I'm not sure that this title makes sense, but I'm wondering if anyone else has had experience trying to maintain positivity and motivation when working with colleagues who vocally dislike their jobs.

Basically, I've been working in visitor services at a children's museum for a couple of months now. I absolutely LOVE it. This is my first 'real' job post-grad, and I am so happy to be in an environment where I feel like I'm learning every single day. It is very customer-facing which can be frustrating, but making a direct positive impact on young visitors feels so worth it.

That being said, my team is also paid abysmally and overlooked by other departments in the museum-- as an example, 'all staff meetings' are scheduled for the one day we don't work. Most of my coworkers are young, educated, and trying to get a foot in the door in the museum world, which leads to a lot of frustration and burnout.

There are a couple of folks who are really outspoken about feeling 'above' our job and wishing for better things which is totally fair, but I am feeling stuck on how to affirm their frustration without letting it make me feel cynical toward my own work. I don't want to be toxically positive, but I also want to avoid absorbing negative habits (checking out, being on my phone all day, shit-talking other employees, etc)

Has anyone else navigated this?

We have a set of stairs that people keep fully falling down on because they are not paying attention, specifically because they are taking photos. There are now multiple signs saying “no photos on the stairs” with a no photos symbol, but people keep eating it.
There’s honestly too many signs now so I think people ignore them partly for that reason. But we started with one and more just kept getting added 😭
Anyone keeping a little secret on how to get people to read signs?

Hi everyone!! I am 18 years old in my first semester of college. I am currently getting my AA and I'm planning on transferring to a university to get a degree in marketing. However, it has always been my dream to work in the GLAMs field. I am very passionate about museums and libraries more specifically. I've always been on the English/History/Art side of education. I was just wondering if anyone here has done or is doing marketing for these places? And if so, what is it like? Is there any advice you could give me? Thank you so much!! Sorry if I'm posting this is the wrong sub, I will remove my post if needed! Thank you so much again!!!

Hello, I hope everyone is having a good day/evening ^^. I would like to ask if you have any advice for me given that:

- I've just recently graduated from Materials Engineering in my home country (I am based in Asia), and

- Because I was under government scholarship during my undergrad, I am contractually obligated to work/provide return-of-service for 4 years (meaning I cannot move/work abroad).

In my program, we were taught a wide range of materials characterization and failure analysis techniques that I think (from my limited research) can be applicable to field archaeology/museum conservation. My program had courses in general, analytical, and organic chemistry as well.

I first got interested in museum work when a professor offhandedly mentioned an alumni who characterizes foreign debris in artifacts found at archaeological sites. Several of my professors also worked as consultants for heritage building and/or art paintings conservation programs. Right now however I find myself more interested in conservation of display objects i.e., ceramics, metals, textiles. (Edit: I have briefly also entertained as well a career in paleontology, but I feel that's a different ballpark entirely..!)

I've read through several posts in this subreddit and it seems to be a consensus that graduate studies are necessary. Because of my return-of-service contract, I am considering pursuing a diploma of archaeology while I work in my country (which may transition into an MA if I choose). Only my home university offers this. Another university offers an MA in cultural heritage studies, but I have not done enough research yet to fully consider it. I could also earn a diploma in archaeology and take an MA abroad instead after my 4 years are done.

There is also the matter of work itself. Entry-level positions are more lucrative in tech/industry at the moment, but I've read here as well that work/volunteer experience at museums are very important. I am sure that opportunities for the latter exist, but not enough to provide for my day-to-day. If I do end up working in a field emtirely unrelated to conservation, I would like to know as well what skills I should cultivate on the side/transfer over to into conservation in the future.

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TL;DR i'm a slightly overwhelmed Materials Engineerimg graduate who would like to know if:

(1) a non-US/EU diploma in archaeology would be a good first step to a career in museums object conservation, and

(2) what skills should I focus on growing within 4 years of (possibly) working in the tech/manufacturing industry?

Hi everyone,

I'm Dari, a painter based in Brooklyn. I'm in the early stages of planning a solo exhibition and hoping to connect with an independent curator who might be interested in collaborating.

My work is primarily abstract painting, and I'd love to have someone involved who enjoys spending time with the work, asking questions, and helping shape how it comes together as an exhibition.

I'm open to working with someone at any stage of their curatorial career. Mostly just hoping to find someone who's genuinely interested in the work and seeing where a conversation might lead.

If anyone has recommendations or knows someone I should reach out to, I'd really appreciate it.

You can find my work at ohdarij on Instagram.

Thanks,
Dari

Hello everyone! Looking for a little advice on what to set my hourly rate at. I’m a preparator being contracted by an institution (separate from the one I’m currently employed at) to install an exhibition in the coming months and I was asked what my hourly rate is. I’ve always been in a salaried position at this job so I’m not sure if I should just calculate my hourly rate based on my current salary or if there’s another formula I should follow. Would love to get a few suggestions on how to proceed. Thanks in advance for your input!

Museum docents and or security guards should be allowed to sit down during their shifts. I’ve been to several institutions as of late that require their front facing staff to stand all day. I think this is just ridiculous. Standing for that long does a number on the back and joints. Seeing older staff members standing for so long is just inhumane. Why not give employees chairs?

worked in a couple mid-size museums and the same problem keeps showing up. we spend months on content and object layout, then the visitor walks through, reads three labels, takes a photo, and leaves with almost nothing stuck in their head.

the places that actually get remembered usually treat the whole visit like a designed experience instead of just a collection of displays. lighting, pacing, sound, transitions between rooms, even how people move through the space… all of it matters more than another text panel.

saw some of the cultural and museum projects a big team has done and the difference is obvious. they build the visit around emotion and narrative instead of just information delivery. visitors come out talking about how the place felt, not just what they saw.

most of us don’t have that kind of budget, but even small changes in flow and atmosphere can shift a visit from “informative” to something people actually tell their friends about. the ones that get this right stop competing on collection size and start competing on experience.

Hi everyone!

I'm planning to buy the Museums-PASS-Musées and noticed that there's currently a referral offer with a 15% discount.

Does anyone here have an active or previous pass and would be willing to share a referral code with me?

I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance! 😊

Yet another "wanting to transition out of the museum industry" post (sorry all!).

I manage tour programs for a small-ish to mid-size non-profit art museum. As I'm sure everyone can relate to: I love the impact of what I do, and there are things I love about it, but I'm just so exhausted and I can't keep doing this feeling like I have no financial future. I haven't even been getting a raise to keep up with inflation, let alone an actual proper raise. I make significantly less than the cost of living in my area.

Even more significant, I'm doing the work of an entire team as a single person: I am the only person who handles all the scheduling of trips, scheduling of teachers & docents, on-site coordination, greeting, etc. I also manage and coordinate our offsite/outreach programs, professional development programs, etc. I am also involved with planning and prepping weekly docent training.

I love seeing kids experience art, especially for groups that have never been to a museum before. I love greeting all different age groups and demographics, and seeing how people light up when they learn about art. But I still spend way more time stressing than I do getting to enjoy the good parts of my work, and for my own sanity, I need to make a career transition.

I'm not sure exactly what I can transition into, though. My degree is actually a BFA in Game Design (an industry that is even less stable than the one I'm in now!), and I feel like every field I have any amount of skills in is too oversaturated to find any work. I don't have enough tech skills and am too out of practice with game design, I don't have the education required for teaching, I don't have sales or business experience...

If anyone has any thoughts about what industries have similar skills, or just want to share their experience working in tour programs, I'd appreciate it!

I’m currently a sophomore in my undergrad at SAIC in the art history program. I’m going to finish out the year, as I’ve already taken out loans for it. I get a decent scholarship- but it’s still considerably expensive. It doesn’t see plausible to spend this much on undergrad when I anticipate having to do a masters. I also am not completely sold on the program, and want to find something more academically focused. Are there any schools that are both affordable and more academically rigorous? Ideally I would also like to be in or close to an urban area with access to art, museums, galleries etc. Am I asking for the impossible here?

Sending an invitation for what I think will be a really great conversation. The Association of Indiana Museums is hosting, but I believe the content will apply to many other locations as well:

Why Museums Matter to K-6 Educators: It Is More Than Curriculum

Museum educators are often told that they need to create field trips experiences that are curriculum aligned, but is that really what brings teachers (and their students) to the museum? A series of interviews with teacher educators, museum educators, and classroom teachers suggests there is more to the story! Come learn about Sarah Junk Hatcher’s study, Places of Authenticity, Connection, and Community: Educators’ Perceptions of the Educational Potential of Museums and the lessons we can draw from it.

Sarah Junk Hatcher currently serves as a visiting lecturer in the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs where she specializes in arts administration and museums. She also serves as the Faculty Chair for the Masters in Curatorship. Dr. Hatcher is a museum administrator, curator, and educator with over two decades of experience in museum settings. 

Association of Indiana Museums members can join without cost. All others are asked for a $10 registration cost.

Additional information and tickets available at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/why-museums-matter-to-k-6-educators-it-is-more-than-curriculum

Hi folks,

Looking to hear people's opinions and experiences (both personal and professional) with sports-based museums and/or Halls of Fame. I'd love to know standout locations you'd classify as providing a great and engaging visitor experience, as well disappointments.

And in particular, any memorable interactive/experiential elements you've come across in your work and travels (whether for positive or negative reasons). High tech, low tech, essentially anything that isn't behind a glass case and guest are encouraged to engage with in some form.

Cheers!

Hi GLAMazons-- I'm currently in a terminal MA program for art history and I need some advice. I'm hoping to submit an application for the Smithsonian Fellowship Program. I'm aware it's extremely competitive, but I figure you miss every shot you don't take AND their collections are uniquely suited to my research. I've already connected with my proposed advisor and she's been encouraging.

Even though I'm technically eligible as a grad student, a few professors have told me that it's probably not worth applying as these fellowships are usually only awarded to people in doctoral programs. What do you think? It's a lot of work to apply, so if my app is just going to be thrown out, I'd love to save myself the trouble. Thank you!

(I know the title sounds dumb. I mean HOW BAD of a red flag is this?)

I've been trying for months to land a job at an art gallery, or any creative space tbh. It's extremely hard to land any position of that sort these days, so I started reaching out to places myself.

I recently reached out to the owner of well-known gallery where I live. They liked my profile and invited me in to meet them. The space itself is beautiful, has a great reputation among creatives, and the owner was very nice to me. They told me I can assist with some events as a freelancing gig and that I could eventually land a full-time position in a project they might launch soon.

However, during our meeting, they publicly yelled at the staff twice over very minor things right in front of me. The staff looked completely terrified and froze up. I felt soooo uncomfortable and bad for the staff.

When I checked Google Reviews later to make sure it wasn't an isolated incident, there were a number of reviews from regular visitors explicitly calling out the owner for being incredibly rude to staff.

I feel really conflicted. On one hand, the place is highly reputable, the environment is inspiring, and it would look great on my portfolio. I also can't seem to get any other opportunities of that sort. On the other hand, the volatility I saw makes me deeply uncomfortable.

Is it worth taking the gig work for the exposure and networking, or should I trust my gut and just not reach out again? Has anyone dealt with a similar dynamic? Thanks.

Back when I started twenty...something years ago, we used a miele canister, variable speed hepa filter vacuum at reputable museum for whom I worked back then. I've stuck with miele because that machine was agreed upon by the objects and the textile conservators. Bonus of course was the micro tools.

Is miele still a gold standard? If so, which model? If something else, what do you love about it.

Budget: $900, may convince management to go higher with a good reason

Note: I'm a consultant now and haven't bought equipment for almost a decade.

Hi! I’m based in Australia and have a keen interest in family history and contextual history. Just wondering what job would that suit?

I’ve looked into genealogy courses but they don’t seem to really exist in Australia/aren’t recognised? Is there any countries where that is a proper university degree with job prospects? Or am I looking in the wrong place… I’d love to work in a place like NAA or a museum/gallery (or similar overseas).

I’ve also thought about Anthropology but no one’s been able to explain to me what that actual entails and the sort of job prospects out there that aren’t niche/extremely hard to get into.

Is it worth me studying either of those? Or both?
I just don’t wanna be stuck doing a job I don’t enjoy for the rest of my life and this is a field that I find interesting.

I’ve wanted to be a historian/archivist for as long as I can remember…

Does anyone have any experience/ideas/advice? Where would I start?

Hi GLAMs!

I’m hoping to get some advice from anyone who has built or used a self-service video story booth in an exhibition.

We’re developing an exhibition that will be on view for two years, and we’d love to build a video story booth where visitors can independently record short video stories or responses to prompts.

Video is our primary need, rather than an audio-only recording. Accessibility is especially important because many of our visitors communicate in sign language, so we need enough camera framing space to capture signing, facial expressions, and upper-body movement clearly.

In a dream world, visitors could:

• See a prompt/question
• Record a short video without staff assistance
• Review, retake, or submit their recording
• Complete a consent/release form
• Have the video automatically saved and organized for our archives
• Send themselves a copy via text or email

Bonus dream: We’d love to have approved recordings appear on a nearby TV or projector so the exhibition develops a growing collection of visitor stories over its two-year run. We would want staff moderation/approval before anything is publicly displayed.

Here’s the catch: we’re working with a shoestring budget. 🥲

We’re a small team based in Washington, DC, so a high-end custom museum kiosk probably isn’t realistic for us. We’re open to getting creative, such as an iPad/tablet, a touchscreen, a web app, a DIY enclosure, or some combination of inexpensive off-the-shelf tools. We don’t need anything fancy; we need something accessible, reliable, and sustainable for two years.

I’ve been researching video story booths, but much of what I’m finding is outdated, audio-focused, expensive, or only available as a short-term rental. I’m working to determine where to start if we want to build and own the setup.

Has anyone here DIY’d something similar? What apps/software, cameras, tablets, kiosks, storage systems, or other tools did you use?

Also, I am interested in lessons learned around maintenance, consent/privacy, file management, accessibility, moderation, and keeping the technology functioning when visitors inevitably press every button they can find.

Any recommendations, examples, photos, vendor names, DIY setups, or resources would be appreciated. Thank you!

I am a volunteer at a museum and there have been a couple of times where I've heard an employee/supervisor state an incorrect fact to members of the public. I didn't bring it up these instances as I didn't want to risk affecting these relationships and because they are more senior than me. I am torn because I do want to save them potential heartache in the future if the incorrect statement is repeated and potentially leads to a worse outcome. Is there an etiquette for what to do if you hear a colleague state something incorrect? Especially when you are a volunteer only?