Museum Guides and Demonstrators

Museum Guides and Demonstrators VH282; Blickling; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A local printing museum is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to welcome visitors and demonstrate printing techniques. Ideal candidates will have or wish to gain knowledge in printing, engage confidently with guests, and possibly have teaching experience. Training will be provided, and travel expenses can be claimed. This role is voluntary with flexible time commitments during the open season.

Benefits

Full training and induction

Opportunity to learn about printing

Qualifications

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Keen to discover more about exhibits and share knowledge with visitors.
• Experience with social media, marketing, or working in a museum is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Welcome visitors and provide general introductions to the Museum.
• Operate printing equipment and explain processes to visitors.
• Guide visitors around exhibits and address their queries.

Skills

Knowledge of printing

Inter-personal skills

Experience with children/adults education

Job description

Role:
Guides welcome our visitors and give them a general introduction to the Museum and its collections. Demonstrators operate the Museum’s presses, bookbinding and printing equipment and explain them to visitors.

Who would it suit?

• Anyone with a knowledge of or background in printing, print-making, engineering, bookbinding or the book-arts, or
• Anyone who would like to learn to print, to hand-compose type, to use print-making equipment or to work with and maintain printing machinery, or
• Anyone comfortable and confident in meeting and talking to visitors, guiding them round exhibits, explaining their significance and dealing with queries which may arise, or
• Anyone with experience of teaching children, students or adults, or who would like to gain such experience.

What skills and experience are we looking for?

Volunteers should be able to work both independently and as part of a team. They should be keen to discover more about the exhibits and willing to share that knowledge appropriately with visitors. Good inter-personal skills are important. Knowledge of basic office administrative skills, social media, marketing or advertising, or experience of working or volunteering in a museum would be an advantage but are not essential.

What support will I be given?

Full training and induction will be given to each volunteer and volunteers are invited to additional training and update sessions at the start of each season to familiarise themselves with the displays, equipment and any changes. All volunteers are expected to follow Museum policies and guidance, as determined by the Norwich Printing Museum Trust, which works with the volunteers to give visitors the best possible experience. You will need to attend an induction session and to adhere to any National Trust policies while the Museum is at Blickling. Travel expenses can be claimed from the NT through their online portal. The role is purely voluntary and subject to a probationary period of three months to ensure that both the museum and the volunteer are happy.

Time commitment:
The museum is currently open to the public from 1 April to 28 September, Friday to Sunday, 11am to 3pm, with special events, classes and demonstrations held at other times during open-season.

About the organisation:
Norwich Printing Museum is a rarity, being one of the few remaining working printing museums in the UK. The museum was born from a collection of printing machinery, type and bindery equipment gathered by Jarrolds for their own printing museum (which closed in 2019). The Museum is now an independent charitable Trust and is seeking a permanent home for its collections. Meanwhile a working ‘Museum in Residence’ is open in one of the stables on the Blickling Estate (the Museum has plans to move to Norwich in late 2025).

How to apply:If you are interested in this role and would like to apply or would like more information, contact the Volunteer Hub at Merchants’ Place –
E: [e-mail]
T: 01263 519454

Alternatively, you can complete an online registration form and your details will be sent to us directly. A link for the form can be found on our Volunteer Hub page on our website