Museum attendant

Museum attendants guide visitors around exhibits, serve shop customers, help staff prepare for exhibitions and provide security.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

As a museum attendant, you could:

  • patrol buildings, check CCTV and monitor security
  • make sure exhibits are in good order and report any issues
  • give talks to visitors about exhibitions and answer questions
  • help curators to change displays and exhibitions
  • prepare rooms for conferences, functions and events
  • handle enquiries, take bookings, issue tickets and serve in the museum shop
  • carry out administrative tasks

Working environment

You could work in a museum or at an art gallery.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career path and progression

With experience you could become a visitor experience team leader, or train and supervise volunteers.

With extra training and qualifications you could move into an exhibition technician or collections assistant role.

You may also find opportunities to work in:

  • museum outreach and educational programmes
  • digitising and cataloguing items
  • marketing and fundraising

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • an interest and knowledge of history
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • the ability to learn through your work
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • active listening skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • an apprenticeship
  • volunteering
  • applying directly

You could apply for a place on an apprenticeship, depending on the type of work you want to do. Options include:

  • Facilities Services Operative Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Customer Service Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Cultural Learning and Participation Officer Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Museums Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

Employers will set their own entry requirements.

More Information

Volunteering in a museum, gallery or heritage centre will give you get a better understanding of the roles, and a chance to make contacts who might be able to help you find a paid position.

You can search for volunteering opportunities through:

You can apply to vacancies directly. You'll usually need a good general standard of education, including English and maths.

There is a lot of competition for jobs and you may find some museums and galleries ask for a certain level of qualification, like A levels or equivalent.

You can improve your chances when looking for work if you have:

  • experience in customer care or building security
  • a keen interest in museums and their services
  • volunteering experience in a museum, gallery or heritage attraction

Professional and industry bodies

You can join the join the Museums Association for your professional development and to make contacts in the heritage industry.

Further information

You can learn more about working in museums from the Museums Association.

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