The Dunedin Gasworks Museum is a small industrial history museum based on the site of the New Zealand's oldest gasworks, in South Dunedin. As one of only a handful of preserved gasworks museums in the world, it is a site of significant local and world heritage.
The Museum is entirely volunteer-run, and opening hours are limited to 12 - 4pm on Sundays. They also run regular live steaming days and blacksmithing classes.
While some visitors are happy to look around the Museum at their own pace, others appreciate a guided tour of the site. To accommodate this, regular scheduled tours are run by volunteers. They are now looking for another tour guide to join their team.
As a Museum Tour Guide you will be:
- Introducing visitors to the Museum and its exhibits
- Explaining the history of town gas manufacture in Dunedin
- Showing small groups of visitors around the site
Training and Support Provided:
- You will be provided with a full training about the history of the gasworks and exhibits
- You will always be rostered on with an experienced volunteer, who will be responsible for all other aspects of running the museum (eg. opening, taking admissions, closing etc)
Benefits of Volunteering:
- Keep an important part of local history alive
- Practice your public speaking skills with small groups
- Learn all about South Dunedin's grand industrial past
- Connect with fellow heritage enthusiasts
- Witness their (sometimes) working Edwardian steam engines and heritage blacksmith's forge
- Impress your pub quiz team with your newly acquired niche knowledge of the manufacture and distribution of coal gas
- Excellent wi-fi
Requirements
- Effective verbal communication skills
- Comfortable speaking to small groups
- Ability to engage with diverse audiences
- Friendly and visitor-focused
- Knowledge and/or enthusiasm for industrial heritage or local history is a plus
- Complete training is provided by their experienced tour guides
- No prior knowledge of gasworks is expected!
Time commitment
- One Sunday afternoon per month from 12:30 - 2pm
- Due to the length of the training period, they ask for a commitment of at least one year from volunteers
Getting started
The first step is to express your interest by filling out the form below.
We will then put you in touch directly with the organisation for more information on the role and how to proceed.
Enquire about this role: