Our Team
The curators, conservators and visitor staff who care for the collection and open the doors each morning at Harris Museum & Gallery.
A small team with long memories
Many of the people who work here have spent years with the same objects. They know which paintings were cleaned in which decade, which cabinets stick in damp weather, and which school groups always ask about the armour. That continuity is what keeps the displays accurate.
The team is organised around four areas: collections, conservation, learning and visitor services. Each area has its own lead, but most projects cross the boundaries between them, so the people below work together more often than the structure suggests.
Eleanor Hart
Senior Curator, Fine Art
Eleanor leads the programme for the painting collection and has organised three rehangs of the main gallery. Her work focuses on connecting local histories with the national holdings, and she oversees all loans in and out of the building.
Marcus Reid
Conservator, Paintings and Works on Paper
Marcus assesses condition, plans treatment and records every intervention. He trained in the conservation of oil paintings and now leads a small studio where visitors can watch work in progress through a glass screen.
Priya Anand
Learning and Access Manager
Priya designs school sessions, family workshops and programmes for adults who have not visited a museum before. She built the large-print guides and the quiet viewing hours, and she meets local community groups each term to hear what they need.
A good museum team is one that can explain its work to a nine-year-old and to a specialist with the same care.
Priya Anand, on training new staff.
Jonah Okafor
Visitor Services Supervisor
Jonah runs the front-of-house team and the volunteer rota. He is usually the first person a visitor speaks to, and he keeps a running record of questions from the public that helps the galleries plan their labels and signage.
How the team has changed
Early years
A team of collectors and keepers
Staff were drawn mainly from local volunteers who catalogued the donated collections by hand.
Mid period
Dedicated conservation and learning roles
Specialist posts were created so that care of objects and public programmes could grow alongside each other.
Today
A team organised around access
Current staff work across collections, conservation, learning and visitor services to keep the building open and useful.
Want to meet the team in person? See the events programme or write through the contact page.