Bring Reading’s history to life and become one of the key figures who lived, worked or was involved in the Reading Abbey Quarter.

We’re looking for volunteers to become costumed interpreters to be our Jane Austen, her school friend, a Tudor woman, King Henry I, Reading Abbey garden monks and a medieval laundress.

As a costumed interpreter volunteer, you will wear a replica period costume and use role play to get visitors interested in the everyday lives of people who lived in the medieval period.

Why are we doing this?

Our costumed interpretation programme is part of the Reading Abbey Revealed project, joint-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Reading Borough Council. This project saw the conservation work and successful re-opening of the Reading Abbey Ruins and Abbey Gateway last year, as well as the installation of history information boards and signposting to the Reading Abbey Quarter from the town centre.

Why we want you?

Reading Museum is looking for new volunteers to join our costumed interpreter team to help visitors better understand the rich history of the Abbey Quarter.
The use of costumed role-play is a great way to help visitors to understand and empathise with the lives of the people who lived, visited or worked in the Abbey Quarter and to share their stories.

What will you do?

• Playing a role as part of a pair or within a small team
• Interacting with visitors to bring your character to life and answering their questions.
• Being able to jump in and out of character to create a positive encounter with the general public.
• Responding to the varying needs and interests of different visitors and to make their visit as enjoyable as possible.
• To research relevant documents relating to your role in order to ensure that visitors receive accurate, fact-based information.