Hello, my name is Stefanie and I have managed to volunteer at four different Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT) sites! My background is in archaeology, history, museum studies and teaching languages. I moved to Birmingham last year, so I am still quite new to the area. When I started volunteering at BMT earlier this year, everyone made me feel welcome and a part of this local community.

As a volunteer Learning Resource Assistant at Blakesley Hall, I volunteer once a week and am involved in lots of aspects of public programming: from cutting shapes in preparation for school visits to assisting the Learning Officer during workshops. But I also help to develop new ways to engage visitors – my current project is around the gardens at Blakesley Hall. Read More...

Hi I'm Robert and I have just put down some of my thoughts and experiences of being a volunteer at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (BMAG). I have been a regular visitor to BMAG since the mid-1960s as I have always loved looking at, and learning about, all forms of art.

When I had the opportunity to volunteer, BMAG was top of my list! I was delighted to join the team as a volunteer, just over a year ago. For my first volunteer role I helped out with the ‘Dippy on Tour’ exhibition in the Gas Hall, evoking memories of a trip to the Natural History Museum with my sons when they were seven and four. We had so many visitors and everyone loved Dippy. Read More...

Hello. My name is Izzy and I have been volunteering at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG) for seven months. I am part of the Works on Paper Project, which has an end goal of digitising and inventorying all of the works on paper in the collection including paintings, sketches and prints.

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It is the 1st June and National Volunteers’ Week is upon us! This is an important week in the year when we make a massive noise about all of the brilliant work our volunteers do. 

On a daily basis Birmingham Museums is supported by wonderful people who volunteer their time with us.  Read More...

Hello - my name is Elinor and I volunteer as a Heritage Interpreter at Sarehole Mill. I have been volunteering there since I was an undergraduate creative writing student at the University of Birmingham; I am now completing an MA at the Shakespeare Institute, and still enjoy spending my time at Sarehole.

Despite being right in the heart of the city, Sarehole Mill is a green idyll which preserves the rural heritage which preceded Birmingham’s better-known industrial past. Walking across the courtyard, through the Mill, or around the mill pool, you experience a little of what the young Ronald Tolkien must have felt in this, his childhood playground. Read More...

Volunteering is beneficial to the busy life of a student for a number of reasons; the flexible hours, a much-needed break from studying and the development of those all-important skills needed to impress future employers. Therefore, after finishing my first year of university and with the long summer break looming, I decided to gain as much experience as possible in my spare time.

When the opportunity arose to volunteer on a slightly more unusual Birmingham Museums Trust project, I jumped at the chance. What I wasn’t expecting was to become so immersed in the work that when the project ended I felt incredibly proud to have been part of this unique and rewarding experience. Read More...

Hello, my name is Emily and I am currently studying for my Masters in Antiquity following the Classical Archaeology pathway at the University of Birmingham. I began volunteering for the Conservation Club in October 2018, and loved it so much that I took on a second volunteering role as an Archaeological Finds Recording Assistant in January 2019.

As a member of the volunteer Conservation Club I am given the opportunity to visit five of the heritage sites within the Birmingham Museums Trust as well as the Museum Collection Centre. We give each of the sites a top to bottom deep clean to help with the conservation of the building and the objects within it. Conservation is an aspect of the museum world that has always fascinated me, so it is a lot of fun being able to see what goes into preventing things from being damaged. Also, being able to handle the artefacts visitors aren’t allowed to is pretty neat. Read More...

Whenever February comes around the corner I always get excited about National Student Volunteering Week! This is the week of the year when we really shout out about all those brilliant members of our volunteer team who are busy doing lots of studying too.

To celebrate Student Volunteering Week each year we announce Birmingham Museums Trust’s Student Volunteer of the Year. The 2019 winner has volunteered with us for two years as a Heritage Interpreter at Sarehole Mill. So huge congratulations to Elinor Cole and a huge thank you from all of us here at Birmingham Museums for your time, passion and dedication to volunteering with us.  Read More...

Hello! I am Deminder, and I have been volunteering at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and supporting Inspire 18, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s youth art competition. This is the third year of the competition and the theme this year has been ‘We Heart Colour!’. It is a competition for young people between the ages of 5 and 19.

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Hi I’m Jack, I’ve been a volunteer at Soho House Museum for a couple of years now. I was inspired to volunteer by an open day held at Soho House which highlighted volunteer opportunities at all of Birmingham Museums Trust’s sites.

It is such a privilege to be a volunteer here where the sense of history is ever present and the staff are so friendly and supportive. It is such an important site, in my opinion, for four reasons: Read More...