Museums, galleries and archives

Careers in museums, galleries and archives centre on preserving, interpreting and providing access to cultural, artistic and historical collections. Roles vary widely, from Curators, Archivists and Conservators to Education Officers, Visitor Experience, Engagement, Exhibition Designers, Marketing and Digital Officers. Employers include national institutions, local authority museums, independent galleries, university collections, private archives and heritage trusts.

This is a competitive sector where relevant qualifications, practical experience and volunteering are often key entry routes. Sector bodies such as the Museums Association, Museum Development South West, Engage, GEM (Group for Education in Museums), Kids in Museums, AIM (Association of Independent Museums) and the Archives and Records Association provide career guidance, training opportunities and industry news. Current trends include increasing digital engagement, community-led interpretation, sustainable practice and addressing ethical considerations around collection care and repatriation. There’s also growing emphasis on accessibility, inclusion and the role of cultural organisations in contemporary society.

You can explore role profiles on Prospects and National Careers Service.

Skills employers look for

Every employer is different so there are no definitive lists here. These are meant as a guide and should be considered in addition to fully exploring role requirements outlined in person specification, job description and advert for each role you consider applying for.

Graduates entering the museums, galleries and archives sector are expected to have a solid grounding in collection care, interpretation and audience engagement, along with practical experience relevant to their chosen role. Roles within the sector can vary, with some focusing on curatorial research, others on public programming, conservation or records management. The following skills and knowledge areas are highly valued across the sector.

Core Knowledge and Skills

Adaptability: Responding to evolving technologies, audience needs, and sector trends.
Archival Principles: Knowledge of records management, cataloguing standards and access protocols (for archive roles).
Attention to Detail: Precise documentation, handling and interpretation of objects and records.
Collections Management: Understanding of acquisition, documentation, cataloguing and storage best practices.
Communication: Clear written and verbal skills for reports, funding applications, labels and public engagement.
Conservation Awareness: Knowledge of preventive conservation techniques and object handling.
Digital Skills: Familiarity with collections databases, digitisation processes and digital engagement platforms.
Exhibition Planning: Experience with object selection, interpretation and display design.
Problem-Solving: Creative approaches to interpretation, conservation challenges or visitor engagement.
Project Management: Organising exhibitions, events or cataloguing projects effectively.
Research and Interpretation: Ability to research collections and create accessible narratives for diverse audiences.
Sector Standards: Awareness of ethical guidelines, heritage legislation and sector-specific frameworks.
Teamwork: Collaborating with curators, conservators, educators and community groups.

In order to develop these skills, remember Career Zone also offers a range of Personal and Professional Development sessions which are available to book on Handshake and run at least once per term. Please also read through the sections about Building Experience and Further Study and Professional Development to discover how you can develop your skills through experience and by gaining further knowledge or qualifications.

Gaining Experience

All experiences ranging from volunteering, active involvement in clubs/societies can help you to build relevant and transferable skills. You may wish to consider involvement in: 

Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to gain experience and develop your skills. You might want to contact an organisation close to where you live during the holidays, or reach out to one of these organisations during term time.

Exeter:

There are 75 museums, galleries and heritage centres in Devon. You can find out more about these organisations here. Here are a few organisations close to the Streatham and St Luke’s campuses:

Cornwall:

There are over 80 museums, galleries and heritage centres in Cornwall, ranging from local collections to contemporary art. Here are a few close to the Penryn campus:

Exeter Students’ Guild Societies: Exeter campuses

Students Union in Cornwall

History Society

University of Exeter Employability Schemes

Professional Pathways Programme: is a suite of sector specific training courses and paid 35 hour internships, including a pathway that focuses on Arts, Culture and Heritage.
Career Zone Internship schemes: Internships can be extremely useful, so try and get relevant vacation work or placements.
Exeter Award: The Exeter Award will help you stand out from the crowd and give you the confidence to shout about the experiences you've had at university.
The Global Leaders Experience is a unique opportunity to develop your intercultural skills as part of a short, outbound mobility experience.

Speculative applications and where to find opportunities

Undertaking relevant work experience will also allow you to develop new skills and gain a valuable insight into the sector. As jobs and opportunities are not always advertised, it can be useful to develop your networking skills and apply speculatively. Before visiting the sites below you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page

Finding part time work – You could also have a look at Handshake, our vacancy database with employers who are targeting University of Exeter students

Finding advertised graduate roles, placements and internships

Competition can be strong, especially for entry-level positions. Use the following resources to find advertised vacancies and research employers.

Archives and Records Association (ARA UK & Ireland)/ Job listings, training events, and updates on archival standards and opportunities.
Arts Council England: Art Jobs. National arts and heritage listings, including curatorial, learning and conservation roles.
English Heritage Jobs. Features a wide range of opportunities at historic sites across England, from visitor engagement to conservation and education.
Historic England Jobs. Offers opportunities in historic environment research, policy, conservation and heritage protection across England. 
Museum Jobs. An international job board advertising roles in museums and galleries, with a strong UK and European focus.
Museums Association Jobs Board. This website features museum-related jobs, internships and volunteering roles across the UK.
National Trust Jobs. Lists vacancies at heritage properties, gardens, and countryside sites, covering roles in conservation, learning, hospitality and operations.
The National Archives. A tool to locate archives across the UK — ideal for speculative applications.
University of Leicester Museum Studies Jobs Desk. A well-known platform listing vacancies in museums, galleries and heritage, particularly suited to early-career professionals and graduates.
Work Culture Jobs. A dedicated cultural sector job board offering listings across museums, the arts and heritage.

For general information about finding graduate opportunities, please visit our Graduate Jobs page. 

Placements

If you are interested in finding out more about work placements, you can also access the Work Placements SharePoint via Single Sign-On. This resource covers all aspects of credit-bearing work experiences as part of your degree, including what a placement is, how to apply for them, and bespoke information for international students or those interested in working abroad. 

Collection for placements on Handshake.
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery. Has a Skills Development programme which includes student places, Youth Panel and other programmes.
National Archives: The National Archives’ student placement scheme is designed for students undertaking a degree or qualification in either higher or further education that includes a compulsory placement.
Historic England: Emerging Talent Placements programme. The Emerging Talent Placements Programme provides safe and quantitative work experience to young people aged 18 to 30 from underrepresented audiences.
Creative Access. Partners with museums, galleries, and arts organisations to provide inclusive paid internships.
National Trust. Occasionally offers placements and graduate roles in conservation, learning and interpretation.
English Heritage. Offer a small number of work placements throughout the year at some of their sites

Further sources of support

If you are an international student, visit our international webpages for help finding opportunities both in the UK and globally.
To find opportunities outside the UK use GoinGlobal.
For help with making speculative applications you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page.

Further study and professional development

Some individuals decide to undertake further study to build their skills and knowledge of the sector and related occupations. Not all roles or employers will require this, so it is important to research entry requirements and employer preferences before committing to additional training or qualifications. Use the sites below to research your further study options.

Here is a list of  UK universities’ Museum Studies related Masters Courses, Archives and Record Management related Master Courses and Heritage related Masters Courses on Find a Masters.com which lists courses in the UK.
If you would prefer to stay at the University of Exeter, you might like to explore the History MA, Curation: Contemporary Art and Cultural Management MA or Magic and Occult Science MA.
Associateship of the Museums Association (AMA). A structured professional development programme that helps early to mid-career museum and heritage professionals grow through mentoring, CPD and a final professional review.

Advice

If you would like to pursue postgraduate study before entering your chosen sector, please visit our Postgraduate Study page for more information about choosing further study.

Information and links from professional bodies

If you have studied a related degree, check if your course is accredited by one of the professional bodies. Being a member of a professional body is voluntary; however, it can be valuable for developing networks, continuing your professional development, and generally keeping up to date with what's happening in the sector. 

Museum Association. The leading professional body for people working in museums, galleries and heritage. Offers membership, training, ethical guidance, and the Museums Journal.
International Council of Museums (ICOM UK). Represents UK museum professionals within the global ICOM network. Offers international networking, events and standards for museum work.
Association of Independent Museums (AIM). Supports small and independent museums with practical advice, funding, training and advocacy.
Group for Education in Museums (GEM). Professional network for people involved in learning and education in museums, heritage, and cultural settings.
Kids in Museums. A UK charity that helps museums, galleries and heritage organisations involve young people by championing their voices, supporting youth participation, and creating more welcoming, inclusive spaces for children, teenagers and families.
Archives and Records Association (ARA UK & Ireland). The main professional body for archivists, records managers and conservators. Offers training, accreditation, and a jobs board.
Institute of Conservation (Icon). Represents conservation professionals working in museums, archives and heritage organisations. Offers professional accreditation.
Historic England. A public body and heritage sector leader, offering research, guidance, and training on conservation and heritage careers.