Dunollie Museum, Castle And Grounds | Museums & Galleries Technician Modern Apprenticeship

Dunollie Museum, Castle and Grounds

Dunollie Museum, Castle and Grounds is an internationally recognised centre for Scottish culture and heritage and home of the World-Wide Clan MacDougall. The site is managed by a registered charity, The MacDougall of Dunollie Preservation Trust, and includes a medieval Castle Ruin, perched on a cliff and surrounded by stunning views across Oban Bay. In the oldest part of the Laird’s House below, is the 1745 House Museum, displaying textiles, a Highland Social History collection as well as Clan MacDougall material and archives. Dunollie’s Historic Woodland Grounds surround the 1745 House and Castle Ruin. The site is open annually from April to October for visitors, and special events take place throughout the year.

“The staff and Trustees at Dunollie are delighted to have been included in this wonderful project to help prepare and train the next generation of young people for work in the museums of Argyll. With many thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting the initiative, we look forward to getting underway and recruiting the Dunollie Curatorial Apprentice.”

Emma Sutcliffe, General Manager at Dunollie Museum, Castle and Grounds

Shannen Calderwood is undertaking a year-long Museums and Galleries Practice SVQ, a level 7 qualification supported by Museums Galleries Scotland and Skills Development Scotland. She came on board as an apprentice in December 2022 and is due to finish in 2023. Shannen’s main role is caring for collections plus, as the castle opens for the summer season, some tour guides and working on the image library. Although these activities were new to Shannen, she found her background in hospitality provided many transferable skills that have been useful in her apprenticeship. 

“My role here at Dunollie has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on me. It has allowed me to learn about working with collections, as well as all the other activities that go into keeping visitor attractions such as Dunollie Museum, Castle and Grounds running smoothly. I have learned about the vast history of both the site itself – the Clan MacDougall, Miss Hope MacDougall as a social historian - and the wider history of Argyll and the Isles. I have been encouraged to feel confident in my abilities, to learn new things and to present ideas despite being very new to the team. I have never felt part of a more supportive, kind and hardworking team and I feel really lucky to be here.”

Shannen Calderwood, Apprentice