Do you remember the 2006 movie Night at the Museum? In it, a night security guard at New York’s Museum of Natural History discovers that an ancient curse makes the animals and exhibits come to life at night. It always made me wonder what it would be like to have a career in museum and cultural management. I’m pretty sure the exhibits don’t actually come alive at night (right?), but this profession is still extremely cool. So, what exactly does it entail? Let’s look at three possible routes for those interested in cultural industry management.
The Work of Museum and Cultural Management’s Collections Manager
This job is all about cooperation, coordination, and interaction with people. Collections managers work with curators, conservators, art handlers, exhibit fabricators, mount makers, facilities managers, and, of course, their own internal team. Their ultimate aim is to establish and maintain high standards for collection care, beginning with the acquisition of artifacts all the way to conservation and display. As the word “manager” implies, there are many decision-making duties. These professionals may be asked to draw up budgets, provide estimations of expenses, and raise funds by applying for grants.
A Highly Technical Job: Museum Technician
While collections managers work with people, technicians primarily work with objects. They are responsible for caring for artifacts, fossils, and other items. Their highly technical jobs include restoring and preserving artifacts and artwork as well as identifying artifacts that need cleaning and then cleaning them very carefully by hand. Technicians also help to organize exhibits to ensure artifacts are both displayed and stored safely. Sometimes, items will incur damage, so technicians may be tasked with restoration. Other times, items may be shared with other facilities, so techs will prepare and package them for shipping.
Museum jobs in Toronto for techs may include working with shoes at the Bata Shoe Museum, textiles at the Textile Museum of Canada, or ancient Islamic artifacts at the Aga Khan Museum.
A Creative Job in Cultural Industry Management: Heritage Interpreter
Have you ever visited a cultural facility and witnessed a group of people following behind a guide, all outfitted with matching headsets? That tour guide is called a heritage interpreter. Their job involves providing information by conducting tours and roleplaying for visitors to
cultural and heritage sites. To do so effectively, heritage interpreters must have a great grasp of all the relevant information, which means a lot of research. They intensely study the topics they are presenting to ensure they can accurately respond to questions, prepare brochures, and present educational programming or demonstrations to the public. Engaging with visitors of many ages and demographics is a huge part of heritage interpreters’ job, and so is coordinating volunteers.
Museum Jobs in Toronto
Toronto is a great location to study and launch a career in this field. The city is home to over 40 cultural institutions. Among them are major facilities such as the Royal Ontario Museum and Art Gallery of Ontario as well as smaller locations such as Myseum of Toronto and Casa Loma.
At the city’s first college, Centennial College, the Museum and Cultural Management program is a two-semester graduate certificate offering. It focuses on industry-based and administrative topics while exploring contemporary issues and cases in Canada and abroad. Beyond studying textbooks, students work on assignments and participate in placements linked to the province and the country’s vast network of cultural institutions.
By Izabela Shubair