“It’s my way of giving back to the community. I love doing it, it’s fun.”
James Mason, Museum Victoria Volunteer
Museum Victoria cares for the states’ cultural and natural heritage collections. It has an active research program and a range of activities to support public access to museum information.
Museum Victoria involves volunteers at Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks. Our volunteers are committed and enthusiastic people who work alongside paid staff to enhance our programs and services, delivering a fantastic range of exciting and educational experiences.
Volunteers working at an activity station
Photographer: Benjamin Healley / Source: Museum Victoria
Why volunteer?
People volunteer for all sorts of reasons, including:
- to share their talents and knowledge with Museum visitors and staff;
- to develop new skills and experience new things;
- to meet interesting people;
- to help preserve and promote Victoria’s cultural and natural heritage;
- to pursue a specific interest in an area of the Museum’s research and collections;
- and to gain experience for a future career in museums or another relevant area.
Who volunteers?
Just about anybody can be a volunteer!
For over 100 years, the volunteer program has encouraged a wide range of people to participate in Museum activities. Our volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and abilities. They are aged between 17 and 90 and include retired people, students, full-time workers, part-time workers, parents, single people, young people and job seekers. Everyone has something to offer.
A volunteer working in the Ornithology collection
Photographer: Benjamin Healley / Source: Museum Victoria
What do volunteers do?
Volunteers are important to us because they enrich our programs beyond the skills and resources of paid staff. Most volunteers spend one or two half days per fortnight in their voluntary role.
Voluntary roles include:
- Public Programs: volunteers assist with all the programs we provide to enhance the visiting experience. These include acting as gallery explainers or tour guides, helping with activities and hosting education groups. In each of these roles volunteers play a part in welcoming and orientating visitors, and promoting discussion about museum content.
- Behind the Scenes: volunteers support the work of our collections, curatorial and administrative staff. (As these volunteer places are in high demand a waiting period may apply.)
Note: not every role is available at every campus, or every day.
A volunteer gallery explainer greeting visitors with the Bunjilaka touch trolley
Photographer: Benjamin Healley / Source: Museum Victoria
Volunteer development and training
Museum Victoria supports volunteers in their museum role with access to an interesting and rewarding training program. It includes:
- initial induction and orientation;
- specific “on the job” training;
- exhibition and programs content;
- regular professional development sessions;
- and social events with other Museum Victoria volunteers.
All volunteers are required to complete orientation and training relevant to their voluntary role.
Volunteers working in the workshop at Scienceworks
Photographer: Benjamin Healley / Source: Museum Victoria
Would you like to become a volunteer?
Museum Victoria recruits new volunteers four times per year. To find out more about your volunteering opportunities contact:
Melbourne Museum Volunteer Program
Call 8341 7224, or e-mail volunteers@museum.vic.gov.au
Scienceworks Volunteer Program
Call 9392 4824, or e-mail swvolunteers@museum.vic.gov.au