For Art UK's 'Being...' series, we take a look at a day in the life of a professional or volunteer working in the arts, heritage or museum sector.

What's your role?

I'm Dr Caroline Lloyd, an Explore volunteer at National Museum Cardiff. Explore volunteers bring the museum to life for visitors through participatory engagement. We actively encourage visitors of all ages to investigate, handle and ask questions about objects both within the museum and on the Explore trolleys. We also help people find their way around the museum and generally hope to be a friendly face that makes their visit memorable!

Dr Caroline Lloyd with the Explore trolley at National Museum Cardiff

What's your morning routine and your journey to work?

My journey to work is generally on the train and I get off two stops earlier to increase my step count for the day! I volunteer for three hours during a morning and arrive before the doors open at 10am. I generally volunteer in the art galleries, so we collect the items that will be displayed on the art trolley and make our way up to the gallery where we can position ourselves near tables where visitors can engage with us, and draw if they feel inspired.

What's a typical morning volunteering for you?

There is no typical morning for me. When volunteering in the art galleries, I particularly enjoy engaging the children with the items on the trolley; the mahl stick and a clay model are always a source of entertainment! Many pupils on school trips (time permitting) love sitting down with us to draw pictures which are then displayed on the gallery wall. Some are inspired by the paintings and photographs they see on display within the museum and others enjoy creating their own vision of eich stori / your story. They enjoy depicting who they are and where they are from through connections to the collections, to Wales or to the museum itself.

'Eich label... Your label...' activity

It is not uncommon on these mornings to find school pupils filling up the table, the bench and some of the floor space. School holidays are a joy because the children aren't time-limited and I have more time to engage with them: to find out what they like, where they are from, who they are and what they are enjoying in the museum. Typically most school groups are from across Wales, but we meet visitors from all over the world every day. Luckily we are able to engage with the Museum Assistants on quiet days, they are endlessly helpful, full of interesting facts and have wonderful stories of their own.

What's for lunch?

Usually, I bring something I've made at home, grab myself a coffee from the museum café and catch up with one of the wonderful afternoon Explore volunteers.

What's a typical afternoon like?

In the late afternoon, I return to my home office and catch up on the 'day job'. I'm incredibly lucky that I work on a self-employed basis as an academic, consultant and trainer, so I'm able to take the time out to enjoy my time volunteering in the museum. My academic research interests cover the erstwhile labelled 'taboo' subjects of death (grief) and sex (relationships and sexuality education and reproductive health), so my museum volunteering adds the necessary lightness to my week to balance out what can be rather intense work.

Explore trolley in the art galleries at National Museum Cardiff

What have you learnt from your role?

Through volunteering at the museum, I'm delighted to be learning, and witnessing, the role arts can play in engaging both adults and children, from all over the world, in our environment, in our history and our cultural landscape – particularly within 'The Valleys' exhibition. Through actively engaging with school pupils during their visits to the art galleries, we encourage the next generation to keep our unique cultural heritage alive. I delight in hearing their stories: Dyma ein stori ni. Beth yw eich stori chi? (This is our story. Now tell us yours).

Dr Caroline Lloyd, carolinelloyd.co.uk

This content was supported by Welsh Government funding

Volunteers make an important contribution to Amgueddfa Cymru and the story of Wales. If you are interested in taking part and want to get involved please visit the Get Involved pages on the Amgueddfa Cymru website or contact volunteering@museumwales.ac.uk

Do you work or volunteer in the arts, heritage or museum sector? Would you be kind enough to share an example of your day for our 'Being...' series? Please get in touch with Art UK at pitches@artuk.org as we'd love to hear from you.