Shannon Kira Mcmillan
They/Them

Professional Experience 💼​

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I'm a museum and heritage professional with over 3 years of practical experience in collections care, digitisation, archival management, and public engagement. My work spans multiple respected institutions, including the Yorkshire Natural History Museum, Sheffield Museums Trust, The Poetry Archive, Holst Victorian House, Gloucester Folk Museum, and Erewash Museum.​

 

Key Professional Achievements:

📌 Gloucester Folk Museum (2022 - 2023)

During university, I researched, gathered, and analysed textile trade data, demonstrating my ability to manage complex historical datasets and undertake meaningful research. This was the first exhibition I contributed to, and it cemented my love and dream of a career in museum archives, collections and exhibition design.

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📌 Holst Victorian House (2024)

I digitised over 100 paper artefacts to professional museum standards, gaining hands-on experience in collections handling, cataloguing, and metadata management. This placement was instrumental in developing my practical preservation and documentation skills.​ 

 

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📌 The Poetry Archive on their Poetry of South Asia Collection (2024 - 2025)

Most recently, I researched poet biographies, managed archival data, and contributed to the creation of digital content. Also, I independently developed and audited a comprehensive poet birthday database covering all 571 poets on the Archive's website (as of March 2025), demonstrating initiative and attention to detail.

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📌 Khushwant Singh Literary Festival at the SOAS Gallery in London (31 May 2025)

I assisted the Poetry Archive during the Poetry of South Asia Collection's launch, supporting event logistics, audience engagement, and promotional outreach.

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📌 Featured and Quoted on Poetry of South Asia Collection Webpage (2025)

"To all our volunteers: thank you. Your contributions ensure that the rich and diverse poetic traditions of South Asia are preserved, celebrated, and shared with the world." - The Poetry Archive, [link to feature & link to my quote]

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📌 Sheffield Museums Trust's New Horizons Exhibition (Oct 2025)

I provided editorial assistance by proofreading exhibition text panels and labels to ensure accuracy and accessibility for diverse audiences.​ Marking this as my first exhibition I have contributed to for the trust, I also provide events and public engagement support.

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📌 Sheffield Museums Trust's Crafted at Christmas Selling Exhibition (Oct 2025)

I provided collections care, condition checking, documentation, inventory management, as well as display set-up and aesthetics of mixed media handcrafted items from across the UK.

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📌 Sheffield Museums Trust's Many Voices Project  (Oct 2025)

Participated in accessibility evaluation meeting, raising concerns about sensory provision, inclusive facilities, and accessible programming across six museum sites to support trust-wide improvements in visitor experience.​

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📌 Sheffield Museums Trust's Talking Tables Project  (Nov 2025 - Present)

Facilitating interactive Talking Tables sessions that engage visitors directly with museum objects through accessible, hands-on exploration across Weston Park Museum and Kelham Island Museum. Supporting Sheffield Museums' inclusive engagement goals while developing skills in object handling, informal interpretation, and collections awareness under professional supervision.

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📌 Heeley City Farm (Dec 2025 - Present)

Supporting administrative and financial operations through data entry, payment reconciliation, and donor database management using CiviCRM, Xero, and PayPal Analytics. Building transferable skills in financial record-keeping that support museum fundraising and collections management.

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📌 Yorkshire Natural History Museum (Jan 2026 - Present)

Supporting their archive, with cataloguing, digitisation, data entry, and correctly storing their bones and fossils, alongside other archived materials to avoid damage, mould, or pyrite disease (caused by excessive moisture in fossils). Marking this as my first time caring for a Natural History collection in a museum setting! A chance to build my knowledge and skills that I use while caring for my personal collection of bones and bugs.

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📌 Sheffield General Cemetery Trust (Jan 2026 - Present)

Supporting the cemetery trust with Marketing assistance, with their website, social media, scheduling events, sending emails and requests.

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Throughout these roles, I have strengthened my skills in heritage interpretation, archival practice, database management, accessibility advocacy, and inclusive public engagement. I have completed more than seventeen professional development courses across museum studies, safeguarding, SEND support, fashion history, and data management, including:

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• 🛡️ Safeguarding Training - Children, Young People, Adults, and Vulnerable Adults (Heeley City Farm & Sheffield Museums - 2025)

• 🖐️ Object Handling - "Talking Tables" Training (Sheffield Museums - 2025)

• 📋 Visitor Research Survey Training (Sheffield Museums - 2025)

• 💻 Research Data Management and Sharing (University of North Carolina & University of Glasgow - 2024)

• 🌻 SEN and Education Awareness Training (Zen Educate - 2024)

• 💼 Customer Relationship Management (Great Learning - 2024)

• 📱 Social Media Management (Great Learning - 2024)

• 👑 A History of Royal Fashion (University of Glasgow & Historic Royal Palaces - 2020)

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My practical experience across seven institutions, combined with academic training and a genuine passion for cultural heritage, positions me to contribute meaningfully to museums and archives where research, accessibility, collections care, and public engagement intersect.​​

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Explore my work: