
Volunteering at the Lapworth Museum


New volunteering opportunities
We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help shape our events marketing and deliver spectacular evenings of dinosaurs and entertainment.
We will recruit new volunteers on a rolling basis so if you're interested, we would love to hear from you.
Please note you must be aged 18 or over to express interest.
Creative Marketing Volunteers - Content Creators
Creative Marketing Volunteers - Content Creators
We are looking for content creator volunteers to help us plan and produce creative and engaging social media and digital content to promote our events programme.
Responsibilities:
- To support the Museum team in creating engaging and high-quality posts and short-form video content to promote Museum events, either using own footage or photos or footage or photos provided by Museum staff. There is an opportunity to appear in posts and/or videos to promote Museum events as well.
- Edit photos and videos using software like Canva and CapCut for promotion of Museum events.
- Source and integrate copyright-free music into video content for social media.
- Collaborate with Museum staff to craft social media campaigns to promote Museum events.
- Collaborate with Museum staff to ensure visual content aligns with Museum branding.
Skills and Qualifications Needed:
Required Skills:
- Proficiency in social media content production and short-form video filming and editing.
- Knowledge of copyright-free music resources.
- Strong creativity and an eye for detail.
- Good communication skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
- Ability to volunteer in-person at the Museum would also be advantageous.
Note: Necessary software for this role will be provided by the Museum.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Awareness of latest trends or channels in social media to drive traffic and engagement with the Museum's events Instagram account, and engage with new audiences for events
- Previous volunteer or work experience in a similar creative role.
Minimum Weekly Hours Required: 3 hours per week
Length of Commitment: Ongoing
Flexibility: Schedule can be flexible based on the volunteer's availability.
Benefits for Volunteers:
- Gain hands-on experience in social media marketing and short-form video content creation.
- Build a professional portfolio showcasing your work for a respected institution.
- Network with professionals and other creatives in the field.
- Contribute to the promotion of cultural and educational events, making a positive impact in the community.
- Be part of an active and diverse volunteer team within an award-winning museum.
How to express interest: Interested candidates should submit a CV, a brief cover letter, and examples of their previous related work to Anna Leppänen at a.z.a.leppanen@bham.ac.uk. Suitable candidates will be invited for an informal interview.
Any informal queries about the role can be sent to Anna at a.z.a.leppanen@bham.ac.uk.
Creative Marketing Volunteers - Graphic Designer/Illustrator
Creative Marketing Volunteers - Graphic Designer/Illustrator
We are looking for graphic designer/illustration volunteers to create engaging content for assets supporting the Museum's events marketing strategies.
Responsibilities:
- Design original graphics, illustrations, and promotional materials inspired by the Museum’s collections and upcoming events.
- Create engaging social media posts, banners, and advertisements to promote events.
- Work closely with the Museum team to develop cohesive marketing campaigns.
- Ensure all designs align with the University and Museum branding guidelines.
Skills and Qualifications Needed:
Required Skills:
- Proficiency in graphic design and illustration tools (e.g., Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Canva).
- Strong creativity and an eye for detail.
- Good communication skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
- Ability to volunteer in-person at the Museum would also be advantageous.
Note: Necessary software for this role will be provided by the museum.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Good knowledge of social media marketing.
- Skills in print design (e.g., brochures, flyers).
- Ability to quickly produce concept sketches or storyboards.
- Previous volunteer or work experience in a similar creative role.
Minimum Weekly Hours Required: 3 hours per week
Length of Commitment: Ongoing
Flexibility: Schedule can be flexible based on the volunteer's availability.
Benefits for Volunteers:
- Gain hands-on experience in creative media production and design.
- Build a professional portfolio showcasing your work for a respected institution.
- Network with professionals and other creatives in the field.
- Contribute to the promotion of cultural and educational events, making a positive impact in the community.
- Be part of an active and diverse volunteer team within an award-winning museum.
How to express interest: Interested candidates should submit a CV, a brief cover letter, and examples of their previous related work to Anna Leppänen at a.z.a.leppanen@bham.ac.uk. Suitable candidates will be invited for an informal interview.
Any informal queries about the role can be sent to Anna at a.z.a.leppanen@bham.ac.uk.
Events Delivery Volunteers
Events Delivery Volunteers
We are looking for volunteers to help us deliver our events on-site at the Museum, particularly during autumn 2026.
Responsibilities:
- To support the Museum team in delivering cultural events, such as music performances, movie nights, quiz nights, and comedy nights.
- Activities might involve:
- Setting up and packing down of event equipment
- Greeting attendees and checking them in
- Providing information on Museum facilities to attendees
- Maintaining refreshments for attendees
There will be lifting tasks involved, so all volunteers will be required to undergo manual handling training provided by the University of Birmingham.
Skills Needed:
- Strong organisational and time management skills.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to take initiative.
- Comfortable working with the public.
- Strong teamworking skills.
Length of Commitment: Ongoing
Flexibility: Schedule can be flexible based on the volunteer's availability.
Benefits for Volunteers:
- Gain hands-on experience in events delivery.
- Support the Museum’s public engagement programmes, making a positive impact in the community.
- Network with professionals and other creatives in the field.
- Be part of an active and diverse volunteer team within an award-winning museum.
How to express interest: Interested candidates should submit a CV to Anna Leppänen at a.z.a.leppanen@bham.ac.uk. Suitable candidates will be invited for an informal chat.
Any informal queries about the role can be sent to Anna at a.z.a.leppanen@bham.ac.uk.

Volunteer Coordinator - Catriona
“I have been a volunteer for five years, mainly in the archives but also contributing to the Object of the Month series. I participated in the Unlocking Lapworth's Legacy Project, funded by Archives Revealed, which catalogued the Museum's extensive archive of material relating to all aspects of Charles Lapworth's life. It proved to be surprisingly relevant and relatable to modern concerns, such as letters dealing with Lapworth's significant mental and physical health problems throughout his long and highly successful career. Any communication captures a moment in time, but there is a particular pleasure to be gained from holding a handwritten letter and reading what one of Lapworth's closest academic collaborators has recorded concerning some 'geological gossip ', the 19th century equivalent of a water cooler moment or perhaps WhatsApp message.”

Archive Volunteer - Dorothy
“Hello, my name is Ziyuan Cai, but you can call me Dorothy. I am a PhD student in the Department of History at the University of Birmingham, with a research focus on community engagement in Chinese museums. I am an Archive Volunteer, currently working on the Ketley and Holcroft material, which has deeply impressed me. Every piece of paper still shows the original owner’s meticulous care, with everything neatly recorded in a diligent hand. Stepping into the Museum feels like entering a portal to the 19th and 20th centuries, where every building seems to revert to its appearance in old black and white photos; stepping out brings me back to the landscape of today, modern and vibrant, yet the academic atmosphere remains unchanged. I am very happy at such a magical museum and have enjoyed meeting a group of like-minded and friendly colleagues.”

Digitisation Volunteer - Kyle
“I'm a current student in Palaeontology and Geology at the University of Birmingham, working as a volunteer on an ambitious fossil digitisation project at the Lapworth Museum. I have a passion for 3D modelling and printing, and aim to apply these techniques with my skills in palaeontology. My work will help record fossils which are fragile or on loan from external institutions, enabling the permanent preservation of these important specimens for display and educational purposes.”

Curatorial Volunteer - Roy
Roy's Redevelopment Project report"My volunteering at the Lapworth began in 2010, working on the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery collections, producing an assessment and condition report. This was followed by preparation of an inventory of the BMAG gemstone collection and later the Matthew Boulton mineral collection. I presented a conference poster on the Matthew Boulton collection at the History of Geology Group conference in London in 2014. From 2012, I worked as a member of the Project Team for the HLF-funded £2.7m Lapworth Museum Redevelopment Project, working as the project lead for the Mineral Wealth Gallery. It was a great feeling to see the first visitors admitted to the gallery in the summer of 2016. Following that, I worked on the stores re-organisation project, as part of which my wife Mary and I re-organised the mineral collection and rehoused the specimens in chemical sequence according to Hey’s Chemical Index of Minerals. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work alongside the Lapworth team and although I am currently taking a break from active volunteering due to a major book writing project, I remain on hand to assist with enquiries or provide mineralogical expertise as needed."

Creative Marketing Volunteer - Molly
Molly's website"I am a paleoartist and illustrator from the West Midlands, enthusiastic about all things ancient, including dinosaurs, mythology, and creatures great and small. I love to work in nature, drawing on location or in my local coffee shop, usually designing something for a new printmaking venture or a prehistoric-themed project. My dream is to help spread knowledge about the extraordinary creatures of the world around us through books, exhibitions, and my own products. I specialise in traditional pen and ink drawing, and am currently undertaking a Master's in Gloucestershire while volunteering at the Lapworth. I tackle social media, creative marketing, and product design to help the Museum leave a lasting impression on its audiences. If you are interested, check out my website."
Digitisation Volunteer - Juned
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“Hi, my name is Juned and I am from India. Currently, I am a PhD student at the University of Lincoln, where I am looking at the skull evolution of diapsids across time. I am very excited to be a part of the wonderful Lapworth Museum team working on collections digitisation and 3D scanning. I have always hoped to be a part of a museum but growing up I never really had a chance, so I am really excited to delve into the numerous opportunities the museum has to offer.”
Our Expectations
We hope that volunteering will be of mutual benefit to the volunteers and the Museum, allowing volunteers to develop new skills and gain interesting new experiences. We expect volunteers to treat the Museum collections with respect and sensitivity. We expect the volunteers to be polite and courteous to the public/visitors, other volunteers, staff, and students. We expect volunteers to observe the Lapworth Museum procedures-policies-standards. We hope that our volunteers will commit an appropriate time to their volunteering activities. Further details are available in our Volunteer Guidelines and Volunteer Agreement which you will receive when you begin volunteering.