A few additional thoughts on this subject --

I agree with Julia about the importance of business/management training -- I
went to the Museum Management Institute in '83 (the program managed by the
Getty & AFA, held at U.C.Berkeley), and that month-long, intense experience
was  (and still is, 13 years later) invaluable.  Had I known I was going to
end up a development director, I would have probably tried to pursue an
M.B.A. right out of undergrad.  But since I sort of tumbled into museum work,
I ended up on that "learn by doing " track, and it's turned out fine.  In my
field, however, as well as in any kind of museum administration -- one can
really benefit from an M.B.A., especially with an arts or not-for-profit
focus.  But I still contend that an effective track record can be equally
valuable; it just depends on the good fortune of finding a museum, a mentor,
and a situation where you can learn and grow.

Anne Farrell
MCA San Diego