Role Outline:
Volunteer Tour Guide
Department:
Security and Visitor Services
The V&A is the world's greatest museum of applied and
decorative arts. For 150 years, its collections have inspired
and informed.
There's never been a better time to be involved with the
Victoria and Albert Museum, the world’s greatest museum of art
and design. Over the next few years we are undergoing an
exciting transformation. Our vision is to open up the Museum,
making our beautiful building and world-class collections
accessible and inspiring for everyone.
Volunteer Tour Guides are vital to the success of this
transformation and our visitors' experience of the V&A.
Volunteer Tour Guides act as the ambassadors for the museum,
helping the public to engage with the museum’s buildings and
collections. They are expert in introducing visitors to the
Museum through informative and interesting tours. They are
given support and training to create interesting and
informative tours through the museum.
As a Volunteer Tour Guide, you will be part of a
large, friendly team and really discover the V&A. You will
enjoy training, special talks and behind-the-scenes tours, as
well as previews to special exhibitions and discounts in the
V&A Shop and Restaurant. We are looking for volunteers to
start in September, initially delivering weekend tours of the
Theatre & Performance galleries.
Role outline
1. To deliver high quality 1 hour guided tours as part of
the
museum’s
advertised
public
programme.
To
be
informative, entertaining and inspiring to all visitors
following museum guidelines for tours content and
delivery.
2. Guides
are
expected
to
continually
develop
their
knowledge of the museums collections. This can be through
attending specialist talks, tours, training sessions and
through self study. Guides are required to create their
own personalised tours which enable the tour programme to
be individual and varied. The guide must be able to adapt
tours at short notice in case of gallery closures or
maintenance works.
3. To be familiar with the museum’s policy on access,
inclusion
and
diversity.
Guides
should
take
into
consideration special needs of visitors joining the tour,
such as planning step free routes through the galleries,
highlighting the museum touch
audio enhancement equipment.
objects
and
use
of the
4. To develop a working knowledge of museum public databases
such as V&A Search the Collections.
5. Develop knowledge of the area surrounding the Museum,
including transport, shops, services, restaurants, hotels
etc. in order to be able to assist visitors in as many
ways as possible. Guides should be able to advise
visitors of what’s on at other national museums or
similar collections.
6. To promote museum exhibitions and events and to request
donations.
7. To reply to all visitor requests and enquiries in a
polite and courteous manner. Guides will respond to
visitor comments & complaints, trying to resolve the
issue, and recording the comments for future reference.
8. Guides must be punctual and reliable, notifying your V&A
contact at the earliest opportunity if you are unable to
undertake any of your allocated tours.
9. To attend any necessary training which the museum may
provide to carry out the role. To be willing to learn and
use any new technology as needed.
10.
To look smart and tidy at all times ensuring that
you wear any uniform or other identification provided
whilst in a public area.
11.
Be security conscious; ensure familiarity and cooperation with all museum security procedures. Ensure
that you wear a security pass at all times when on the
museum premises and adhere to all security procedures.
12.
Be committed to Health & Safety, and ensure
familiarity with the Museum’s Health & Safety Policy.
To undertake this role, volunteers will possess the following
skills and attributes
1. A good level of visitor care skills with a visitor-first
attitude.
Able to anticipate different visitors’ needs
and tailor services to those needs – for example - an
understanding of disability/diversity issues and learning
styles.
2. Good verbal communication skills with experience of
public speaking. The ability to converse fluently in
English and ability to convey information to large groups
of visitors in a succinct and friendly manner.
3. Possess a strong interest in Art & Design History, and a
willingness to develop in-depth knowledge of this area.
The ability to devise and create stimulating tours of the
museum for a wide and varied audience.
4. Able to maintain a level of physical activity within the
museum, which will involve the need to stand and walk for
extended periods of time.
5. Reliable and trustworthy with the ability to use one’s
own initiative, operating with minimal supervision and
adapting to new or changing situations.
6. To be able to promote museum exhibitions and events and
to request donations for museum maps.
7. Good team skills, able to contribute to a larger team as
well as display individual skills and attributes.
8. A good knowledge of the use of information technology,
with
experience
of
using
MS
Office
or
similar.
Willingness to develop and enhance IT skills.
9. Smart presentation and a confident style. This includes
high standards of cleanliness, neatness and attentiveness.
10.
Working
advantage
knowledge
of
a
second
language
is
an
The
Victoria
&
Albert
Museum
is
committed
to
equal
opportunities for all its staff, volunteers and visitors.