The Museums Association has written a short guide to volunteering with museums.

Tips on volunteering

• Don't limit your efforts to national and large regional museums and galleries. They are probably overwhelmed with requests for voluntary work
• Apply to smaller local museums. You are likely to get a broader range of experience
• Treat your request as if you are applying for paid work - find out about the museums you are interested in, visit them if you can and when you contact them explain why you want to volunteer for them
• Be honest about how much time you have available - you're more likely to find an opening if you are available for the same amount of time each week
• Remember that it's not the amount of experience you gain through volunteering but what you make of it that will count in your favour when looking to progress your career in museums or galleries.

For further information you can go to the Museum Association website

There are many museums that offer volunteering and internship opportunities - a small selection of them are below:

• The Victoria and Albert Museum
• National History Museum
• National Museums Scotland
• The University of Oxford Museums Collections
• The British Museum
• The Science Museum
• Museum of London
• Hull Museums
• National Museum Wales
• Northern Ireland Museums Council 

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