Curatorial Assistant

An exciting entry-level opportunity to work with Designated natural science collections at an award winning museum.

Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery Trust is a major independent regional museum welcoming over 200,000 visitors every year. We are the lead organisation of the Cumbria Museum Consortium, an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. As part of our Manifesto we strive to engage our local community at every level: we aim to provide a third space that anchors the community, using our stunning collections, which include our recently Designated Natural Science collection, to inspire our diverse audiences.

The Museum's Natural Science collection is Designated for a reason - it is a comprehensive, scientifically important and nationally significant collection of 300,000+ specimens that represent the flora and fauna of Cumbria, the most biodiverse county in the UK. This exciting new post, funded via The Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund - delivered by the Museums Association, represents an extraordinary opportunity to work within one of the most important natural science collections in the UK and on an incredibly exciting new project.

This role will support Tullie House's Biodiversity Curator to deliver the 'Once Upon A Planet' project. 'Once Upon a Planet' is an ambitious collections engagement project that will showcase our designated natural science collections, representative of the most biodiverse county in England, and use them to inspire innovative, people-centred engagement with a purpose. It will deliver a step-change in in how we understand, use, display and develop our natural science collections in collaboration with our communities as we reimagine Tullie House as a museum for the future.

The Curatorial Assistant role will support the Once Upon A Planet team to deliver project outputs, including a major exhibition in Summer 2022. The role will also support the Biodiversity Curator to care for, document and digitise the natural science collections, and deliver public and community engagement activity.
This is an entry level role, and so previous experience of working in a museum is not a requirement - we are looking for a candidate with an interest in natural science and/or in gaining experience within a dynamic curatorial team.

Purpose of the Role

- Under the direction of the Biodiversity Curator, to care for, document and digitise the Natural Science collection to recognised professional standards, and support the delivery of public and community engagement.
- To work with the Once Upon a Planet project team to support the development and delivery of the Once Upon a Planet project outputs, in particular an exhibition in summer 2022.