Introducing our newest member of our team!
We’re excited to welcome placement student Finlay to our growing team! Currently in his third year at the University of Southampton, Finlay is studying Archaeology and History with a Year in Industry, and even squeezing in a minor in Music - a true multi-talented addition to our crew.
During his placement, Finlay will be working across all areas of the team - from front of house and visitor experience, to Collections and curation, and even squeezing in learning and engagement - he'll be a museum pro when he leaves us! Right now, his focus is on collections, where he’s already getting stuck into helping with installations and behind-the-scenes work that is bringing our museum back to life, ready for us to open the NEW Poole Museum!
Find out what work Finlay has done so far, and what he's excited to get involved in over the next year with Poole Museum.
Why did you choose Poole Museum for your placement?
Poole Museum has always been of interest to me as somewhere I would like to work. It was first on my list when it came to writing my speculative applications for my year in industry and I'm extremely grateful that I have been given the opportunity to work here.
One of my main inspirations for applying was the 'Men of Iron' exhibition at Lighthouse Poole earlier this year. For me, this highlighted the museum’s role in telling lesser known yet important local histories and showcased their extensive collection of local objects.
Another reason I chose Poole Museum is its exciting redevelopment project! It’s a rare opportunity to experience the full process of 'making a museum', from shaping exhibition concepts and selecting objects, to installation, mounting, and lighting. A project of this scale is a once-in-a-career experience!
Working primarily with the collections team so far, I've been given the chance to get hands-on with the museum's extensive archive and object collections. I believe material culture is one of the most powerful tools for understanding history, connecting us to people, places, events, and stories that often weren’t captured in written records. It also ties in perfectly with the archaeological side of my degree!
What work have you undertaken so far?
My first project was to sequence a series of nearly 500 photographs of Scaplen’s Court into chronological order. These ranged from c.1923 into the 1990s, requiring me to work with the original photographs, slides, and negatives from the museum’s collection, in addition to their written records.
At times, differences between photos were so small that it felt like a historical game of spot the difference, where a small detail could separate photos by months or years! Finishing this project felt very rewarding, and I hope it will be a valuable tool for anyone looking to research the history of such an interesting building.
What do you want to do for your future career?
Looking ahead, I definitely want to be working with collections of some kind. This might be in the form of an archive within a museum or university, an art gallery, or even a library.
In particular, I have considered orchestral librarianship, which combines my enjoyment of music with collections in a professional setting. The experience I gain here, especially in terms of managing collections, in combination with the experience I already have of being a librarian for two of the music societies at my university will, I believe, be greatly beneficial when considering these types of roles in the future.
What would you say to anyone who is thinking of doing a placement here?
So far, Poole Museum has been a fantastic place to work! The staff and volunteers have been incredibly welcoming, creating a supportive and enjoyable working environment. The team has also been flexible with my schedule, allowing me to work different days each week and even from home when appropriate.
If you’re interested in a particular project, the collections team is always open to ideas. Poole Museum’s collections are impressively diverse - ranging from ceramics and natural history to art, costume, audiovisual materials, photography, and more. There’s truly something to spark anyone’s interest!
And if collections aren’t your main focus, there are plenty of other areas to explore. From front of house and visitor experience to learning and engagement, operations, marketing, and business - there’s a wide range of opportunities for anyone curious about the museum world.