Jobs In Museums And Art Galleries?
I am studying for my degree in humanities and art history with a view to working in a museum or an art gallery one day. Where can I obtain more information about careers and job prospects in this environment?
I am studying for my degree in humanities and art history with a view to working in a museum or an art gallery one day. Where can I obtain more information about careers and job prospects in this environment?
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Most larger museums have an education department and would be thrilled to give you information like this. They also often have intern positions available that you can ask about. In the larger museums there is generally a huge, volunteer staff and a small paid staff and tremendous competition for these positions, so it’s good to start lining yourself up for something the best you can early to get your foot in the door somewhere. If you live near a larger museum, join as a student member and volunteer to work at exhibition openings. Making those kinds of connections is a great way to let people get to know you at the museum.
In my experience the curatorial staff, conservators, education staff, and all others who are not support staff generally have at least a master’s degree, with specialized study abroad for their specific area of interest, and to get the top jobs a PhD is probably required.
Also, many cities and even small towns have art districts with privately owned galleries and studios that may have opportunities for interns. If they don’t have something set up for that, ask your advisor to help you design one and offer to the gallery owner. This shows initiative, which will be more welcome than someone just showing up and wanting experience. Even if it’s an unpaid internship, it gets you experience, and experience plus education plus the ability to relate to the people and the art is key to moving up.
Universities often have smaller galleries, and perhaps your school has one? Start asking your questions there. Also perhaps your school librarians can help with your questions?
Talk to your career center at your college about information on different types of jobs within the museum industry. Realize that these are very low paying jobs comparatively. An Education Director position in a mid size town is going to earn about $38K with experience. Expect to start out at about $22K with no experience. $24-25 K with a masters degree.
If you are interested in this type of work later, then start trying to find an internship, part-time tour guide, or even desk clerk NOW! The jobs are few and far between, and there are about 300 people for every job opening. Reality check – many of these positions in large cities go to the children of large benefactors (these kids have trust funds and just want a job to have something to do – they can live on the piddly saleries because they have other income) because they are thought to have “contacts” who can become benefactors to the museums too or buy art from the gallery. Sorry to be the one to tell you that but it is a fact in this competitive old world. Specialize in something that will make you stand out – become an expert on one thing…a period of art, a particular artist, preservations & conservation ( you need chemistry courses for this one) business management courses (necessary for nearly all the museum jobs.) Realize that these are not 9-5 weekday jobs. Most of them will require you be there sometimes on weekends, nights, for fundraisers and events…
A young person I hired right from college for the education dept in my museum had experience from high school working in a museum environment, experience while going to college, and in summers in booking school tours, leading tours, helping at fund raisers, had traveled around Europe to see all the art he could, and was able to converse intelligently in many areas. He was also completely proficient on computer, and could use a variety of programs. He was the only one of the applicants with the foresight to work in the area he wanted a job before graduation…