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Volunteers

Volunteers at the Harris Museum & Art Gallery The Harris Museum and Art Gallery relies on volunteers in many areas and some of the vital services we provide would not be available if it was not for the goodwill of volunteers and the time they provide. For some volunteers, the process is a significant stepping stone, providing valuable experience in establishing a career within the museum service (or other areas), as well as an opportunity to further an interest or contribute to your local community. We have a number of volunteer opportunities some of which are listed below. However we do often have other opportunities available from time to time. Current opportunities: We are not currently recruiting any new volunteers. Please keep checking back on this page for updates! A flavour of volunteering opportunities available: Guides This involves conducting guided tours around different aspects of the building. We currently have three types of guides, Highlights of the Harris Guides, Egyptian Balcony Guides, Building Tour Guides and Exhibition Guides. Tours currently last about 45 mins. Scripts and training are provided. Workshop Assistants We often run workshops in conjunction with exhibitions. These are generally children's workshops for which a freelance artist is employed. These workshops can be held on the premises or at other locations around the city. Assistants help in the set-up, running and data collecting of workshops. Information Assistants We have a varied exhibition programme including costume, contemporary art, craft and historical and local history. Depending on the exhibition sometimes we ask for volunteer information assistants. This involves being in the gallery at agreed times to talk to visitors about the exhibition content. External Events and Promotion Assistants We occasionally take part in external promotional events (including Mela and tourist fairs etc). These involve talking to the public about the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, current exhibitions, future events/exhibitions and the service we provide. Sometimes these may take on a mini workshop form. We also need help with distributing promotional material about the Harris Museum and Art Gallery and we are keen on volunteers assisting with this by distributing material to all appropriate locations. Research and Cataloguing Collections We currently have three Keepers (Keepers of: Fine Art, Social History and Decorative Art). These keepers look after large collections and are often willing to provide research opportunities into certain aspects of these collections. Opportunities exists to help input paper records onto computer collections management systems. Collections Care Assisting keepers with the general care of collections including: packing and handling Sewing skills are sometimes useful. Office Duties Office duties is an aspect we are looking at expanding, however at the moment we do have opportunities such as assisting with mailouts and ad hoc office duties. Costume Collection Champions Opportunities to work with the costume collection. Current sessions include making padded hangers for collection storage.

Interested in finding out more about how museums and libraries work and could spare some time to help us to continue our work? Join our volunteer team at the Harris. We are currently recruiting Family Activity and Reminiscence Volunteers.


Interested in volunteering at the Harris Library?

Go to Lancashire County Council's website to find out more and apply.


Family Activity Volunteers - to assist with the delivery of workshops and/or activities for children: helping to set up and clear away materials for sessions, participant signing-in, and providing feedback to staff on activities.

Volunteers are needed to assist with the following family activity sessions:

Hands On (First Tuesday of the month)
Scent Bottle Treasure Hunt
Potter's Apprentice
Arty/Time Explorers

We also have one-off special events.

Reminiscence Volunteers - to be part of a small team that delivers reminiscence sessions to older people offsite within the community at homes, hospices, hospital and Dementia Cafes. You will always be one of a pair with another reminiscence volunteer.

The role will include: Helping to maintain the themed reminiscence boxes; getting the themed boxes ready for use; collecting and dropping off the themed boxes back at the Harris; making your own way to the venue offsite where you are delivering the session; liaising with staff at the Harris and the venue offsite; stimulating discussion by using objects from the Harris’ collection as a trigger; attending team meetings at the Harris approximately once every 3 months; keeping up to date with training and best practice.


Training is provided to cover all areas and tasks.

If you are interested, please email the museum at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


If there aren't the type of volunteering activities you are interested in, please check back here again in future as we will be posting other opportunities as they arise.

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Harris Museum and Art Gallery

Market Square,
Preston
PR1 2PP 

T 01772 258248 (office 10am-4pm)
T 01772 905414 (event bookings)
E This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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OPENING HOURS

Please note the whole Harris building will be closed on Thursday 22 June until 12.30pm for essential staff training.

Museum, Art Gallery, Library & Makerspace

Mon 10am-7pm
(Museum/Art Gallery 11am-5pm)

Tue 10am-5pm

Wed 10am-8pm
(Library 10am-7pm)

Thur 10am-5pm

Fri 10am-5pm

Sat 10am-5pm

Sun 11am-4pm

IT Centre Computers open 9am daily, except Sundays 11am

Café and Shop
Daily 10am-4pm, except Sundays 11am-3.30pm

BANK HOLIDAY OPENING

Sunday 27 and Monday 28 August:

The Harris Museum & Art Gallery will be open on Sunday 11am-4pm and Monday 11am-5pm.
The Harris Library and Learning Centre will be closed on both days.

 

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