Rotorua Museum volunteers win award

Rotorua Museum volunteer guide co-ordinator Julie Parsons (left) and volunteer guide Ann Somerville. Photo/Ben Fraser

It's no surprise the Rotorua Museum is one of the city's most visited attractions.

With more than 80 well-trained and professional volunteer guides there, visitors can make the most of their trip with more facts than an encyclopedia.

The team of volunteers at the museum was awarded runner-up in the Arts and Culture section of last year's TrustPower Spirit of Rotorua Awards.

The winners of the section were the Rotorua Musical Theatre.

Museum volunteer guide co-ordinator Julie Parsons said the museum had 81 volunteer guides and 43 falcon monitors, who were watching the progress of three recently-released native New Zealand falcon chicks, which live on the museum's roof.

"And we are still looking for more."

She said a new round of guide training would begin in March.

"It's a 15-week course with two hours of training a week, but a lot of homework and reading.

"We need people who are willing to read up on everything, enjoy people and communicate well," she said.

Volunteers are only asked to work an hour a week, but many find the time to fit in a few more.

Volunteer Ann Somerville, who spent 23 years as a paid museum employee, said she loved the museum so much she came back as a volunteer.

"It's an ideal retirement thing. We meet so many people from all around the world and it's nice to be able to show them some of our famous manaakitanga [hospitality]."

Each week we will be profiling the winners of the Spirit of Rotorua Awards, held late October.