Lisa,
You are absolutely right, but this figure didn't surprise me at all. I've
been working in museums for over twelve years (I must be nuts by now,
right?) and it's always the same -- the only people who make enough to
live on comfortably are the director and the development person. Its
absurd and embarrassing what they pay us, but there we are with our toungues
hanging out and our tails wagging. Museums know they can rely on a steady
supply of talented, creative people who are willing to sacrifice a lot to
work in a non-corporate, non-agressive, non-boring environment.
We can only hope this situation won't last forever -- that museums will not
always have this vast pool of suckers to draw from.

On Thu, 11 Jan 1996, lisa falk wrote:

> I'm sorry, but I think we need to do something about museum
> salaries....$15,000. for a FULL_TIME professional position?!  Who can
> possibly live on anything lower than $25,000 and even that is a feat
> worth commemorating, I don't care where you live.
>
> This position being adversitsed is for the person in charge of the
> museum's volunteers...I can bet that the volunteers are a major part of
> the museum's image in it's community.  Isn't it important to have a
> person who takes their job seriously and who is taken seriously by the
> institution?  $15,000 doesn't sound like a serious look at the importance
> of this position.
>
> In general, most museum positions pay poorly--why?  and what can we do to
> change this?
>
> Lisa Falk
> [log in to unmask]
>
> On Thu, 11 Jan 1996, T.Patrick Brennan wrote:
>
> > I have been requested to post the following position:
> >
> > ... salary $15,000. the Hampton Roads Naval Musuem is actively seeking to
> > fill the position of Volunteer Coordinator.  The position is a full-time
> > term appointment with the federal government.  For more information contact
> > Becky Pouliot at (804)444-8971 ext 117.
> >
> >
> >
> > T.Patrick Brennan
> > Director, Historic Houses
> > The Chrysler Museum of Art
> > off: (804) 664-6256
> > fax: (804) 441-2329
> > email: [log in to unmask]
> > http://www.whro.org:80/cl/cmhh/intro.html
> >
>