

• skilled at nurturing strong partnerships, 

• who values Kids in Museums’ unique sector support programme, 

• who would be committed to our work and advocating for the people and organisations we support. 

Founded in 2003, Kids in Museums has grown into an influential national charity that supports significant change in museums through powerful national programmes. Our mission is to work with museums nationwide to make them more welcoming for children, young people and families. We lead and support the sector to address ingrained inequalities to access, set standards of best practice in work with children, families and young people, build a skilled museum workforce and empower young people to become decision makers across the sector.

Guided by our mission and values, the new Chair will collaboratively lead the Board and staff team to embed sustainable organisational development which supports the charity’s ambitions and the growing, changing needs of the museum sector. 

For a full description and details of how to apply please click 'redirect to recruiter' to see the full details on our website page. Thank you. 

Role specification 

The National Holocaust Museum is at a pivotal moment in its journey, rich in history, purpose, and potential. We are seeking a new Chair who can harness this momentum and lead the organisation into its next chapter of growth and influence. 

This is a unique opportunity for a strategic and values-driven leader to elevate an already respected institution to the next phase. The ideal candidate will bring a deep commitment to the Museum’s mission and will serve as both an ambassador and catalyst, aligning Board and executive leadership, strengthening governance, and unlocking new opportunities for reach and long-term sustainability. 

The Chair must be able to navigate the nuanced context of a Christian-founded Holocaust museum, appreciating both the complexity and the significance of this positioning. They will champion the Museum’s work with young people and wider audiences and support the leadership team to deliver on an ambitious vision with clarity, purpose, critical insight and unity. 

Core responsibilities 

As Patrick Dunne outlined in “Boards”, the role of a Board is to ensure the organisation has the right strategy, right governance and right resources. The main tasks required of the new Chair are: 

1. Align and develop the Board into a highly effective collective voice that provides professional governance in line with the expectations of the Charities Commission, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England for public money, and the Museum’s most loyal philanthropic funders. A careful review of Board effectiveness is needed to inform future Board diversity, development and ways of working, both as a Board and in collaboration with the Executive Team. 

2. Support the development of the Funding Strategy, identifying and working with a range of existing and potential funding partners, while contributing the Chair’s own set of networks and influence to support the future strategy.

3. Work with the Board and Leadership Team to build towards the next iteration of the strategic plan for the NHM of the future – which must focus on funding as a priority and consider the strategic prioritisation necessary given external and funding constraints. The plan should define clear KPIs, accountability, financial management process and ways to strengthen culture, people and workflow. Any such plan should also consider relationships and positioning within the wider Holocaust education sector.

Boards require clarity around their own purpose, process and people to operate effectively. As such, the main attributes required of the new Chair are excellent judgement and superb communication and people skills. This includes highly sensitive and strategic “antennae” for how groups can work effectively together, within organisations and across sectors including education, museums, inter-faith and security.

In addition to the attributes above, the Chair will ideally possess the following: 

• Chair experience or equivalent (e.g Deputy Chair or Chair of a Committee). Demonstrated ability to stimulate and manage productive conflict, avoid groupthink and build meaningful consensus among diverse voices. Must be experienced in Board agenda-setting that balances necessary strategic deliberation with fiduciary requirements.
• Expertise in governance including a minimum level of financial acumen and risk management experience, ideally from the public, private or charitable sectors, with an appreciation of the fiduciary requirements for the use of public or donor funding.
• Experience leading organisations through transition, at both Board and team levels, particularly in the context of shifting external trends, resulting in sharper mission clarity, ambition, execution requirements and accountability.
• An appreciation for the creative arts sector, and an ability to work with and nurture creative individuals and teams.
• Experience working with various funders and the ability to firmly enable constructive and mutually respectful relationships with them. 
• Willingness to bring and develop their network to support the organisation with influence, funding, or other relevant support. Key networks that are important to the Museum: national government and statutory funders (Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Department for Education, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England) and the Jewish community across the UK, whose generous support is vital to the organisation’s growth.
• The time and energy to fully engage, learn about the organisation, conduct the necessary reviews and any associated changes and build new and existing partnerships and stakeholder relationships.

Please follow the recruiter link to our website for full details on how to apply.

Events Volunteers support the wide-ranging programme of events at the National Science and Media Museum, including Bradford Science Festival, Widescreen Weekend and Yorkshire Games Festival. Volunteers have the flexibility to choose events they are interested in volunteering at and have availability to support. 2025 is a big year for the museum and for the Bradford District as UK City of Culture; our flagship events will be bigger and bolder than ever. These events are usually held at the museum and occasionally at external venues.

The next opportunity to get involved is Bradford Science Festival, 25 October – 2 November 2025. Across 9 days, expect hands-on science activities for all ages to explore. This year's theme is all about the future of technology, fashion, climate, sound, and food. Don’t worry if you don’t have a science background; just bring your enthusiasm for helping our visitors make the most of their visit. We’ll provide a full briefing to help you understand what’s on and where.

This role gives volunteers the opportunity to make a difference as part of a lively programme of high-quality public events and activities. In this role, volunteers help the event run smoothly by assisting with activities and providing friendly customer service to all visitors. It also gives them the opportunity to meet new people with similar interests, meet colleagues across the museum, and gain valuable experience supporting public events.

In this role you will:

• Assist staff with the smooth delivery of events and activities
• Provide excellent customer service to all visitors, including a warm welcome and promoting what’s on and where
• Support visitors waiting to take part in activities and help make sure queues are managed positively
• Help with the set up and pack down of events and activities
• Assist in visitor surveys and data-gathering

What you’ll bring to the role: 
This role is perfect for people who:

• Are friendly, approachable, and enjoy working as part of a team and chatting with people
• Have the confidence to meet people from all walks of life
• Are reliable and able to follow instructions

It would be good if you:

• Have customer service experience
• Are proactive and willing to take initiative where needed 

Our volunteer Learning Hosts support the work of the Learning and Engagement team, ensuring school visits to the RAF Museum run smoothly and enjoyably for students and teachers alike.

Every year RAF Museum welcomes over 40,000 students at our London site in Hendon. The Learning and Engagement team host self-guided and structured school visits as well as various learning events during school holidays. Our Volunteer Learning Hosts help us to engage and inspire young visitors with RAF stories and ensure that their visit is unforgettable.

What will I be doing?

You will be assisting the Learning and Engagement team to

• Meet school groups on arrival, and provide itinerary and site orientation,

• Be a point of contact for teachers and adult helpers throughout the visit,

• Ensure the smooth passage of school groups around the Museum,

• Set-up, restock and pack-down activities

• Deliver object-handling encounters

• Present a positive image of the Museum and team to all visitors

• Support the Museum in its commitment to safeguarding children.

 This role is perfect for you if you are…

• Welcoming and friendly

• Calm under pressure and able to react quickly and appropriately

• Confident working with large groups and a range of ages

• A good communicator with all ages (children and adults)

• Reliable, organised and an accurate timekeeper

• Comfortable working in all weather conditions

• Able to be active for several hours and to move at speed

• Willing and able to follow instructions.

Job description

Dr Johnson’s House is a charming Georgian townhouse, nestled amongst a maze of courts and alleys in the historic City of London. Samuel Johnson, writer and wit, lived here in the mid-18th century, and compiled his great Dictionary of the English Language in the Garret. Today, the House is open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday, with collections relating to Johnson, restored interiors, and a research library.

Events Volunteer

Our Events Volunteers play a vital role in welcoming visitors to Dr Johnson’s House during our evening events. At the moment, we need volunteers to help at our Museum Lates. Our visitors love to explore the House after hours and volunteers play an important part in creating a memorable and interesting experience for them.  

Activities

We need help between 5.15pm and 7pm on the following dates:

Thursday 24 July, 5.30-7pm

Thursday 21 August, 5.30 - 7pm

Thursday 25 September, 5.30 - 7pm

Thursday 23 October, 5.30 - 7pm

What it involves (one of the following)

• Ticking off names on the guest list. Most will have prepaid + a few walk-ins.
• Chatting with visitors and answering queries.
• Serving sparkling wine and setting out glasses.

If you enjoy 18th century studies, you may like to give a short 10 minute talk at one of these events. (optional)

An accredited museum and award winning visitor attraction, Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome is a charity and the largest surviving Great War aerodrome in Europe.

We are a centre for volunteering and, with the assistance of over 100 volunteers, we deliver an extensive programme of educational and fundraising events each year designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of visitors including historians, aviation enthusiasts, school parties and families. 

We also open to the public most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

We are looking for people who can our meet, greet and provide information to our visitors, all wrapped up in a friendly welcome to the site. This will also include taking care of our small retail outlet.

You will become familiar with our shop and our range of gifts and gradually build up your knowledge of our museum and exhibitions.

Are you... 

• Friendly and confident when talking to people of all ages and backgrounds
• Able to build strong relationships with staff and other volunteers
• Happy working in a small but busy team
• Willing to learn the operation of a simple till system
• Willing to find out more about our displays and exhibitions
• Happy to undertake other ad-hoc roles

This could be the perfect role for you! 

Crossness Pumping Station (overseen by the Crossness Engines Trust) is a unique and valuable museum of UK and world reknown telling the history of how the ambitious management of sewage transformed London as a city of growth and innovation in the 1860s and helped eradicate cholera. Preserved and restored by a group of enthusiasts since 1987, we are now entering a second phase of major restoration and we need visionary trustees who can help us achieve it.

This role is one of three we have created for experts in their field to help us implement a major programme over the next 5-10 years. It really is your chance to be part of our history!

As well as the usual trustee roles (outlined in the role description attached) the specific skills needed for this role include:

Role Objectives

• Acting as lead expert on the Board in relation to management of Crossness as a heritage asset.
• Advising on regulatory and policy issues in heritage buildings and assets.
• Ensuring high standards of achievement in all aspects relating to Museum Accreditation including Building restoration, Collections and Archives.

Responsibilities

• Liaising with the Restoration, Archives and other relevant teams including developing work plans.
• Overseeing funding requirements in major grant applications.
• Being part of the Building Condition Survey sub-group.
• Liaising with volunteers and suppliers on developing work plans and ensuring their completion.
• Contribute to financial and business plans to achieve the heritage asset goals of the Trust.

Candidate requirements

Essential

• Experience working in a senior heritage management role.
• Excellent understanding of the needs of heritage assets and the roles of volunteers and staff in their management.
• Understanding of key stakeholder networks and sources of information useful to the Trust.
• Excellent communication skills including with staff and volunteers as well as fellow trustees.
• An understanding of the importance of collaboration and problem-solving.
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office 365.
• Commitment to attend board meetings regularly and volunteer for other sub-committees as appropriate.
• Able to devote around 2-3 hours per week on preparing for meetings.
• Treating colleagues with respect and politeness.

Desirable

• Experience working in the charity sector.
• Experience as a volunteer at a similar organisation.
• Experience in Digital, Marketing and Finance would also be useful.

As one of Britain’s most distinctive public art galleries, Pallant House Gallery offers critically-acclaimed exhibitions and a world-class collection of Modern British art, set within a beautiful 18th century Grade I listed townhouse and contemporary wing. 

We are currently inviting applications from prospective new Trustees with skills and experience in the following areas:

• Fundraising and philanthropy in museums, galleries and the cultural sector, particularly in relation to major donor networks and/or trusts and foundations
• Capital redevelopment projects, particularly architectural design, project management and construction
• Digital communications and marketing
• Current professional experience of the museums, galleries and heritage sector, including knowledge of the public sector priorities and funding

We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and previous Board experience is not required. The successful candidates will be given an induction into the working of the Gallery. This is a voluntary role but the Gallery will reimburse Trustees for reasonable travel or out-of-pocket expenses, in line with our expenses policy.

A recruitment pack and details of how to apply are available on our website - please see link below. 

The deadline for applications is 9am, Monday 29 September 2025.  

Pallant House Gallery is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace for our staff and volunteers. We want to ensure that opportunities to work with us are open to everybody. If you have any questions about the application process or need any support to make an application, please contact us and we will be happy to help.

An accredited museum and award winning visitor attraction, Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome is a charity and the largest surviving Great War Aerodrome in Europe.

We are a centre for volunteering and, with the assistance of over 100 volunteers, we deliver an extensive programme of educational and fundraising events each year designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of visitors including historians, aviation enthusiasts, school parties and families. 

We are looking for volunteers to help in our beautiful 1917 Airmen’s Mess Café with views over the aerodrome and the wildlife that thrives there. It is the heart of our site and popular with all our supporters and volunteers.

We open to the public, most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Hours are flexible but are mainly worked on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when we are open to the public.

Come and join our friendly team under the capable management of our experienced Kitchen Supervisor.

No previous catering experience is needed as training will be given.

Are you:

• Friendly and welcoming
• Willing to engage with our visitors 
• Happy to work as part of a small but busy team
• Punctual and reliable
• Flexible and happy to take on a variety of tasks including use of a simple till system

This role could be perfect for you!

Assist with the upkeep of ground support equipment and aviation artifacts.

Key Tasks:

• Clean, restore, and preserve historical support equipment.

• Carry out basic repairs and painting as needed.

• Help maintain safety standards and logs.

Skills Required:

• Hands-on DIY or mechanical skills.

• Comfortable using tools and handling equipment.

• Attention to detail and care with heritage items.

• Some basic knowledge of ground support equipment is desirable.

Ideal For:

· Practical people who like working with tools.

· Those with DIY, mechanical, or restoration skills (or wanting to learn).

· Retirees, veterans, tinkerers, or anyone who enjoys hands-on volunteering.

Based in either our Main Gallery or Stables Gallery, the role is integral in providing a high-quality visitor experience by bringing our gallery spaces to life by welcoming and engaging visitors, as well as sharing your passion and the stories of our exhibitions.

Tasks and Responsibilities 

• Welcoming and engaging visitors in a warm and friendly manner 
• Interpreting our gallery spaces, exhibition content, the Richmond Borough Art Collection and the gallery’s history for all ages and abilities
• Being a visible presence in our galleries, ensuring everyone's safety and the security of our exhibitions
• Guiding visitors around the gallery and wider site
• Monitoring visitor numbers and contributing to evaluation initiatives 
• Representing the Gallery and Richmond Arts Service

What we hope you will get from the role 

• The opportunity to engage with people and communities from the local area, West London and beyond
• Opportunity to develop interpersonal and communication skills
• -An insight into the day-to-day running of a contemporary art gallery and museum crossing a range of sectors 
• Opportunities to engage with artists and learn about their practice
• An understanding of the breadth of arts activity offered by Richmond Arts Service 

Training and Support 

We will provide training and an induction which covers all aspects of the role. On-going support and supervision will be provided by staff throughout your time with us. Additionally, there are regular training sessions to supplement and further your initial training, as well as a varied programme of volunteer events and activities to join in, meet people and learn something new!

We offer a tour of our exhibitions with the artist(s) or a member of staff prior to their opening. This will give you a first hand insight into the concept, processes and artist’s vision behind the exhibition. 

Desirable qualities and experience 

• Enthusiasm for meeting and engaging with people and sharing information
• Interest for contemporary art, history and/or heritage 
• Able to answer enquiries in a friendly and helpful manner 
• Willingness to learn 
• Enjoys being part of a team 
• Ability to complete tasks independently 
• Good time keeping 

Availability 

The gallery is open to the public Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 5pm, with two volunteer shifts a day, 10am – 1pm and 1pm – 5pm.

We ask for a minimum commitment of one shift every fortnight, although there is flexibility over scheduling.

Location 

This role is based at Orleans House Gallery, in either the Main Gallery or Stables Gallery. 

Expenses 

We will cover travel expenses up to £17 per day.

Crossness Pumping Station (managed by the Crossness Engines Trust) is a unique and valuable museum of UK and world reknown telling the history of how the ambitious management of sewage transformed London as a city of growth and innovation in the 1860s and helped eradicate cholera. Preserved and restored by a group of enthusiasts since 1987, we are now entering a second phase of major restoration and we need visionary trustees who can help us achieve it.

This role is one of three we have created for experts in their field to help us implement a major programme over the next 5-10 years. It really is your chance to be part of our history!

As well as the usual trustee roles the specific skills needed for this role include:

SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF ROLE:

Role Objectives

• Acting as lead expert on the Board in relation to health and safety, particularly in relation to working with volunteers and members of the public.
• Advising on good practice and regulatory and policy issues in health and safety.
• Ensuring current and future engineering projects are developed in line with health and safety requirements.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Restoration, Electrical and other relevant teams on developing safe practices.
• Lead on the review and updating of all health and safety policies and procedures.
• Ensure volunteers are sufficiently trained to understand and practice good health and safety standards.

Candidate specification

Essential 

• Substantial current engineering experience (including engineering registration status – CEng/IEng) in health and safety.
• Relevant health and safety qualifications (eg IOSH etc)
• Ability to foster good practice in volunteers.
• Excellent communication skills including with staff and volunteers as well as fellow trustees.
• An understanding of the importance of collaboration and problem-solving.
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office 365.
• Commitment to attend board meetings regularly and volunteer for other sub-committees as appropriate.
• Able to devote around 2-3 hours per week on preparing for meetings.
• Treating colleagues with respect and politeness.

Desirable 

• Specific health and safety experience in the heritage/architectural restoration sectors.
• Experience in Digital, Marketing and Finance would also be useful.
• Experience in the charity sector.
• Experience as a volunteer in a similar organisation.