Museums are institutions that house and exhibit items that have cultural, historical, or educational importance. There are a variety of jobs available at museums that are able to work to help the institution’s objectives. If you’re looking to work in the field of museums, you’ll be interested in knowing the possibilities you could look for and how you can get them. In this article, we’ll go over the different types of jobs offered in museums; the five steps to obtaining employment in a museum; and a variety of museum positions.

How to find a job in museums

Here are five things you can do to get yourself an internship in the museum sector and further develop your career in the field of museums:

1. Begin by accumulating unpaid work experience.

A lot of museums offer volunteer programs or unpaid internships. These jobs give you the opportunity to learn while working at museums. Some positions are only temporary, and some require a daily or monthly commitment that can last for an indefinite period.

This is a great opportunity to explore different types of museums and departments to find one that appeals to you the most. It is also a good opportunity to speak with museum staff and think about what kinds of museum jobs you’d like to have.

2. Participate in museum-related activities.

Museum events usually allow you to connect with professionals working in the field of museums. Meeting professionals working in museums can aid you in your professional networking. If you are lucky, these people may assist you in finding or obtaining a job in a museum. There are museums that host events on their premises, and you are able to take part as a guest volunteer. It is also possible to attend exhibition-related conferences at museums.

3. Think about working for a museum-related business.

Prior to working in the museum, look into working for companies that cooperate with museums as a part of their job. You could, for instance, be employed by a shipping firm that handles transportation for the museum or is taught how to restore antiques or artifacts. Apart from having meetings with museum professionals through your job and learning new skills, you will also acquire knowledge that could prove useful for future museum positions.

4. Look for a museum entry-level position.

It is possible to apply for museum positions at the entry-level and progress to higher levels after a while and gain experience. Experience, like volunteering, can make you a better candidate. It is also beneficial when applying to small or newly established museums, since they may have fewer applicants for jobs that are open.

5. Think about getting a degree.

If you find an entry-level museum job difficult You might consider pursuing an education with a focus on museum studies or another subject that is related to your field of interest at the museum. This can help you obtain certain museum positions, specifically ones that require specialized knowledge. If you’ve earned a degree and you are looking to continue your education while working in museums, you may want to look into applying for a fellowship at a museum.

Some museum jobs do not require an education, but certain museums do. A majority of museums will look at an applicant’s experience in the field. Experiential experience that shows your enthusiasm for and expertise in working in a museum may make up a college degree for certain jobs.

What kinds of museum-related jobs are available?

Museums offer a range of professionals, ranging from educators to business professionals to technicians. The types of jobs available in museums are those that fall into one of the categories below:

• Visitor services or attendants: Attendants, or attendants, are employees who greet guests, sell tickets, and answer questions.
• Development, marketing, and fundraising: These employees are responsible for securing the funding needed to promote the museum and securing donations.
• Curators and collections management: These employees oversee the collection’s items collections, which includes the protocol for the physical care of the collection and display, and also decide when and when to purchase new objects.
• Museum directors, administration: The museum director’s office is comprised of personnel who manage the day-to-day activities and long-term plans for the museum. They work with curators to determine which items are included in the collections of the museum.
• Exhibits: The staff in this department work on exhibits on a daily basis, for example, packing or unpacking objects, taking care of animals, and constructing new exhibits.
• Education: This section includes museum staff who instruct inside the museum, as well as through social outreach activities for the community.
• Business: The staff in these fields could be employed in the museum’s gift shop, as well as human resources, accounting, and information technology.
• Security: These employees ensure the safety of the museum’s collection.
• Docents, interns, fellows, and volunteers: Members of the staff are employed by the museum on a temporary basis. The museum might or may have to compensate them.

The best and most efficient method to increase your chances of being hired at a museum

Managing art collections as curators by becoming a specialist

Curators manage collections in museums. As curators, you are accountable for the collection’s assembly and then displaying it. A majority of curators take a specialty course in college and then earn master’s degrees. The specialty you choose should be applicable to the museum field that you are interested in.

• You could, for instance, focus on art or history that spans a particular time period. If you’re interested in dinosaur fossils or even the Dutch Golden Age, you can build collections about them.
• Curators typically obtain degrees in areas such as history, art, or even science. Some go on to get a Ph.D.
• Curators have a lot of contact with visitors as well as museum staff and even the museum’s board of directors. They must be diligent to ensure that museum objects remain authentic, properly preserved, and on display.

You can become an archivist by learning about history or library science

Archivists are responsible for preserving and cataloging all the objects in museums. They are the primary museum librarians, which is why following a similar course to one of them can assist you in finding work. There are many schools that offer an archive studies program that is an excellent alternative to getting a master’s level degree. Archivists can also benefit from communication classes to learn how to interact with museum guests and staff.

• Political science and public administration are just a couple of other research areas that are useful for an archiver. Many archivists also study science or art.
• Consider a specialization that’s in line with the kind of museum you’d like to work in. For example, take one or two art history courses If you’re fascinated by art museums or museums, then you can study Egyptology to learn about Egyptian art.

Explore conservation studies to protect artifacts as conservators

Conservators play a crucial but delicate role in a variety of museums as they’re responsible for the maintenance of collections that could be old and important. Get your bachelor’s degree in an area that is related to museums, and then pursue a master’s degree study in the field of conservation. Conservators in the field must stay current with developments in technology and other issues that can affect their work, so make sure you’re ready to be active.

• If you’re unable to decide between science, art, and history, conservation work is a way to combine all three.
• Science-related fields such as archaeology and chemistry are excellent topics to learn about in preparation for becoming a conservator. Art history as well as art are valuable for those who plan on working in an art gallery.

You can become a museum technician and perform a variety of jobs

Museum technicians start by working as assistants to curators, archivists, and conservators. This is the position that most people are offered when they join museums for the first time, which is why you’ll need an associate’s degree in a field that is related to museums. Because museums are filled with various roles to fulfill, you’ll find yourself doing all kinds of jobs. However, it lets you become familiar with museum operations and pick the one you enjoy the most.

• For instance, collections specialists can help with purchasing and maintaining collections. Registers assist archivists in keeping records. Other technicians construct exhibits or assist museum visitors.

Include all the necessary skills in your resume

Resumes can be customized to match the position you’re applying for at the museum. It can also be added as an attachment to your resume. Resumes are usually used to separate the applicant from those who are not as excited about their work. We have a highly-skilled group of resume specialists who will assist you in creating your resume to impress your hiring director at your museum!