Being a museum worker can be a fine art: you have to brush up on your knowledge and frame your expertise. Let’s look into what it’s like to work at a museum job.
Art as Life: Taking a Museum Job
Fascinated with going on a school field trip to an art or history museum like the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) as a student? You might enjoy working at the same museum as an adult! Here’s a tidbits of what you might be doing:
- Interacting with visitors: If you are customer-facing or in a role such as a security guard, you will likely be on the front lines of visitor interaction. This can be an enjoyable aspect of the job as you get to meet people from all walks of life, share your passion for the museum's collections, and help visitors navigate the exhibits.
- Learning about the museum's collections: Working in a museum gives you a unique opportunity to learn about the museum's collections and exhibits. This can be an enriching experience and allow you to deepen your appreciation for art, history, science, or beyond.
- Flexible schedule: Workers in museums often have flexible schedules that align with opening and closing hours. This can be a perk for those who need a job with non-traditional hours.
- Collaborating with artists and/or researchers: Museums often collaborate with artists, researchers, or other institutions to create exhibitions or events. As an hourly worker, you may have the opportunity to work on these projects, which can be a great way to gain experience and build connections if you are looking for a long-term career that’s more than a night at the museum.
- Quiet working environment: Museums, especially those catering to an older crowd, tend to be on the quieter side of job environments. This can be a great perk for the more introverted.
- Building a diverse skill set: Working in a museum can help you develop a diverse set of skills, such as public speaking, event planning, research, or customer service—or all of the above! These skills can be transferable to other industries and help you in your future career endeavors.
Museum as a Job
While most of the visitor's attention may go to the works of art on the walls or the exhibits in the room, there are many different fulfilling job roles at a museum that are critical for helping it function smoothly.
Here are just a few of them that you may want to consider:
- Gallery Attendant/Visitor Services: Gallery attendants and visitor services staff are responsible for ensuring that visitors have a positive and safe experience at the museum. They answer questions, provide directions, enforce museum policies, and ensure the security of both the art and visitors.
- Education Assistant: Education assistants help create and implement educational programs and activities for visitors, such as tours, workshops, and classes. They may assist with research and development of educational materials and assist with outreach efforts to schools and community organizations.
- Retail/Admissions Associate: Retail and admissions associates work in museum stores and ticket booths, respectively, and are responsible for greeting and assisting visitors, processing transactions, and promoting museum memberships and programs. These are often great roles and opportunities for those with no experience.
- Collections Assistant: Collections assistants work with museum collections, ensuring that objects are properly cared for and maintained. They may help with inventory, cataloging, data entry, and condition reporting.
- Facilities Assistant: Facilities assistants help ensure that the museum's physical spaces and equipment are well-maintained and functioning properly. They may perform maintenance tasks, assist with installations and exhibitions, and coordinate with vendors and contractors.
- Digital Media Assistant: Digital media assistants help manage and create digital content for the museum's website, social media, and other online platforms. They may help with photography and video production, editing, and distribution.
All-in-all, there are many different full-time roles that may be available at a museum. This can depend on its overall size, type of museum, and public versus private status.
MOMA Jobs Can be Money Jobs
Regardless of your background, working at museums and other institutions like the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) can provide you with fulfilling work that directly serves the community.
Interested in museum jobs or jobs in a museum with transparent job listing information? Check out Workwise Job Search: the easiest place to find and share high-quality jobs near you.
Whether you want to filter by neighborhood, hourly wage range, or even look for specific benefits for you and your family, Workwise is here to help. Create a free account to save jobs and compare to your current or past job.
Looking for career advice, job search help, interviewing tips, or more? Head over to our Workwise Career Advice page for tips from experts and people who have been in your shoes before. No one needs to find a better job alone!
.jpg)
.png)
