Curatorial Team Volunteer - The Bradford Police Museum

Role Title:

Curatorial Team Volunteer

Location:

Bradford Police Museum, City Hall, Bradford BD1

Purpose of the Role:

To assist the museum curator in assembling, cataloguing, managing, researching, and presenting the museum’s cultural and historical collections. Volunteers in this role help preserve the museum’s heritage while supporting its public exhibitions and educational aims.

What You Will Gain:

• Practical experience in museum collections management and documentation

• Research and exhibition development skills

• An understanding of how heritage collections are preserved and presented

• The opportunity to contribute to meaningful heritage projects

• A chance to be part of a friendly and passionate volunteer team

• A written reference upon successful volunteering

Training & Support:

• All volunteers receive thorough induction and ongoing, role-specific training is delivered in-house, with occasional external training opportunities available as needed.

About The Bradford Police Museum:

The Bradford Police Museum is an independent museum and registered charity, governed by a board of trustees and run by a team of passionate volunteers. We hold Arts Council England accreditation and were praised by The Times in 2023. Highly rated on TripAdvisor, the museum continues to expand its offer as we prepare for the City of Culture 2025.

Located in the heart of Bradford, the museum offers visitors guided tours of the beautifully preserved Victorian police cells and courtroom, alongside a gallery displaying items from our extensive collection. We are the only police museum in West Yorkshire and one of the few in the country to feature a fleet of historic police vehicles.

Our curatorial team works year-round to preserve and maintain our growing collection, ensuring the history and heritage of policing in Bradford is protected and shared with future generations.

Skills

Key Responsibilities:

• Handling and caring for artefacts with due regard for preservation

• Cataloguing the museum’s diverse collection

• Updating and maintaining the museum’s collection database

• Conducting research into specific items, themes, or historical periods

• Assisting with the development and installation of exhibitions and temporary displays

• Working on special projects in collaboration with the curatorial team

Desired Skills & Experience

• Friendly and collaborative approach to team working

• Enthusiastic about history, heritage, and the museum’s aims

• Willingness to help with a positive, can-do attitude

• Ability to follow instructions accurately and efficiently

• Comfortable handling historical objects (training provided)

• Basic computer literacy (e.g., data entry, database use)

• Willingness to attend scheduled training and meetings

• Available to volunteer on Wednesdays, 10am – 2pm