Young people offered chance to experience working in a museum
Two Oxfordshire museums are offering four young people the chance to take on roles and gain first-hand experience of working in the sector.
The initiative is part of Takeover Day, when museums, galleries, historic homes, archives and heritage sites across the country invite young people to gain behind-the-scenes experience. The Oxfordshire Museum and the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum, both in Woodstock, will take part.
Those selected will go behind the scenes, experience a day in the life of a museum professional and learn a range of skills. The roles available are social media assistant and front of house assistant.
Jemma Davey, Oxfordshire County Council’s Museum Service Manager, said: “This is our second year taking part in Kids in Museums Takeover Day. At Oxfordshire Museum Service, we are committed to giving young people opportunities to gain new skills and learn more about the heritage sector as a career option.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum on this.”
This year’s Takeover Day takes place on Friday 20 November 2026 and has the theme of careers.
Ursula Corcoran, Director of the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum, said: “We are really looking forward to raising the profile of young people in heritage through this year’s Takeover Day. We want more young people to get involved in our activities and become lifelong supporters of museums across the country.
“It will be a perfect opportunity to hear directly from young people about our museum and listen to their thoughts on the galleries as they spend the day immersed in the daily life of a small independent museum.”
Since Takeover Day began in 2010, more than 40,000 children and young people have taken part nationally. It was established to help heritage organisations empower young people and give them meaningful roles. The event is run by Kids in Museums.
Anyone interested can email the team to find out more and apply, marking their message for the attention of Laura Dean.
The deadline for expressions of interest is Sunday 8 November. The opportunity is open to anyone aged 25 or under who lives in Oxfordshire. Reasonable travel expenses will be covered.
Working in museums offers a broad range of skills and experiences that can support young people in further study and future careers. The transferable skills gained in a museum setting can also be applied to many different roles.
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