The Queanbeyan Museum is full of treasures and information about our city and district, but it does not run itself.

This week I'd like to pay tribute to our volunteers and urge more people to become involved. New volunteers can be paired with old hands and have a lot of fun doing something satisfying and productive.

We have some looking after the garden, others sweeping up, dusting, and generally getting the museum and grounds ready for events and weekend visitors.

We staff the museum each weekend. We paint and construct cases for the displays. We design and mount new exhibitions. We show school groups and others around the museum. We do historical research on the items on display, in our store or as they are donated. We work on the objects to describe, arrange and conserve them, and write up information on the objects to enhance our catalogue and help visitors and researchers. We have an oral history project and a historical journal for those interested in local people and history.

A lot of this is done in a group, sometimes over a cup of tea. Volunteering is an enjoyable way to use and share skills and knowledge, learn new things and mix with like-minded people.

If you are interested come along to the Museum at 1pm on Sunday, August 7, and find out what it's all about. We'll have an information session and an afternoon tea.

For more information, contact John McGlynn by phoning 6297 2730 or by emailing: qbnmuseum@yahoo.com.au

- John McGlynn