Today we hear from Callam, who spent a week with us getting a taste of what its like to work in a Museum.

Monday of this week I first started my work experience, so far I have been able to learn new things I never knew about like the BARV which I was fascinated about.

The BARV.

On Monday I was introduced to some of the members of staff at the REME museum, who were all welcoming and I got a brief idea of their role in the museum. I then had a small tour of the rooms that normally only trips or the members of staff were allowed in so I knew where to go when asked to do jobs and help some members out around the building. The first thing I was tasked to do was to change the display in the case facing the galleries to fit the theme of D-Day which happened 75 years ago today on 06/06/2019 which played a big part in how we live today.

For the D-Day diorama in the case all the models used were made by Brian Baxter who had all the models set up on a larger scale diorama for D-Day at the old REME museum location, and we could only use a handful of the models he had made, due to the display case being as small as it is.

Part of the Museum's new D-Day display.

After finishing the display case diorama, I went on to help out with some auditing of electronic devices to be placed back in boxes to be put in storage packed away safely so no damage can be done to them.

The next day I first started helping out a member of staff with doing some cleaning and made it onto the CRARRV and tried our best to get most of the dust off, but cleaning such a big vehicle like that is going to take more than day with brushes only at hand is a hard thing to accomplish. I was then sent on to do some auditing and helped out with that until my time came to an end, and for me to arrive again the next day.

The CRARRV.

Wednesday I helped out another team member but this time with something different, this time I was tasked with re-painting a display case in the education room that schools will use, I had to repaint it from green to white, I spent all day, and took my time to try and get it as neatly painted as possible.

Thursday, I went to go and check the cabinet with the staff member I had helped to see it was dry. Since it was dry we moved it back to the education room where it will stay until it needs painting again. I went to put back 3 of the armoured recovery vehicles to be paced in a cabinet and they’ll stay there until moved elsewhere.

Later that day I had to get pictures and put them on the system to then be taken to the education room to be hung up at some point, after that I helped do some more auditing, until I was to write this out which I had started and got most of it done.

Friday, today, I helped someone new out who I haven’t met yet she’s in charge of checking the stock that can be placed in the shop. I had to count how much of a certain item that there was and to see if more was needed to be ordered, and that’s what I did up to 1pm.

After that I needed to finish off this, and today is unfortunately my last day, and I can’t say that there hasn’t been a day where I haven’t enjoyed it, and been able to learn new things, and I got to learn about some of the members off staff and what they do and I was able to do things and hold electrical objects I’d only be able to look at in a museum.

I am overall very grateful for being allowed to come here for my work experience and I am glad to have been able to meet who I did, and all I can do is thank them for the past 5 days and wish them the best in life to come.

Thanks for all your help Callam!