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Volunteer with us

Want to volunteer with us? Find out how to get involved, what opportunities are on offer and how we can help you find an experience you'll love.

Search for volunteering opportunities
Person wearing a purple “Event Volunteer” vest stands facing a crowd at an outdoor gathering with tents and a historic building in the background.

Join our community of volunteers

We welcome new volunteers throughout the year. You don’t need a background in history to get involved. What matters most is your enthusiasm and interest in what we do!

Volunteering with us is designed to be rewarding for everyone involved. It offers the chance to explore your skills, share your talents, and connect with people. From our historic sites to national collections, there’s always something new to experience.

We understand that everyone’s time is different. That’s why we offer flexible opportunities to fit around your schedule. Training and guidance are provided so you can make the most of your time with us and feel confident in your role. 

Search for volunteering opportunities

What our volunteers do

Discover the diverse volunteer roles that we offer.

How we recruit volunteers

Everything you need to know about how we welcome and recruit our volunteers.

Our commitment to volunteers

Find out about the support, standards, and safeguards we have in place to help you get the most from your volunteering experience.

Supporting volunteering across the sector

Find out how we help heritage groups all over Scotland to grow and improve their volunteering.

This volunteer work has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It opens a window for me, a retiree and newcomer to Edinburgh, to better know the city, meet people, and do things I enjoy doing.

Joyce Leong Visitor Connector

Check out our volunteering playlist on YouTube for videos on how: 

  • our volunteering partnerships support young volunteers to develop their confidence

  • volunteering with us can help individuals find their passion

  • volunteering at our events helps to connect with people and give back to Scotland’s heritage

  • volunteering supports wellbeing and welcomes volunteers into new communities

  • volunteering fits around work to help build connections to places

  • volunteering supports skills development for heritage careers

Find your volunteering experience

Search by interest or location

You can browse current opportunities and submit an expression of interest on our dedicated volunteering portal.

Go to the portal
Adult demonstrating a spinning wheel to a child seated beside them in a room with framed photos on the wall. Four people wearing outdoor clothing and gloves stand together on grassy ground in front of a large pile of cut branches. Two people play acoustic guitar and flute in a room with exposed brick, while two others stand nearby watching. Person in a purple fleece stands with arms crossed in front of historic stone ruins of Melrose Abbey, with arched structures and grassy grounds behind. Close-up of a person wearing a purple fleece and flat cap standing in front of a historic stone castle with towers, under a clear blue sky. Three volunteers wearing high-visibility vests stand outdoors in a green, wooded area, talking together. One holds a clipboard, and two have handheld radios, as they discuss and plan tasks at a historic site. Person uses a litter picker to collect rubbish into a bag on a rocky beach, with a large stone building and cloudy sky in the background. Person seated at a grand piano playing in an elegant room, with a large portrait painting hanging on the wall behind.

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