Celebrating volunteers at the British Museum
Find out more about volunteering at the British Museum.
From Touch tours to behind-the-scenes research, five volunteers share their experiences of volunteering at the British Museum.
International Volunteer Day falls annually on 5 December, providing an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of millions of people around the world who give their time freely to make a positive difference.
The British Museum has a team of about 500 volunteers from all walks of life, aged from 18 to over 90. Some are students or at the start of their careers; others have retired and are enjoying new challenges. Volunteers support colleagues in almost every department in a dizzying array of tasks, from assisting curatorial colleagues in collections-based research to helping keep records up to date. There are even more volunteers in front-of-house roles, welcoming visitors to the Museum and helping millions of visitors enjoy the Museum's collection year in, year out, through gallery talks and object handling. We regularly get positive feedback from visitors who've been on a volunteer-led tour, or who have visited a Hands-on desk. The volunteers are incredible, and we're grateful to each and every one of them for their contribution and support.
Read on to hear from five volunteers about their experience volunteering at the British Museum, and learn some of the special insights they've gained from working so closely with the collection and staff.
Reading Room tours – Kathryn
She was extremely knowledgeable and very passionate about the subject. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and because of that, I have decided to start going to the British Museum more often.
The historic Reading Room lies at the very centre of the British Museum. The room has one of the largest domes in the world, larger in diameter than St. Paul's Cathedral in London. The Reading Room was home to the British Library until 1997 when it moved to a new site. Early in 2024 I was recruited as part of a small group of volunteer guides to lead 20-minute tours of this beautiful space.
Since retiring from a career as a clinical psychologist I have been increasingly drawn to exploring the ways human beings have lived and built shared lives through time. Volunteering with the Museum provided the opportunity to bring together my people skills and my love of history and put them to good use. The staff in the Volunteers office made the application process pretty painless and stressed that enthusiasm and commitment were the key requirements. Their support continued throughout learning the Reading Room's story, from the interesting characters who built it to some of the fascinating stories of people who used the room such as Karl Marx, Virginia Woolf and Oscar Wilde.
Taking visitors on the tour is hugely enjoyable, and each tour seems a little different depending on the audience. People join the tour for lots of reasons. Some are people who once worked in the Room, are keen to see it again and tell us some of their memories. It feels a great privilege to share the evolving story of the Reading Room and hopefully we make a visit there a little bit more special for our audience.
Find out more about a Reading Room tour.
Out-of-hours tours – Matthew
We had a marvellous tour of the Egyptian rooms this morning with a guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable and impressive. He provided really fascinating insight into each item he showed us... And some very good jokes.
I am one of the volunteers on the Out-of-hours tour programme. These tours take place an hour before the Museum officially opens, and they're a really special way for people to experience the galleries and learn about many of the objects there without the crowds. I deliver both the Introduction to ancient Egypt tour and the Life and death in ancient Egypt tour.
I have been volunteering for a few years now and I love being able to spend time with the Egyptian collection. I never tire of walking into the galleries with my tour group and having the displays to ourselves. It's joyous to see the look on people's faces too when they see that we are alone in the galleries.
I have had a passion for ancient Egypt since I was a child, something that grew even more as I got older, and I have been lucky enough to visit Egypt many times.
As a Member and regular visitor to the British Museum, I would come and spend hours in the Egypt galleries. Now I get to be there even more. One of my favourite objects in the collection is on the tour: the seated statue of Amenhotep III. I find it fascinating because in just one statue there are so many fascinating details to share about him, his reign, what the hieroglyphs say, the history of Egypt at the time and the history of the statue. I enjoy sharing all of that with tour guests, and pointing out things that they probably wouldn't notice otherwise.
During lockdown I took the opportunity to return to university to study Egyptology and hieroglyph translation. When I graduate next year, I plan to go on to study a Masters in Egyptology. My studies have helped me so much with delivering my tours and I'm able to share my love of Egypt with those who come along.
Touch Tours – Tim
Thank you so much for organising the Touch tour of the Egypt gallery. We really, really enjoyed it. The volunteer was such a knowledgeable and kind guide.
I started volunteering at the British Museum as a retirement project in 1992 and have given tours in many different galleries. I have loved them all without exception, but the most rewarding by far have been the Touch tours, for visitors who are blind or partially sighted.
These take place in both the Parthenon and the Egyptian Sculpture galleries. On the Parthenon Touch tour, visitors touch historic casts of the sculptures. But on the Egyptian Sculpture tour, visitors can actually touch about nine different original sculptures. It is truly inspirational to help them appreciate objects which are all more than 2,000, and some more than 4,000, years old.
Because of the necessity to manually guide clients, the numbers are limited. There are never more than three participants. On one occasion I took a young totally blind Turkish man who had never previously visited London and was finding his way around without any assistance except his smartphone. He had studied the objects he was to be shown – they are listed on the British Museum website – and asked searching questions which stretched my knowledge – not in fact too difficult!
Many come with a sighted companion; some bring guide dogs who are always popular with the other visitors, especially children.
Of the many people I have accompanied on my tours those who have made it truly worthwhile are visitors on the Touch tours. From them, more than any others, I have been inspired to continue volunteering and I encourage everyone who reads this to do the same.
Behind-the-scenes – Max
It was a pleasure to support Max in his volunteering, it is always great to work with volunteers who are so engaged with the Museum's collection and always want to learn more!
I'm a volunteer in the Department of Africa, Oceania and Americas. My main task is scanning images of Museum artwork and objects and filing it on the database for curators to review and archive.
I really wanted to volunteer at the British Museum because I love history, ancient architecture and research. I took on this role as I thought it would be a good challenge while also being really interesting and enjoyable.
I have learnt many valuable skills and lessons here that are transferable in so many areas of my life, including IT skills, navigating large collections and spaces, timekeeping, asking for help and getting on with people in the workplace.
I love that I get to see and study so many incredible things, including the sarcophagi of ancient Egypt, the swords and armour of the soldiers of the Umayyad Caliphate, the architectural masterpieces of the Indus River Valley Civilisation and the statues of great philosophers, scholars, warriors and rulers of ancient Rome and Greece. It's great that I get a quick-entry pass so I can access the entire museum whenever I like, not to mention great subsidised meals in the staff canteen!
There have been many special moments, with my favourites including the incredible behind-the-scenes events during the Volunteers' Fortnight, and of course the Volunteers' annual party in the summer.
I love my volunteer role at the British Museum. It's fun, engaging, educational and filled with tons of fun personalities to talk with, all in an incredible building rich with so much African, Asian, American, Australian, European and Middle Eastern history to explore and learn about.
Hands on desks – Ishani
I just wanted to say how wonderful your Hands on desk experience was today. The person manning the desk was wonderful and so engaging with my children – very knowledgeable and they took so much time answering their questions, it really was the highlight of our visit.
The Museum has seven Hands on desks where visitors get to handle real objects from deep history to the present day. I've been a Hands-on desk volunteer for many years and I've been on an extraordinary journey that connects me with visitors from all over the world and of all ages. Each interaction is unique, reminding me of the diverse tapestry of humanity.
One of my most memorable experiences involved a young girl of about nine-years-old who became captivated by a miniature bronze Ganesha statue from India. As she held it, her eyes sparkled with wonder, and she asked, 'Why does Ganesha have an elephant head? Do people still pray to him?' Her curiosity transformed our exchange into a moment of shared discovery, illustrating how artefacts are not merely historical objects but living connections to beliefs and traditions.
Another powerful moment was with a blind visitor who engaged with the miniature Ganesha sculpture. I guided her hands to feel its texture and contours, prompting her insightful reflections on its symbolism. This experience reminded me that these artefacts resonate beyond sight.
Additionally, one of my favourite pieces is a dolphin tooth necklace from Solomon Islands in the Pacific. Its intricate design sparks lively conversations, encouraging visitors to explore and ask questions about cultures far removed from their own. With each encounter, I see people walk away with a renewed appreciation for diversity and the richness of global heritage.
What makes this experience truly rewarding is the inclusive environment we foster at the Hands-on Desk. I'm grateful to be part of a team that celebrates curiosity and understanding, creating a space where everyone can engage with history and learn together. Each day is an exciting adventure filled with opportunities to connect and share our love for the past.
Volunteer opportunities
We will be recruiting new volunteers next year. These opportunities are advertised on the Museum's Volunteering page where you can also find out more about volunteering at the British Museum.
Most museums, galleries and libraries run volunteer programmes, so if you're not based in London but would like to become part of a museum community, try reaching out to one of your local museums, galleries or heritage sites.
If you are able to visit the Museum, find out more about attending a volunteer-led tour or visiting a Hands on desk. A small number of tours have a charge, but the vast majority of tours are free.
