Aspirations of museum curator

[Anonymous]

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Yes, also what are the things you like about museums and curator jobs that could be done elsewhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You say that your husband is in big law but you can't pay for grad school?

Museum curator positions are very competitive. The most successful (and well-paid) people will be doing a decent amount of fundraising. I'd let your kid pursue his dream. He will figure out in undergrad and grad school if this is something he really wants to do. I would NOT do a BA in museum studies (if this exists). Encourage him to double major in history and something else possibly more "useful".

She said husband “did” big law—probably paid down loans and got out.

OP here. Correct!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is really not your choice.
There are many career fields that people pursue because they are passionate about them or want to help people.

The most you can do is suggest your son have informational interviews with people in the field, so he goes in with eyes wide open.

But it will be his life. You can't "curate" it for him.

Why don't people ever post on here that their kid is going into some high paying field and they are afraid they will be miserable in it (like many lawyers, for example). There really is more to life than $.

I have a friend who was a curator at a very very famous US Art Museum, both of her parents were immigrant academics. Did not come from money. BA in Performance Art.

Winterthur in Delaware has a very well regarded Masters program in curation and historic preservation.

Lonnie Bunch, who runs the Smithsonian, has a BA and MA in African American History from American University. He makes $700k a year.

[Anonymous]

Hoo boy. I wonder how many people responding to this are actually a museum professional?
I've been working in museums for 25 years. The title "curator" is just one of many, many types of jobs that exist in museums.
OP, I would strongly recommend that your kid volunteer at local museums. If you live in the DMV, they will find plenty of opportunities. It's a really great exposure to inside of museums. They can meet different staff and get a sense of the different types of positions. They can find out what kinds of degrees, training, experience, they would need depending on the particular path that is of interest to them. There are some graduate level programs in Museum Studies. That paired with my degree in history, plus lots of internships, was what got me on my path.

[Anonymous]

My sister is an archivist at a well known museum in NY. She has a ba in linguistics (unrelated) but phi beta kappa at a large public state u (not uva) and then got a masters in library science. She digitizes the collections of the museum.

Most of her coworkers have family money. She is union though, but the pay is not great. She is 20+ years in and I would be surprised is she was at 150k, and she lives in NYC.

Most jobs are in NY or expensive cities, but the Smithsonian and library of Congress have some federal jobs in this area.

It’s not the career for solid pay, and it’s a bit like academia in its snobbery and hiring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hoo boy. I wonder how many people responding to this are actually a museum professional?
I've been working in museums for 25 years. The title "curator" is just one of many, many types of jobs that exist in museums.
OP, I would strongly recommend that your kid volunteer at local museums. If you live in the DMV, they will find plenty of opportunities. It's a really great exposure to inside of museums. They can meet different staff and get a sense of the different types of positions. They can find out what kinds of degrees, training, experience, they would need depending on the particular path that is of interest to them. There are some graduate level programs in Museum Studies. That paired with my degree in history, plus lots of internships, was what got me on my path.

Thank you! We have just started looking at volunteer opportunities. Agree this would be a great experience but probably won’t be able to start until summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hoo boy. I wonder how many people responding to this are actually a museum professional?
I've been working in museums for 25 years. The title "curator" is just one of many, many types of jobs that exist in museums.
OP, I would strongly recommend that your kid volunteer at local museums. If you live in the DMV, they will find plenty of opportunities. It's a really great exposure to inside of museums. They can meet different staff and get a sense of the different types of positions. They can find out what kinds of degrees, training, experience, they would need depending on the particular path that is of interest to them. There are some graduate level programs in Museum Studies. That paired with my degree in history, plus lots of internships, was what got me on my path.

Thank you! We have just started looking at volunteer opportunities. Agree this would be a great experience but probably won’t be able to start until summer.

You're welcome! Summer is a great time to volunteer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- your replied confirm my suspicions based on my sample size of 2 curators. One married money; one came from money.

Anyone with experience in Anthropology? Have been reading that companies hire anthropologists for consumer experience and research type work. Perhaps a better option? When I worjed in CPG our researchers had marketing quant degrees but maybe things are changing??

I was an anthropology major in college and went to grad school in museum education. I worked in museums and in a related field with lots museum professionals - curators, educators, exhibit designers. Many of my peers have spent their careers at the Smithsonian, which is the most lucrative gig in town, but not at first and it’s very competitive. Curators are among the most overeducated and underpaid of the lot. It’s tough to crack $100k in museum work without supervisory management responsibilities and a well funded institution.

[Anonymous]

If your kid is a white boy, I'd gently tell him to forget it. Like higher edu, museums everywhere are seeking to polish their diversity credentials. Just the reality for the next generation.

He would probably be better off as a government historian or archivist.

Also need to be honest with him re money and expectations. Nothing wrong with being a lawyer.

[Anonymous]

University of Delaware.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is really not your choice.
There are many career fields that people pursue because they are passionate about them or want to help people.

The most you can do is suggest your son have informational interviews with people in the field, so he goes in with eyes wide open.

But it will be his life. You can't "curate" it for him.

Why don't people ever post on here that their kid is going into some high paying field and they are afraid they will be miserable in it (like many lawyers, for example). There really is more to life than $.

Op’s initial post said she did not see big law as a good path for her kid!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid is a white boy, I'd gently tell him to forget it. Like higher edu, museums everywhere are seeking to polish their diversity credentials. Just the reality for the next generation.

He would probably be better off as a government historian or archivist.

Also need to be honest with him re money and expectations. Nothing wrong with being a lawyer.

“Government historian”? I wish!

—Historian

[Anonymous]

why oh why are we worried about this NOW? Let him go to a college where he can study liberal arts, choose what he likes, utilize the career services office to find internships and go from there? Most kids change their major once they get to college, several times. Just don't allow him to apply narrowly to schools that only offer a strong program in what he thinks he wants at age 16.

BTW my daughter is an anthropology major. It is a VERY broad major, including everything from archeology to linguistics to cultural and medical anthropology. Its a great liberal arts major with alot of emphasis on writing and analysis, arguing various perspectives. She is possibly pre-law but also very interested in nonprofit development work due to her internship. Nothing wrong with this major.

[Anonymous]

Govt historian sounds very niche?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:why oh why are we worried about this NOW? Let him go to a college where he can study liberal arts, choose what he likes, utilize the career services office to find internships and go from there? Most kids change their major once they get to college, several times. Just don't allow him to apply narrowly to schools that only offer a strong program in what he thinks he wants at age 16.

BTW my daughter is an anthropology major. It is a VERY broad major, including everything from archeology to linguistics to cultural and medical anthropology. Its a great liberal arts major with alot of emphasis on writing and analysis, arguing various perspectives. She is possibly pre-law but also very interested in nonprofit development work due to her internship. Nothing wrong with this major.

Op here. Not worried yet but starting our school list and want to have a general idea of interests because not every school has every major and some seem to be cutting back on non- stem offerings. Like you, I am thinking anthropology might be more versatile than history as it is very broad as you mention above. I personally did not choose a major until junior year of college so I am not expecting a 16 yr old to know at this point.

May I ask where your daughter attends school and is she happy with the program?