Volunteer with us

Volunteers are a valued part of our team at Thackray. We’d love to hear from you, whether you’re hoping to gain experience of the museum sector or put your existing skills to use helping others. New volunteering opportunities are advertised here regularly, as well as on our social media channels.

Benefits of volunteering

Volunteering at the Thackray Museum provides experience of an entry-level heritage role within a busy and exciting visitor attraction. There is plenty of scope for personal development as you increase your knowledge of the museum sector. As valued members of our team, volunteers receive:

  • Travel expenses.
  • An induction, training and supervision.
  • Invitations to special events.

We welcome everybody, so talk to us about how we can work together to keep inclusion at the heart of what we do.



Existing and past roles

Recruiting: Currently closed but check back for future opportunities.

Visitor engagement: Volunteers bring character and warmth to our museum by welcoming and directing visitors, talking about exhibits, and encouraging people to take part in activities.

Archives and collections: Behind the scenes, our staff work with volunteers on projects involving cataloguing objects, updating records, and caring for the many items in our collection. 

Young people’s learning: Teachers and learners come to the Thackray almost every day. Our volunteers are around to greet them, support school sessions, and prepare resources for activities aimed at all age groups.

Heritage: Volunteer researchers have pieced together the histories of hundreds of residents of the Leeds Union Workhouse (now our museum building) and help run events bringing our history to life.