So You Want to Work in a Museum?

A One-Stop Guide to Museum Careers People who love art, are fascinated by archaeology, or are history buffs may have considered the idea of working in a museum. But experience as a museum visitor reveals only the public-facing side of the museum, and not the complex, dynamic structure behind the scenes. So You Want to Work in A Museum? helps to demystify museums as institutions and to prepare prospective museum staff to explore the field further. After reading this book, readers will be able to: oUnderstand how non-profit museums are governed, funded, and staffed, and how they define and meet their missions. oExplore museum divisions and departments and specific roles within them—not just prominent roles like directors and curators, but also less visible ones like registrars, preparators, development officers, conservators, and more. oConsider the contemporary function of museums, and how yesterday’s cabinets of curiosity have evolved into today’s community catalysts. Examine how the contemporary function of museums has affected the types of positions available and the work museum staff do on a daily basis. oLook at the skills required for different types of positions, and how readers aspiring to work in those positions can best prepare themselves to land their dream jobs and be successful in them. oUnderstand the benefits and potential challenges of working in a museum, and oAccess a wealth of resources that will inspire further study of the field, and outline next steps to pursue a museum career.