Exhibition Handling Facilitator
Main purpose of role:
To enhance the visitor experience through engagment and handling of Viking objects from Jorvik's handling collection as part of the Valhalla exhibition.
Main duties:
These sessions will take place in the museum’s Valhalla exhibition in the temporary exhibition galleries with volunteers working in pairs.
- Attend an initial training session
- Set up and put away museum objects
- Interact with visitors engaging in conversations about the objects
- Ensure the safety and security of the objects in their care
- Learn about the handling objects to be able to share the information with the public
Location:
Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
Approximate time commitment and duration:
29 January - 18 April.
Specific dates and times to be agreed with individual volunteers.
Useful skills required:
- Manual dexterity to handle museum objects, many are fragile and some are heavy.
- Comfortable engaging visitors of all ages (toddlers to pensioners) in conversation about the selected objects.
- No prior knowledge is required although a general interest in history is very desirable. Basic training is provided as are notes on each of the sets of artefacts used in the handling sessions. Each volunteer is expected to spend some time reading / researching the items so they can chat about them.
- Good interpersonal skills.
- Enjoy working with the public, able to interact with a wide range of people, good with children.
- Outgoing and confident
- An interest in history/heritage/museums.
- Polite and helpful - you may be asked a range of unrelated questions by the public.
- A good command of English to be able to converse with the public.
Training provided:
You will be required to attend an induction session and training day.
Skills volunteers can devleop in the role:
- Team working
- Object handling
- Manual handling
- Interpersonal skills
- Build confidence in engaging with the public
Other information:
- All equipment will be provided
- Free tea/coffee and biscuits
- Free parking