Want to Work in a Museum? Here’s How

Do you love museums? Have you ever wanted to work in one? Museum careers go beyond curators, directors, sales associates or security. Just like most industries, the museum space requires various professions to run smoothly and continue being an outlet people enjoy. Emerging museum professionals are not only skilled but also passionate.

By Mariah Flores

A museum outing can be quite a personal endeavor and there are a plethora of reasons “Why” a person would want to visit one in the first place.

Museums are typically places of inspiration, where visitors’ interests are piqued and curiosity runs wild, in the best ways possible. For some people, it can be a place of solace away from the rest of the world, while others may enter a museum space to fulfill a tourist experience or itinerary.

You walk through exhibits, mingle in cafes or attend special events, but have you ever really considered the people working on (and behind) the museum scenes, both part- and full-time, to help things run smoothly? Maybe you have thought of such roles, as you explored careers for creative people.

Whatever the reasons for enjoying museum spaces or wanting to work in one, a certain thought may have run across your mind: “How can I work in a museum?”

As Museum Next says, “Museum work can be extremely rewarding, with a large variety of roles for different interests — more than you might imagine. But, the sector is extremely oversubscribed and there is often a lot of competition for paid roles.”

I spoke with Sierra Van Ryck deGroot, deputy director of Museum Hue, the leading organization dedicated to advancing Black, Indigenous, and other people of color in the cultural field, to shed light on what it’s like to pursue a career within a museum and how you can put your best foot forward.?

Is Museum Work a Good Career Path?

For Van Ryck deGroot and many others, museum work is, of course, a good career path, filled with seemingly endless opportunities and wide-ranging roles. In fact, museums supported over 726,000 American jobs in 2016.

“It's definitely a crossroads where a lot of different sectors and skill sets kind of come together,” she says. “And in saying that, there's a lot of different jobs in museums that I think are not known by the general public, and I think folks limit themselves to.”

Van Ryck deGroot studied graphic design during her undergraduate studies and thought that to work in a museum, she must follow a more traditional education or curatorial path. Little did she know at the time that graphic design was also a completely valid (and existing) career option within the museum sector.

Museum Careers: There’s More Than Meets the Eye

Typical roles that usually come to mind when we think of museums are curators, artists and possibly security.?

Yes, you can be a barista in your local art museum’s hip cafe, but you can also be the person who writes descriptive, yet concise museum labels. In reality, many museum professionals got into their current roles after working in other industries and roles that aren’t always considered to be “creative” or “artistic”.?

Even publishing work is available within the museum industry.?

“There are whole museums, thinking of Getty Institute, The Met, and a couple others who have their own publishing arms as well. So there is a lot of work that you can do [in museums],” she says.

No museum is exactly like another — just look at all the museum types there are. Neither are its related job areas, some of which are listed below:

• Museum attendants/front-of-house/security
• Museum technicians and buildings management
• Fundraising and marketing
• Learning, programming and outreach
• Conservators
• Curators and collections management
• Directors/museum managers

These job areas can be broken down into even more specific roles, depending on the type of institution you want to work at and your desired area of expertise.?

Ultimately, the possibilities of museum careers are endless, as museums need various departments to function … not just curators or directors. Behind the scenes, there’s legal support, human resources, accounting, maintenance, education, communications, grant writing and so much more.

Interested in a tech career and also a lover of museums? The perfect museum role might exist for you. Digital technology is becoming an increasingly important aspect of museum spaces, due in part to the pandemic.

“Now, museum tech is really big. We're looking into digital humanities. Not just for collections, but also looking into how we are building the latest interactive,” says Van Ryck deGroot. “How are we thinking about ways people engage with the website? Maybe there's an app. Maybe there’s a more digital component of the exhibition.”

You can explore available museum jobs on LinkedIn and the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) JobHQ, a wonderful resource for museum professionals, job seekers and enthusiasts. National Emerging Museum Professionals Network (NEMPN) is another good resource for emerging museum professionals.

Tips for Finding Work in a Museum

As mentioned, museum work can be incredibly oversubscribed and competitive, so it’s important to stand out.?

Certain museum roles, like curatorial work, archiving and conservatorship, can have unwavering education and work experience requirements, depending on the institution. Before you jump start the job application process, determine your niche and see what museum role or setting fits best.?

From there, you can start researching whether or not a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate degree in a specific field is required for that role, along with any particular specialized subject knowledge or expertise. This planning prepares you for the very real possibility of needing to go back to school or switch your major (if you’re currently in college).?

That being said, the museum industry is changing, thanks in large part to organizations and individuals, like Museum Hue and Van Ryck deGroot, who are trying to broaden the diversity of museum professionals.?

“[W]e've seen, in the last decade-plus, a really exciting set of shows and curators who've come out, having different experiences and are not coming at [museum work] with a Master's or Ph.D. in a particular subject area,” says Van Ryck deGroot.?

“They might be coming at it [museum work] with lived experience or even just a deep interest working within a community to kind of put stuff together.”

She has worked with a former Lego artist, a curator who held a butcher’s license, practicing artists, and a director of operations with a degree in art history. Everyone she’s worked with comes from different backgrounds, with different hobbies and paths — linear and nonlinear. But one thing they have in common??

Being able to leverage their existing skills, talents and interests.?

“[Y]ou can come as you are and continue to explore yourself in the museum space and continue to learn. And that will change things for you,” she says.

So if you’re passionate about working in a museum, but don’t have a traditional background or degree, take a moment to map out how your work experiences, hard and soft skills, traits and professional network make you the best candidate for whichever position/museum you’d like to work in.

Other useful skills to have when working in a museum, according to Van Ryck deGroot, include:?

• Verbal and Written Communication Skills
• Thinking “Big Picture”
• Project Management
• Leadership Skills

And while securing a museum job can certainly be centered on your transferable skills, it’s also a little bit about who you know within the industry, which is why Van Ryck deGroot encourages those wanting to work in a museum to network.

“Reach out to those folks because they might be able to tell you more than any of your coursework will. People who are doing the work currently are the most aware of what's happening,” says Van Ryck deGroot.

Build relationships with those already working within the museum space and make it easier to get connected to both employment and growth opportunities. You can reach out to people via LinkedIn, email, networking events and conferences, or even on the spot at museums.?

“Someone who knows that you're interested in that work might be able to help connect you with folks who have opportunities or who might be able to steer you in the right direction to get where you need to be.”

As you continue looking for museum job opportunities, lean in passionately and remember your “Why”. It’ll carry you a long way, coupled with practical skills, education and experience.

Top Takeaways?

Here’s what you need to know about pursuing a career in a museum:

• Museums are home to a vast array of roles, from curators to accountants.
• Museum professionals come from all walks of life and backgrounds, so don’t limit or discourage yourself if you don’t have traditional experience.
• Focusing on your desired institution, niche and unique skill set is a great method to finding the ideal museum job, along with determining if additional education or experience is needed.
• Networking, along with harnessing transferable skills, also goes a long way.