Museum education officer: Job description

Museum education officers work with colleagues, volunteers and partners in museums, galleries and other cultural and heritage sites to deliver high quality and dynamic programmes of learning and participation. They are responsible for opening up the potential of museums’ collections as a learning resource for all ages working both within the gallery/museum and in a community context.

Museum education officers develop, deliver and evaluate programmes and events for classes, groups or individuals, often designed to engage those who may not normally use the museum/gallery, such as hard to reach young people, young children, older people and families.

Typical work activities

The range of activities carried out by a museum education officer varies depending on the size, financial position and outreach policies of the museum concerned, but tasks typically involve:

• creating a learning strategy to engage the public in line with the ethos of the museum;
• developing programmes of talks, activities and workshops around particular exhibitions or in response to particular themes or annual festivals;
• liaising with schools, colleges and teachers to promote the use of the collections and activities of the museum in line with the national curriculum;
• creating and developing educational resources for visitors, schools, families and special interest groups;
• delivering talks, workshops and activities in partnership with storytellers, craftspeople and artists;
• managing programmes, budgets and teams of volunteers;
• facilitating history-inspired activities in the local community in response to requests from schools and community groups or to promote particular exhibitions;
• collating, analysing and applying feedback on the educational activities provided;
• working with other museum staff to develop and market the museum and the events programme;
• representing and promoting the museum on external educational bodies in order to establish a network of useful and productive partnerships.