Museum Assistant

Murney Tower Museum - Kingston Historical Society; Kingston; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A local history museum is seeking candidates for the Museum Assistant position to support daily operations and engage with visitors. Responsibilities include greeting guests, delivering guided tours, and assisting with educational programs and events. Candidates should demonstrate strong communication and organizational skills. This is a temporary full-time position starting on May 11, 2026, offering $18.00 per hour for 35 hours per week.

Qualifications

• Strong communication skills for engaging with a diverse audience.
• Ability to manage financial transactions accurately.
• Experience in historical interpretation and educational programming preferred.

Responsibilities

• Greet visitors and provide information about the museum.
• Support daily museum operations and maintain a welcoming environment.
• Assist with educational programs, events, and outreach.
• Develop independent projects in various areas of museum work.

Skills

Customer service skills

Ability to deliver guided tours

Organizational skills

Team collaboration

Job description

Overview

Organization: Murney Tower Museum National Historic Site of Canada

Job Title: Museum Assistant (3 positions)

Location: Kingston, Ontario

Salary: $18.00/hour

Period of Employment: May 11 to September 7, 2026, 35 hours/week

Application Deadline: February 15, 2026

About Murney Tower Museum

The Murney Tower Museum is a local history museum operated by the Kingston Historical Society in partnership with Parks Canada since 1925. It is located in one of the four Martello Towers of Kingston, Ontario and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Rideau Canal and Kingston Fortifications. It is the oldest operating museum in Kingston and has a collection of domestic and military artifacts that portray 19th-century life in Kingston. It also offers guided tours, audio tours, educational programs, special events, and exhibits.

Job Description

Reporting to the Manager/Curator, the Museum Assistant will play a key role in the day-to-day operations of the museum, including welcoming visitors, delivering guided tours, assisting with onsite procedures, and supporting program, exhibit, and administrative tasks. The Museum Assistant is the first point of contact at the museum and communicates the museum’s role in the cultural and military history of Kingston to a broad range of audiences. As such, they play a pivotal role in the continued success of the museum’s onsite operations and public engagement activities. In addition to operational responsibilities, the Museum Assistant will have the opportunity to contribute to several independent projects and museum initiatives, allowing them to gain practical, hands-on experience across several key areas of museum work, including historical interpretation, educational programming, event coordination, historical research, and digital content creation.

Responsibilities

• Greeting visitors, answering inquiries, and delivering guided tours.
• Supporting daily operations, including opening/closing, cleaning, and maintaining a welcoming environment.
• Managing admissions, financial transactions, and gift shop sales.
• Recording and reporting visitor statistics and assisting with basic administrative tasks.
• Assisting with educational programs, special events, outreach booths, and exhibit setup.
• Developing independent projects in different areas of museum work (e.g., educational programming, event coordination, historical research, social media, digital content creation).
• Participating in staff meetings, training sessions, and general team coordination.
• Contributing to new museum initiatives and demonstrating professionalism and initiative.

This is a temporary full-time position starting 11 May 2026. The employee will work 35 hours a week from 9:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., with occasional evenings, weekends, or statutory holidays as required. The rate of pay is $18.00/hour.