Museum/art gallery attendant

Museum/art gallery attendants have tasks such as cleaning displays, patrolling rooms to monitor security, talking to visitors and helping them with their enquiries. They might also issue entrance tickets, set up exhibitions and work in the museum gift shop.

Also known as

Warder – museum

Work activities

Museum/art gallery attendants’ duties vary depending on the museum or gallery they work in. Attendants in national museums or galleries, sometimes called warders, normally clean displays, patrol rooms to monitor security, check visitors’ bags for security purposes, talk to visitors and help to set up exhibitions. Independent and privately owned museums and galleries usually have a smaller number of staff. Attendants might help with a variety of extra tasks, such as issuing entrance tickets and looking after a gift shop (selling items and handling cash).

There are now many “working” museums, which are designed to let people see how objects were used in the past and how people used to live. For example, attendants might wear a costume from a particular historical period or demonstrate how something was used or made. In some large museums, attendants arrange and organise meeting rooms for lectures or school visits. They might also help pack, unpack, handle or move objects or collections. National museums and galleries have security equipment and security guards. In many smaller organisations, security is part of the attendant’s job. This may also involve operating and checking security systems and alarms. Attendants direct and give general advice to visitors, including helping disabled people to access galleries or rooms. The work can involve standing for long periods and walking around. Attendants might have to wear a uniform.

Personal qualities and skills

As a museum/art gallery attendant, you’ll need:

A polite and friendly manner.
To be responsible, observant and alert at all times.
Teamwork skills.
Awareness of health, safety and security issues.
Number skills if you issue tickets or help out in the gift shop.
A good level of fitness, as you could be standing for long periods of time. If you work outside in a “working” museum, you should be prepared to work in all types of weather.

Pay and opportunities

The pay rates given are approximate. Museum/art gallery attendants earn in the range of £15,000 a year, rising to around £20,000 with experience.

Museum/art gallery attendants work a basic 41-43-hour week. However, evening, weekend and public holidays working is usual.

Employers are the national museums and galleries, and independent or privately-owned museums and art galleries.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in or on:

Local/national newspapers.
The websites of the Museums Association and the National Museum Directors’ Council (NMDC).
Specialist job boards such as com
General job boards.
The websites of individual museums/art galleries.

Entry routes and training

There are no set entry routes into this career, however, a number of apprenticeships are relevant to this career path:

Cultural learning and participation officer (level 3 / advanced)
Customer service practitioner (level 2 / intermediate)
Museum and galleries technician (level 3 / advanced)

Training is usually on-the-job and might involve working towards a relevant work-based qualification, for example, in sales, security, customer services or leisure and tourism. You might be able to work towards a level 2 certificate or level 3 diploma in cultural heritage, or a level 2 certificate in supporting cultural venue operations. There is also a level 2 award in principles of the cultural heritage sector.

With experience, it might be possible to progress to a senior assistant position. There will be more opportunities for career progression in larger museums and galleries.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: A post that involves working with children, for example, on school visits, can be an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

If you wish to enter this career through an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship, you will need GCSEs in English and maths, although you may be able to complete these alongside your programme.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have relevant work experience, such as a background in customer service or security work.

Related careers

Antique dealer
Archaeologist
Archivist
Museum/art gallery conservator
Museum/art gallery curator