We recently had the pleasure of welcoming thirteen vibrant and passionate Visitor Services Officers (VSOs) to our team at WA Museum Boola Bardip.

The Visitor Services team are the smiling faces you are greeted by when you come to any of our museums. These vibrant and friendly people help ensure your visit is fun and inviting.

Each Visitor Service Officer brings a unique flair and expertise, contributing to the immersive experience that sets the Western Australian Museum apart.

We caught up with a few of our new team members to learn more about their unique journeys, why they chose to guide people through WA’s interesting history and, of course, find out which gallery they love most.   

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Carmen Martinez

I am from Venezuela and arrived in Australia two years ago, I started volunteering at the museum and fell in love with it. I like the energy and the people, it also helps me integrate into the community, and I love the energy in the museum.

Favourite gallery: I think my favourite is Reflections if I had to choose because I am learning a lot about Australia. I also love the connections gallery it’s, for me, something that made me feel nostalgic because it includes the stories of refugees like me. That is something I have an emotional connection to. When I go to that area, I have that memory and sometimes I can see the history of other people and feel like I am not alone and there are more people like me - Australia is a really beautiful place.

Luke Harris

I have a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History, and I was also a volunteer here. I thought combining the two was a natural extension and decided to become a Visitor Services Officer!

Favourite gallery: Wildlife, the mixture of Australian wildlife and also some of the prehistoric animals, not just the dinosaurs, but the megafauna as well. I also love Reflections, as I learnt a fair bit about that within my history degree, and it’s always interesting to discover new parts of history within the gallery.

Vashti Fox

I’m finishing up a PhD in Australian History, and I have a passion for West Australian history, including the labour movement and periods of significant change. I enjoy walking around the museum and looking at the collections.

Favourite gallery: I think Connections gallery is one of my favourites, I love the idea that Australia is not an isolated, inward-looking place but actually has this very long, rich and diverse history with both the region and the world. I love the sound of the sea as you enter the gallery. Whenever I’m in there I feel a sense of calm.

Arianna Urso

I’m from Italy, I have a background in Conservation Biology I also work for the Collections and Research team. I’ve always loved museums and I’ve always wanted to work in one, so this is definitely a great spot for me.

Favourite gallery: For me it should be wildlife, but I think it’s Origins. Origins is where I have a little bit more to learn and I just love rocks.

Javier Bateman

I have a hospitality background and lectured at Curtain and Murdoch Universities for a year or so. I have a Bachelor of Arts in History, so I’ve been looking for something that relates closely to my degree. I also did teaching for a while and this is kind of the perfect amalgamation of all those different roles.

Favourite gallery: I have a real soft spot for the Reflections gallery I think there’s a lot of really amazing Western Australian socio-cultural history there which is kind of my passion interest. I have a special interest in Australian queer history, I love going to the Reflections gallery and reading about the queer culture and queer activism within Australia.