Collections Assistant - Reading Museum

Allscreens Nationwide Ltd; Reading; On-site; GBP 16,000 - 17,000; Part time

Job summary

Reading Borough Council, on behalf of Reading Museum, is seeking a part-time Collections Assistant to support the Collections team in managing and documenting diverse museum archives. The role involves updating object records, handling archaeological materials, and helping with online publications and public programmes.

Working three days per week, Monday to Friday, with occasional evenings or weekends. Not suitable for remote working; on-site in Reading.

Qualifications

• Passionate about museums and heritage, with some training or experience.
• Highly organised with excellent administration skills and a close eye for detail.
• Confident with IT including experience of databases, and entering data accurately, consistently and reliably.
• An effective communicator, with strong written communication and customer service skills.
• You enjoy independent research and work well in a small team.
• Good time management and prioritisation skills, able to manage your workload to meet deadlines.
• Able to carry out basic lifting and moving, and have previous experience or understanding of handling museum objects.

Responsibilities

• Update object records with accurate information and research, helping maintain loan records on the database.
• Mark objects with their numbers according to agreed procedures.
• Assist with answering enquiries, research, photography and scanning of collections, recording archaeological archives.
• Carry out basic collection care tasks such as packing and environmental monitoring, and the safe movement of objects including location control.
• Get involved with the wider work of the Collections and Learning team including exhibition preparation, supporting volunteers and visiting researchers, and contributing to online publications such as museum blogs and social media content.

Skills

Administration

Database experience

Written communication

Time management

Independent research

Customer service

Attention to detail

Handling objects

Tools

Modes database

Job description

Collections Assistant - Reading Museum

Company: Reading Borough Council

Salary: £15,569 - £16,885

Hours: Part-time

Location: Reading, RG1 1QH

Working pattern: On-site

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 26 Aug 2026

Closing date: 3 Sept 2026

Reading Museum is looking for a part-time Collections Assistant to support the work of the Collections team. The Collections Assistant will have the opportunity to develop their experience in museum documentation and collection management, working with a variety of collections but especially archaeological archives.

Reading Museum has around half a million objects including fine art, local history, natural history and archaeology, sharing its unique collections with a wide range of audiences. We need an enthusiastic individual to help us care for and document these collections using our Modes database, and make information on the collections accessible through enquiries, online publications and public programmes.

As a Collections Assistant you will work as part of the Museum collections team, updating object records with accurate information and research, helping maintain loan records on the database and marking objects with their numbers according to agreed procedures.

They will assist with answering enquiries, research, photography and scanning of collections, recording archaeological archives, basic collection care tasks such as packing and environmental monitoring, and the safe movement of objects including location control.

The role will also offer opportunities to get involved with the wider work of the Collections and Learning team including exhibition preparation, supporting volunteers and visiting researchers, and contributing to online publications such as museum blogs and social media content.

This is a part time role, and we expect that you will normally work three days a week between Monday and Friday. (Please include in your supporting statement which days you would like to work, if you have a preference.) There may be occasional evening and weekend work. This role is not suitable for remote working.

About you:

• Passionate about museums and heritage, with some training or experience
• Highly organised, with excellent administration skills and a close eye for detail
• Confident with IT including experience of databases, and enter data accurately, consistently and reliably
• An effective communicator, with strong written communication and customer service skills
• You enjoy independent research and work well in a small team
• Good time management and prioritisation skills, able to manage your workload to meet deadlines
• Able to carry out basic lifting and moving, and have previous experience or understanding of handling museum objects.

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