My first paying museum job was as Administrative Assistant to the Assistant
to the Vice President.  (This was at one of the nation's larger museums, so
the situation is roughly comparable to yours.)  Within weeks I was
developing small exhibits and writing labels; within months I was running a
budget and supervising volunteers.  Of course, I had a very supportive boss
(and boss's boss) -- your mileage may vary.  That was 1989, and I've moved
onward and upward several times since.

Over the years, I have seen Administrative Assistants move into Project
Management and Scheduler positions.  I knew an Admin. Asst. on an exhibit
project who moved into Development and now runs several projects.  An Admin.
Asst. in Geology went on to run the museum's Volunteer Dept.  Another went
to another museum as Assistant Director.  (A bit of a special situation --
it was a small museum, and the new Director was a curator she had worked
with before.)

Of course, there are some people who are very happy filing and typing, or
who simply don't have the skills to move on, and who thus become department
fixtures.  I've known several of them, too, and they are often lovely
people.  But they need not define the field.

Granted this is anecdotal, but I would say no, Admin. Asst. need not be a
dead end.  If you assert yourself in taking on new projects and
responsibilities; if your boss agrees and supports you (very important); and
you succeed and do them well, then yes, promotion within the institution
and/or movement to better positions at another institutions is clearly
possible.

Good luck!


--
Eugene Dillenburg
Exhibit Developer
Science Museum of Minnesota
120 W. Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul, Minnesota  55102
(651) 221-4706

"One thought driven home is better than three left on base."  -- James Liter

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