Volunteering at Ironbridge

As a Trust volunteer, you will be part of a large, friendly team of people who share a passion for our magnificent sites, collections, unique history and stories. You will have a chance to learn new skills and share your expertise and knowledge; get to know amazing places and history; receive valuable work experience, training and support; and meet new people and make friends.

We provide high-quality opportunities for everyone to enjoy, explore, value and share our story with our visitors.

So whether you want to pursue a career in heritage, share your expertise, or just want to meet new people and indulge your passion, we want to hear from you.

If you want to find out more you can always call 01952 435 919 or email volunteering@ironbridge.org.uk.

These are active roles that we're actively looking to fill:

Sentinel conservation project

You will be a key part of the team that conserves two Sentinel locomotives that form part of the Trust Collection. Working with a small team you will help to conserve these important objects so they are stable now, and can be enjoyed by future visitors. You will also explain the work and object history to visitors.

Find out more about the role here.

museum technician

To help maintain museum interactive displays to a high standard, using a wide range of materials and skills across a range of craft disciplines. Potential for volunteer to also design and build new science, technology, and engineering-based interactives, suitable for all ages, for our museums.

Find out more about the role here.

darby houses guide

This is a key role in providing a warm welcome and high-quality experience for all visitors to the Darby Houses. Guides are essential in helping visitors to engage with the story of the houses and the Darby family in a relaxed and informal way and supporting them if they wish to learn more and explore the houses and collections at a deeper level.

Find out more about the role here.

volunteer gallery assistant

This role requires someone to act as a meet and greet point for visitors to our 2024 temporary exhibition, to monitor the gallery space and to assist visitors with interactives when required.

Find out more about the role here.

Gardener

The role serves to provide support to the Estates Team. Working alongside the Estates Team and other members of the volunteer gardening team to support the care of the gardens and grounds of the Blists Hill site and maintain it to an excellent standard.

Find out more about the role here.

digital collections interpretation assistant

We'd like someone to help improve the accessibility of our collections by supporting the development of our digitally accessible collections. The initial scope of this role is to interpret 60 objects from our collections for our digital audiences via the ‘Discover’ pages on the Trust’s website.

Find out more about the role here.

blists hill victorian town costumed site guide

As a costumed site guide, you will be based in the Goods office at Blists Hill but will spend most of your time leading groups of visitors around the site. You will conduct tours in third person which will have a variety of specialist focus.

Find out more about the role here.

jackfield VISITOR ENGAGEMENT facilitATOR

As a facilitator at Jackfield Tile Museum you will verbally provide information that delivers the key learning points for the site whilst guiding visitors around the site.

Find out more about the role here.

learning volunteer - school greeteR

This volunteer role is to welcome school groups as they arrive at Blists Hill Victorian Town.

Find out more about the role here.

LEARNING VOLUNTEER - victorian school helpER

Would you like to meet school groups who are attending the Victorian School Room workshop and prepare them for the experience? You will also accompany the group to the schoolroom.

Find out more about the role here.

costumed steam operatoR

You will be a key part of the visitor offer and instrumental in delivering the museum Trusts charitable aims. As a costumed steam demonstrator, you will operate items of the Trusts working machinery collection and explain its operation and significance in the third person.

Find out more about the role here.

Volunteer Tour Guides

We're looking for some people to lead guided tours at three of our museum sites.

Broseley Pipeworks: The volunteer tour guides lead guided tours for visitors around the unique time capsule workshops and galleries of Broseley Pipeworks. Find out more about the role here >

Jackfield Tile Museum: The volunteer tour guides lead guided tours for visitors around the workshops and galleries of Jackfield Tile Museum; re-telling the history of the area and the significant impact the site had. Find out more about the role here >

Tar Tunnel: The volunteer tour guides lead guided tours for pre-booked groups from Coalport China Museum to the Tar Tunnel. Please note: this role involves spending periods of time outdoors and walking a short distance between the Museum sites. Find out more about the role here >

Fancy joining us? Drop us a line to talk through your perfect role, call 01952 435 919 or email volunteering@ironbridge.org.uk

If you have queries or questions about volunteering, you might find the answer here:

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.  Please let us know a bit more about yourself, your interests, skills and availability, by completing the form below. We will then contact you to discuss the very latest volunteering opportunities we have available that might meet your needs.

*You may be asked at a later date to complete a further application process.

Please download our Volunteer Enquiry Form (Word document). 

Corporate Volunteering is a great way to build teams, deliver on your CSR targets and for your colleagues to learn new skills and have lots of fun. Each project is different and can be matched to your team’s needs and objectives, they can either be physical or desk based, indoor or outdoors, but are always fun and rewarding.

We welcome groups of any size and for any duration, from half a day to a regular commitment over the year. Full operational and administrative support will be given throughout the project, including risk assessments and all health and safety training.

In the past Corporate Volunteers have helped us:

• Catalogue our costume collection
• Create a new sensory garden at Coalport
• Steward events
• Build a new greenhouse

For more information about Corporate Volunteering, please contact us at corporatepartnerships@ironbridge.org.uk.

Corporate Membership Scheme

You can also become a Corporate Patron and enjoy a host of benefits for your company, employees and their families, including: free annual passes to visit our museums; discounted entry to our museum events*; and team building volunteering days.

*Terms and Conditions apply for each event.