Students hoping for a career in museum work should keep in mind, too, that
another valid option is a graduate program in a discipline - such as history
- that does not have a museum studies certificate or a public history
program. Straight, academic history programs produce students with an
in-depth knowledge of historiography, excellent research and writing skills,
and expertise in the content of certain historical areas and time periods --
all of which can be applied to museum work.
Students pursuing this route, however, would do well to augment their
masters degree with internships and volunteer work at local museums --
thereby allowing them to gain the practical training that they are not
getting in the classroom.
An MA in History coupled with on-the-job experience is as valid a
preparatory route as an MA in Museum Studies, an MA in Public History, or an
MA coupled with a museum studies or public history certificate.
The roads to a lucrative museum career are many. Many well-established
professionals and recent newcomers to the field have pursued the route I
describe above.
Nick Ciotola
Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeremy T. Chrabascz [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 3:06 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Museum Studies Programs
Dawn is absolutely right. (Of course, I'm biased as she was my mentor.)
That being said, you really have to find out what it is that you want to
do. A COUPLE OF RESOURCES NOT PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED:
INTRODUCTION TO MUSEUM WORK
G. Ellis Burcaw
PAPER 240PP. 1997 · ISBN 0-7619-8926-9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MUSEUMS: A PLACE TO WORK--PLANNING MUSEUM CAREERS
Jane R. Glaser and Artemis A. Zenetou
Routledge PAPER 302PP. 1996 · ISBN 0-415-12724-6
I would recommend interning (or volunteering) at a variety of places.
Finding the right museum job is definitely looking for the "right fit." A
big museums? A small museum? Private? Public? House museum? Children's
museum? Science center? Each has its advantages. You have no idea where
you will feel most comfortable until you test the waters. It can take time.
The same goes for position/career path. There is no substitute for
experience or talking with museum professionals, especially those who are
already in a position you aspire to. If you're lucky, you will find
someone willing to be your mentor and help provide guidance along the way.
I was quite fortunate to have a number of fantastic mentors who were
critical to my professional (and personal) development. People often
overlook the importance of mentoring today.
As far as "what's in demand" is concerned, there is a definite focus on
business, education/programming and information technology these days.
Getting a business degree, minor or certificate to go along with things
definitely couldn't hurt and neither would teaching certification (if
you're so inclined). Museums are being run more and more like
corporations. We are competing for people's time and money and in an
incredibly tight economy. The audience is more sophisticated and
demanding. Also, as I'm sure you know, the internet has exploded. Museums
continue to lag behind in web development though its potential for
increasing public access and programming is limitless! Distance learning
is a major trend. As far as natural history is concerned, from my
observation, it is still an area that tends to be more academic (PhD's,
etc.) than others. But beware: Directors are increasingly moving away from
spending on academic research and publishing and focusing much more on
programming and yes, revenue. You may be called upon to justify your
existence and your immediate impact on visitation or the bottom dollar--
perhaps, rightfully so. Thus, varying your experience and training will
bode well for you. You'll hear it a million times, especially in our
industry, but you're often called upon to "wear many hats." Flexibility
will allow you to survive downturns in the economy or significant change
within your institution.
Best Wishes,
Jeremy T. Chrabascz
Curator of Furnishings
Indiana State Museum & Historic Sites
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message
to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help"
(without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to
[log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff
Museum-L" (without the quotes).
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
|
