Museum Attendant or Visitor Services Attendant

Museum attendants or visitor services attendants give information and help to visitors. They may also help set up exhibitions, clean displays, take entrance money and sell items in the museum shop.

The Work

You could be:

• greeting visitors
• explaining exhibits to visitors


• helping set up exhibitions


• guarding the items on display


• taking admission money, if there is a charge


• selling catalogues, books, postcards and other souvenirs in the museum shop


• patrolling the museum and checking visitors' bags for security purposes


• general admin tasks such as answering phones, maintaining records or taking bookings


• helping to keep the museum clean and tidy.

Conditions

• The duties vary a lot depending on the size and type of museum or gallery.


• You usually have to wear a uniform.


• In a few themed museums, you may have to wear historical costume.


• You mostly work indoors, although you would work outdoors in some farming or industrial theme museums.


• You may do shift work in larger museums to cover evenings and weekends.

Getting In

• A good general education is useful. Some employers may ask for a group of Standard grades, and may prefer passes in subjects such as English, Art and Design or History.


• It helps if you have some voluntary work experience in a museum or gallery.


• You can often get part time work. This may lead to full time work.


• Some employers require you to have customer-facing experience.


• You should be quite fit as you spend a lot of time standing. There might be some heavy lifting.


• To work in this job you may have to declare any criminal convictions. Certain types of conviction may prevent you from getting in. Contact Disclosure Scotland for details.

What Does It Take?

You need to be:

• pleasant and helpful
• enthusiastic and interested in the exhibits


• able to act firmly when needed


• alert, observant and security conscious


• trustworthy


• physically fit.

• good communication skills


• the ability to work as part of a team


• a good memory for information about exhibits


• the ability to relate to people of all ages


• a liking for meeting people.

Training

• Some employers provide on-the-job training leading to relevant qualifications.


• You may be able to work towards the National Award in Cultural and Heritage Venue Operations, awarded by EDI.

Getting On

• With experience on the job you may be able to become a supervisor.


• There are more chances for promotion in larger museums in major cities.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

• where you work


• the size of company or organisation you work for


• the demand for the job.

More Information

The Museums Galleries Scotland website lists over 340 museums in Scotland. They vary in size from the National Museum of Scotland, with many employees, to small local museums with very few employees and often staffed largely by volunteers.

Addresses

The following organisation(s) may be able to provide further information.