Extraordinary Everyday People 

Join our team of over 1,000 volunteers across our five sites. Our volunteers help bring to life the stories of our collections, promote great visitor experience and care for our many significant objects.

You don’t have to be a history buff, just enjoy getting involved and support our mission in telling the stories that matter. 

We value diversity and encourage volunteers from all sections of the community.

Our opportunities are designed to be meaningful and enjoyable; we want to ensure you can give as much or as little as you like to our cause. 

How to volunteer

  • A composite graphic featuring seven IWM volunteers on a backdrop of sky and aircraft. Images of IWM North, Churchill War Rooms, IWM London and HMS Belfast are featured at the bottom of the image.
    IWM

    1. Search our current vacancies

    We recruit for volunteers throughout the year as vacancies arise. If the role you are looking for is not available then please do keep checking the website. 

  • A volunteer at work, scanning images

    2. Complete an application form

    You will be asked to set up a My Impact account. This is our volunteer database and where we capture relevant details so that we can contact you and will enable you to book onto training and shifts.

    There is also a short questionnaire on where you wish to volunteer and in which role. 

  • A volunteer at work as part of the Hangar 5 conservation team at IWM Duxford

    3. Come along to an information and selection session

    We will invite you to a session (online or in person) where you can find out more about the role and whether its right for you and then start our recruitment check process. 

Applications are now closed for Front of House volunteer roles.

One of the many volunteers at IWM
© Richard Ash IWM

We will have more volunteering opportunities again soon. Please keep checking the website for new and exciting roles later this year.   

Discover Volunteers are the warm and welcoming face of the museum helping visitors in the discovery and orientation of the site. 

As well as helping visitors explore our exhibits and activities, Discover volunteers may also welcome school groups and help to point out key facilities, address access needs and highlight our ‘Hidden Gems’. 

As a Discover volunteer you will be there at the beginning of the visitor journey and will have the opportunity to make our visitors feel special and valued  by informing, enthusing and engaging in all that IWM has to offer. 

Type of roles available

  • 1. Supporting our visitors (Generalist)

    Share your passion and enthusiasm by providing a warm welcome to our visitors, bringing our collections to life and answering visitor questions. Roles include – Discover (visitor welcome), School Meet and Greet, Promoting the IWM programme and Membership. 


    ⦁    Ideal for those who love meeting new people 

  • 2. Sharing your knowledge (Specialist)

    Are you an eye witness or veteran? Share your knowledge and change the way people think or fell about conflict. 

  • 3. Supporting care and preservation of collections (Technical)

    Working with our conservation teams focusing on care and preservation of our collections. 


    ⦁    Ideal for those with specific aspirations to develop or maintain skills in fields such as collections, conservations and care 

  • 4. Support of research (Digital)

    Help us in our mission to digitise our collections and improve our records so that future generations can continue to value and remember the people, places and events that war impacts. 

    ⦁    Ideal for people who enjoy problem solving and puzzles 
    ⦁    Ideal for those who wish to take part remotely 
     

Volunteering with IWM

Volunteer Katya

Volunteering FAQ

We answer some of the common questions about volunteering with us.

Volunteer Norma in action

Meet Us

Hear from volunteers about their experiences with IWM and find out more about our volunteer led activities at our sites.

Volunteer David in action

Programmes

Find out more about the impact of volunteering at IWM and some of the programmes IWM has participated in.