I first got involved with the museum when a friend told me about taking photographs of artefacts at the Verulamium Museum. I am a keen photographer and was able to join a small team once week to photograph a wide range of artefacts including lace maker’s bobbins and a variety of rocks found in the locality. My favourites were the Victorian ladies skirt lifter, used to keep long skirts out of the mud, and a skull unearthed during excavations. Currently I am helping photograph coins at the museum as part of a data base for the British Museum, a task I am thoroughly enjoying I do wonder how some of the tiny coins were ever found.
I decided to volunteer at the new St Albans Museum + Gallery early on and attended initial training and information sessions. Having seen the museum before any exhibits were in place and what was on show on the opening I was very impressed with the work undertaken by all the staff and the way the museum was planned. I was able to attend the opening and have become a regular volunteer at the Gallery sessions and the evening events.
I have also helped at some of the sessions for young people in what I call the learning centre something I find great fun. I like meeting people and explaining the exhibits and how the museum is developing. I enjoyed the print exhibition and then helping work with the public to make a print using a replica of an early press when the replica Caxton press was moved into the learning centre.
The gallery exhibition Hand Drawn Action Packed was more challenging as I must admit some of the work was beyond my understanding however I am slowly learning to appreciate what is on show. From time to time I also got to tell people where the cells and how they were used. I am looking forward to the next exhibition on board games.
I enjoy volunteering, watching the museum change and seeing how the public react to the exhibits, I hope to continue for a long time.