Sara Merritt: Principal Keeper of Leeds Discovery Centre and Leeds City Museum

Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Sara Merritt

I am the Principal Keeper of Leeds Discovery Centre and Leeds City Museum

What is your job?

My job is to manage two of Leeds Museums and Galleries, Leeds Discovery Centre and Leeds City Museum

I'm in charge of all operational activity and oversee programming

I ensure that everyone is having a nice time when they come to site

What do you do in your job?

It is quite a varied role

I look after front of house staff and create rotas

I manage events, look after our programming of exhibitions and activities for families, adults and everyone in between

I also do lots of fun stuff like finance and HR as well

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

I worked for Leeds Museums and Galleries for about eight and a half years

Prior to that, I was a Marketing Manager and Audience Development Officer across five of the museum sites. My background is in communications and marketing

I went to university and studied English Literature, so it was a bit of a curveball to come into museums

I worked in different organisations, marketing agencies and larger businesses, and gathered a lot of skills to get this job

What do you like about your job?

I love working with a variety of people

The visitors. As someone with an audience development background, I am a bit obsessed with how and why people do what they do

Especially in a cultural and arts environment, I enjoy seeing that delight on other people's faces

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

Go for whatever is out there and start in Visitor Assistant positions

Try your hand at a little bit of everything to understand where your skill sets are, what you enjoy, and what you are good at

What are the benefits from working in a museum setting?

The variety. No day is ever the same

I have lots of different things going on at any one time and I really thrive off busy, lively settings

What is your favourite site you work at?

Kirkstall Abbey

It is the place I would go to whilst I was at university, just for a walk in nature

I am always in awe of the beauty of it