We are looking for enthusiastic and friendly individuals to support the front of house operation at the Grant Museum of Zoology and Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology.
As a museums volunteer, you will assist our visitor services team in welcoming the public to our internationally renowned collections and encouraging visitors to explore the many thousands of objects on display.
No specialist experience is necessary and full training will be provided, all we ask is a regular commitment and a willingness to get stuck in across one (or both) of our museum sites.
Grant Museum of Zoology:
The only remaining university zoological museum in London, it houses approximately 68,000 specimens covering the entire animal kingdom and much of the history of life on Earth. The museum, founded in 1828 as a teaching collection for University College London students, is packed full of skeletons, mounted animals, and specimens preserved in fluid. Many of the species on display are now endangered or extinct, and our collection includes Dodo bones, a Quagga skeleton, and the remains of several Thylacines.
Petrie Museum of Egyptian & Sudanese Archaeology:
The Petrie Museum houses an estimated 80,000 objects. This makes it one of the most significant collections of Egyptian and Sudanese archaeology outside of Egypt, ranking (internationally) behind only the British Museum and Egyptian Museum of Berlin in number of items. Specialising in objects of daily life, the museum illustrates life in the Nile Valley from prehistory into the time of the Pharaohs, then through the Ptolemaic, Roman, and Coptic periods right up to the Islamic period.
Our volunteer team assist our MVSAs in providing an inclusive, safe and welcoming experience. They play an important role in helping to bring the museum collections to life for all our visitors. Volunteer responsibilities include:
- Museum gallery invigilation.
- Providing a warm welcome, wayfinding support and answering visitor questions.
- Cleaning the display cases.
- Supervising valued-added visitor engagement activities such as object handling or delivering short talks.
- Assisting with building evacuation during emergencies.
UCL Museums are dedicated to encouraging a supportive and inclusive culture across our team. We recognise that a diverse volunteer team brings a range of voices to our museums and helps us to remain relevant and accessible to all who visit. A key responsibility of the role is to provide a safe and inclusive environment where visitors from all backgrounds can discover the objects and stories within our collections.
We are committed to investing in our volunteers, providing encouragement, support and training to help you achieve your goals. As a volunteer with UCL Museums you can expect the following:
- Full role training as part of your induction, as well as refresher sessions when needed.
- The chance to get involved with supporting visitor experience projects such as our family learning programme, short talks, and content creation.
- Career development advice including signposting opportunities and industry experience.
- A reference when applying for other jobs or positions.
- Regular news and updates from the museum visitor services team, as well as optional social activities and knowledge-sharing opportunities with fellow volunteers and museum colleagues.
- Reimbursement of travel expenses up to the value of a London Zones 1-6 travelcard.
- If you are a UCL student, affiliation with the Student Union Volunteering Service and associated benefits.
Time commitment
Shifts are available during museum opening hours as follows:
Tuesday – Friday: 12:45 – 17:15.
Saturday: 10:45 – 14:00 & 13:45 – 17:15.
All volunteers are entitled to (and encouraged to take!) a 15-minute rest break during shifts, alongside comfort breaks.
As part of their induction, new volunteers will need to attend a training day in November 2024, and a recommended four shadow shifts in their first month.