Kat: Curator of Archaeology

Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Kat

I'm the Curator of Archaeology for Leeds Museums and Galleries

What is your job?

I look after all the collections that are classed as archaeology and numismatics, which is the coins and medals collection

I look after these collections for the future and make them accessible to anyone who wants to see them

I work on exhibitions and publications around the collections

I do a lot of research

What do you do in your job?

My job can involve physically re-boxing collections to ensure that they are safe

I design and write content for exhibitions for the future

I facilitate researchers to come in

I help to teach primary school children about the Stone Age or the Romans

How did you get your job and what is your background?

I went to Manchester University and studied Archaeology and did a postgraduate degree

I went out excavating in different countries to get experience

I got a temporary job at Manchester Museum

When other jobs came up, I applied for those, and then ended up in this job in Leeds

What do you like about your job?

I love the people that I work with

I adore the collections that I look after

I love the variety of work that I get to do and every day is different

What is some advice on how to get a job like yours, and to work in a museum setting?

The key is to be passionate, and to really want to work in the museum

If you get the opportunity to volunteer, please do that and get that experience

Look out for opportunities like project placements that we run at Leeds Museums and Galleries to get experience

What are the benefits from working in a museum setting?

You get to work at different sites

You get to work across collections with lots of different specialists

You learn lots of transferable skills

What is your favourite site you work at?

I love Leeds Discovery Centre, that’s where my desk and the collection is

I have a soft spot for Kirkstall Abbey, because it's such a magnificent site and I get to work there quite often

Rachael: Curator of Exhibitions

Can you introduce yourself?

I am Rachael

I am the Curator of Exhibitions at Leeds City Museum

What is your job?

I am responsible for the temporary exhibitions here at Leeds City Museum.

What do you do in your job?

I project manage exhibitions that we have, there is usually two a year

I work with specialist curators based at the Discovery Centre

I also work with people from other museums and members of the community as well

How did you get your job and what is your background?

My initial degree was in Ancient History and Archaeology

After my degree, I worked at archaeological sites, and I did any volunteering work that I could possibly get in about five years

Then I did a Master’s in Museum Studies

Then I worked front of house jobs, mainly at Beamish Museum and Bowes Museum in the northeast of England

I was an Art Gallery Manager, before I moved here and got my job as Curator of Exhibitions

What do you like about your job?

What I like about my job is that it is very varied, the objects and the stories I work with are very different for every project

It is very physical, because we design the exhibitions, but then we get involved and do everything from painting the walls to building and constructing within the exhibition space as well

I like to see a project from the start to finish, you get a sense of pride in your work

What is some advice on how to get a job like yours, and to work in a museum setting?

Take any experience that's offered to you

I think it does help to have a degree and a master's degree, but it's not the be all and end all

A lot of jobs nowadays look for experience that is equal to it

But there's always opportunities out there to do voluntary work, if you do it for a long period of time, that usually helps as well, because that shows that you are committed

Speak to Curators at Museums and ask if they have got any available voluntary work

What are the benefits from working in a museum setting?

You often work with nice people who have a very similar interest to yourself, they are usually passionate about history and art, so you feel like you are with likeminded people

You work with a vast array of people as well

The things we get to see up close and handle is amazing, such as ancient artifacts and priceless artworks

What is your favourite site you work at?

My favourite site that I work at is probably Leeds City Museum, because I spend the majority of my time here, but I love going out to other sites

Sarah: Curator of Natural Science

Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Sarah

I am one of the Curators of Natural Science here at Leeds Museums and Galleries

What is your job?

We have around 800,000 natural science specimens here, and my job is to look after them

The main part of my job is making sure that they are accessible to researchers and used for engagement with schools

What do you do in your job?

Every day is different

I am working on a project called Dead Plant Society which involves our 250,000 herbarium sheets that we have stored, so we are getting communities involved with this collection

How did you get your job and what is your background?

I am a zoology graduate, but I have no post-graduate education

For the past 6 years, I have worked as a freelance taxidermist

I do lots of natural science conservation

I look after collections and train people to look after theirs

I do lots of engagement work

What do you like about your job?

Being a Curator of Natural Science means that I can show firsthand how those collections are used

I show the importance of using them for education to ignite an interest in the natural world in young people

What is some advice on how to get a job like yours, and to work in a museum setting?

Do as much voluntary work as possible. I know it is a privilege to do voluntary work, and you are not getting paid, but the experience is valuable

Stay present within museums, get to know people and do networking

What are the benefits from working in a museum setting?

You are constantly surrounded by likeminded people

You will always have excellent conversations about things that people are passionate about

What is your favourite site you work at?

The Discovery Centre because it has got the largest amount of the collection housed within it

Every time I come into this store I see something completely different