> There is no reason why a person with an MA in the development office
> should make more than a person with an MA in any other part of the museum.
>

Thank you, Paul, for pointing out what I believe to be the greatest
inequity in the museum world.  Time and time again I have noticed that
positions in the "money-raising" areas of the museum are far better paid
than positions in the "money-spending" areas, all other things
(experience and education) being equal.  Don't we all contribute to the
museum experience?  Don't we all work as a team?

I believe the reason for this discrepancy is that the people hired in
these areas--specifically marketing, development and non-program senior
administration--have training and skills that qualify them for work in
the for-profit sectors of the economy where people are actually paid
what they're worth.  Museums may be terrified that these people will
"jump ship" and go to where the money is, so they are more willing to
match for-profit salaries.  I find this incredibly unfair.

After all, where can a M.A./Ph.D. curator with 6-8 years of experience
go?  Especially if they are extremely specialized, as many larger
museums seem to value, what other options are open to them except museum
work and university teaching?  Museum directors know that a) they won't
be looking for other jobs once they have one, and b) even if they do
look and leave, what they get won't necessarily be at a higher salary.
These people are HOOKED.  They can be paid poorly and will never
complain.

Does anyone have any stories about collections people (e.g. curators,
registrars) who have left the museum field and WITHOUT ANY FURTHER
SCHOOLING OR TRAINING have gotten a job worthy of their skills with a
better salary and benefits?  Maybe it's time to stop insulating
ourselves in our ivory towers, and work with the advocacy people to get
curatorial/collections care work more recognition and respect.  Maybe
it's time to exaggerate our "real-life" skills--attention to detail,
ability to manage complex projects on limited budgets, excellent people
skills, vast knowledge of a specialized legal and ethical system, and in
my case a pool of patience that Job would envy--to show that we CAN
survive outside of the museum environment, and that we will if we aren't
treated better.


Julia Moore
Director of Exhibitions and Artist Services
(a.k.a. the "black hole of money--we spend it but can't bring it in")
Indianapolis Art Center