Volunteering with Sir John Soane’s Museum

At Sir John Soane’s Museum we are extremely grateful to our wonderful volunteers for sharing their time, passion and inspiration with us.

Volunteering with us is an opportunity to learn and to deeply enjoy our Museum and collection. Our volunteers contribute their time, sharing their enthusiasm and developing their skills in an inspiring and supportive environment. 

We offer full training and provide support, supervision and learning materials to make the most of volunteering with us. Best of all, we welcome our volunteers into a warm, friendly and passionate team. 

Our Volunteering Roles

At Sir John Soane’s Museum we recruit sporadically through each year with a variety of opportunities to Volunteer with us.

Volunteers at the Soane support Visitor Experience, helping us to inspire visitors, and interpreting our unique and fascinating spaces. We also have volunteers helping in different ways, such as supporting our learning team, research library, exhibitions and facilities teams.  

We welcome applicants from all sections of the community and nurture a diverse and widely-skilled team. We encourage applications regardless of class, race, ethnicity, age or gender, and no particular education is necessary prior to volunteering. Our training gives you confidence, comfort, and a big welcome to the team, and you will learn more with every volunteering session at the Museum. You definitely don't need to learn everything before you start, and at the heart of volunteering with us is simply enjoying the amazing spaces and objects here.     

For volunteering related general enquiries please email volunteer@soane.org.uk.

Please note - Volunteers must be over 18 years. Please see below for details of our Youth Panel. 

Work Experience/Placements and Internships 

We are not able to accept work experience requests currently.

We do however, offer other ways for young people to get involved with the work at Sir John Soane’s Museum, including our Youth Panel.

Current opportunities

Volunteer Visitor Assistants

The house-museum of the celebrated Regency architect, Sir John Soane, displays his various idiosyncratic collections just as he left them on his death in 1837. The smallest national museum, we are open Wednesday to Sunday and are free to enter.

Who we are

A key part of the visitor facing team, Volunteer Visitor Assistants welcome visitors to the Sir John Soane Museum, ensuring they have an enjoyable and informative visit. Volunteering alongside experienced members of staff and playing an integral role in the daily running of the Museum you will help to provide our visitors with a world-class visitor experience.

What you will do

The role includes welcoming visitors to the Museum, interpreting the different and unique spaces for visitors, and safeguarding the collections to ensure they remain as they were left in 1837 for future generations of visitors.

We welcome applicants from all sections of the community. As an organisation, we want to offer opportunities especially to those from our local community and to people new to museums and heritage.

You don't need to have volunteered before; we will provide all relevant training and make sure you have relevant supervision and support.

Where it is

This role is based in the Museum. You will volunteer in three spaces (depending on exhibitions) – the Dome, the Crypt or the Kitchen. There are also opportunities to be trained to give tours of the Private Apartments and the Drawing Office.

How to apply

Download the role profile to find out more.

If you are interested in applying for this role please complete the application form on BetterImpact or email Victoria Witty, Volunteer Manager at volunteer@soane.org.uk for an application form, no later than 1 October. Informal chats are scheduled for the 10 and 13 October.

Closing date – 1 October 2023

 

Drawings catalogue data cleaning volunteer

The house-museum of the celebrated Regency architect, Sir John Soane, displays his various idiosyncratic collections just as he left them on his death in 1837. We are looking for an interested and methodical volunteer to assist with data cleaning a portion of our drawings catalogue.

Who we are

Further to the 6,000 objects on display to the public, Soane compiled a collection of many thousands of books and drawings. The Library department is responsible for cataloguing these objects and plan to catalogue the entire collection for publication online.

What you will do

This role would suit someone with an interest in architecture, art history or architectural history, and museums and cataloguing. This position offers a rare opportunity to develop a basic understanding of a museum collections management system and the finer points of drawings cataloguing. The role is desk-based and requires excellent attention to detail and consistency.

Where it is

The role is based at Sir John Soane’s Museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. You will be asked to commit for a minimum of 6 months, 1-2 days a week with a fortnight’s notice.

How to apply

Download the role profile to find out more.

If you are interested in applying for this role please send your CV and a brief covering letter to Victoria Witty, Volunteer Manager, volunteer@soane.org.uk no later than 22 September. Interviews are scheduled for Tuesday 3 October.

Closing date – 22 September

 

For more information about volunteering and available roles, click below to enter our Volunteer Portal.