MUSEUM lovers are being offered the chance to work with some of the finest collections in the world thanks to a Lottery grant.

Oxford University’s museums have been awarded a grant of more than £400,000 to pay for work placements at the Ashmolean, the Museum of Natural History, the Pitt Rivers, the Museum of the History of Science, the Botanic Garden and the Harcourt Arboretum at Nuneham Courtenay.

It will mean the university can offer 18 months of training, with bursaries to pay for living expenses, to 12 people who want to work as mus-eum education officers.

Andy McLellan, head of education at the Pitt Rivers, in Parks Road, said: “We have between 250 and 270 volunteers a year across the university collections and many of those are people trying it out to see if they want a career in museums.

“We take their work, but until now have been able to offer very little back. So this is a real opportunity for us to offer serious, professional training to a range of people in the community.”

The placements will be open to anyone with a degree and start next spring.

Details about how to apply will be advertised in the autumn.

Mr McLellan said applicants could include recent graduates, people looking for a career change, and those returning to work after having a family.

He said: “The one thing we demand above and beyond anything else is enthusiasm.”

Ashmolean director Dr Christopher Brown said: “In Oxford we have world-class collections, excellent museum and botanic garden facilities, and professionals who are leading experts in their fields.

“This will enable us to offer great opportunities to trainees who want to work in heritage education.”