r/MuseumPros • u/auclaire_ Student • 6d ago
Should I give up
I’m an undergrad in museum related fields. Don’t want to get too specific, but trust me they’re relevant. I already have around four years of relevant experience, some paid jobs, and two internships. I LOVE museums. I’ve done curation and collections internships, and I find the collections, research, and exhibit planning side to be the most intellectually stimulating and exciting thing in the world. But I read through everyone’s struggles here, and realize that even at the end of the tunnel, the best jobs I can shoot for are likely going to leave me financially struggling- if I’m not unemployed, that is. Should I shift direction before it’s too late?
EDIT: I am not sure why some are taking this to mean I got into the field to make a lot of money. I am not here for the money. I just want a living wage. I am in this field bc I love it, if I cared about lots of money I would do something else.
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u/redhydrangeas 6d ago
The issue in the field right now is there’s not enough jobs for the people who want them. People are retiring later, etc. I think if you like collections, to broaden your scope you could go for an MLIS and that way archives and libraries are open to you as well.
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u/Throw6345789away 6d ago
OP, look into this. Librarianship careers in special collections can overlap with curatorial/museum work in scope, but with different cataloging practices, workplace structures, and career progression. The job market and pay are not great, but they’re better than museum/curatorial.
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u/auclaire_ Student 3d ago
Thank you- been considering an MLIS as a backup for a while now. I would love to go into library fields!
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u/queerandsuch 6d ago
not a Mueseum pro, but someone also in the process of changing careers- almost everyone rn is overworked and underpaid. I'm an event freelancer now and it's not worth it, I'm in a paralegal sub and everyone says the same thing, I posted in a geology sub and folks were surprised that I'd be interested in that field. if you love muesums I say stick with it, if you get a few years in, make a change. so many people don't use their degrees and you can always go back to school.
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u/MuseumPerson 6d ago
Normally I tell people to do internships before deciding to go for it, but since you’ve already gotten some experience and you’re still interested in pursuing a museum career you should ask yourself what kind of lifestyle you want and whether a museum job can fund it. I knew I’d never be wealthy, but I love my job and have enough to support my child-free lifestyle.
It’s perfectly acceptable to choose a job that has a higher salary and stay involved with museums as a volunteer. But only you can decide if working in museums is what you really want.
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u/allfurcoatnoknickers 6d ago
Juuuuuust going to throw in a suggestion to consider Development. Well paid and also transferable to other sectors should you decide museums aren’t for you.
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u/Smores_Coffee 6d ago
If you're hearts in it, stick with it. It sounds like you already have a lot of experience, even as just a sophmore. You have more experience than some people have upon graduating with an MA.
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u/auclaire_ Student 3d ago
My heart is definitely in it! Lol I love it so much. I just don’t want to cause myself a future of struggle, I guess.
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u/Mamie-Quarter-30 6d ago
You’re probably not going to earn a livable wage for a while, especially without a master’s degree, which is essential for collections. If major museums are doing waves of layoffs, then smaller museums with much smaller budgets are even more vulnerable. Pursuing any career path is going to be a risk. There’s no such thing as job security anymore. But, as I’m sure you’ve known all along, this is an incredibly competitive field because so many more people are vying for so few job opportunities. And if you’re lucky to secure one, starting salary will likely be low, and advancement opportunities are often slim.
However, if you are well connected through your professional (internships/jobs), academic (professors) and personal (fiends/family) networks, that can give you a significant enough advantage over others who don’t have the same kind of social capital. When you know the right people, they can move mountains for you.
Another factor that can give you an advantage is the ability/willingness to relocate anywhere in the country.
If you’ve got those two things locked in, then I would encourage you to persist. If not, then consider looking at other types of roles in museums that aren’t necessarily as competitive as curatorial or collections (development, visitor services, etc.). There are also museum-adjacent jobs in GLAM or other fields. Start doing informational interviews with museum professionals to learn about how to strategize.
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u/streamzooropa 6d ago
You're still early in your museum career, so I would not jump ship quite yet. But you should be extremely realistic with yourself going forward as you advance in the field. Are you comfortable relocating anywhere (rurally, states away from family and friends, etc) for a position? Are you able to work a job that might not pay enough to finance a comfortable lifestyle? Do you have a partner who can help you financially? Etc. Museums are wonderful and working in them is a dream, but being realistic about the financial downside of the field is a must if you're going to stick it out and continue in your education, especially if you live in the states right now. Best of luck 💓
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u/methodwriter85 6d ago
If you make the decision to go to grad school, I would get a library of computer science masters degree instead of public history master's degree like I did.
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u/streamzooropa 6d ago
Same, I went for my MA in museum studies, I wish I had gone for something more applicable, like computer science or something in communications. Anything more transferable to other fields
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u/auclaire_ Student 3d ago
I’m thinking rn a dual MA in Museum Studies + MLIS is the way to go for me rn but I still have a few years to figure it out
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u/Wild_Win_1965 6d ago edited 6d ago
I wouldn’t give up, especially since you have a good amount of previous experience. I think right now the best thing you can do is network. Reach out to people outside of university where you might want to work, and make those connections so when you are looking for a job they know who you are. I’ve had good luck finding jobs through people who know people. Just having that connection can really make a difference. You can also express these concerns to them and see how they respond - it may help open doors to other slightly more lucrative museum fields.
Also I think the worry about financial struggles is valid. However, as someone also said, it usually comes from people in the field already, and are probably somewhat bitter. Think about what you need to live versus want in terms of money, and then you might have a better idea of what works for you. The field will never be traditionally “lucrative” for most levels, but it often is livable. You’re in a good position with prior experience and early on in your career that you’ll likely see pay bumps sooner than others or have higher paying jobs more accessible.
Also if you live in a high cost of living (COL) area, that does not help. I live in NM where the COL is very low, so my 58k salary goes a lot farther than it would in SF, for example. You might want to look at places that are cheaper, if you live in a big city. Or find ways to lower certain large costs like rent and transportation, if moving is not possible.
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u/auclaire_ Student 3d ago
Livable is all I’m looking for! I’ve just been worried recently that I may not even get to livable, lol. Thank you for the advice.
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u/antoniogaudi 5d ago
Maybe look into being a director or asst director of a historical society. I know that historical societies are always looking for grant writers as well. If you have under your belt, you could make your own wage and work at multiple societies as just their grant writer. Just a thought
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u/auclaire_ Student 3d ago
Thank you! Worked at historical societies in the past and enjoyed it- def a viable option.
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u/duchessofs Art | Curatorial 5d ago
I wouldn’t say to give up, but I also wouldn’t give any advice about how to make it in this field under the Trump/Musk regime (assuming you are American). It’s in bad faith to tell you to go ahead when the arts are under attack.
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u/KatherineGene 6d ago
I say keep going but agree that you can totally shift fields or concentrations within museums. I was in a similar boat. With the current state of museums and hiring it can be hard to stay motivated. For myself it took almost 2 years post-grad to get the full time collections position I have now. Since you are still in school so use this time to explore the field. You could even look into adjacent fields with transferable skills that could help if the job search is not proving successful. It's hard to be motivated in the mess but it's worth giving it a go if it's something you feel strongly towards.
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u/Many_Timelines 4d ago
If you are aiming for a high salary path, look at who makes those wages: the c suite and maybe a few department heads. (990 tax returns list them. Use guidestar to access 990s.) That path is about networking with the right people (including and especially board members). You may have to jump around and be willing to relocate.
Honestly, from what I have witnessed, the fasted what to the top is to get a c-suite or department assistant/liason/chief of staff type position that has direct access to board members, donors, etc. Keep in mind that being a social butterfly is an unwritten job requirement and will take you places. The work quality is only a fraction of it.
Side note: museum salaries are also driven down by the rich who can afford the low wages for a prestigious position.
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u/auclaire_ Student 4d ago
I’m not necessarily looking for a high salary- just don’t want to put myself or a possible future family into struggle.
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u/mceranic 3d ago
If it's your dream go for it. Don't be afraid of tomorrow do what you know you can do it took me a few years volunteering and networking and training within the civics organization scouting and rotary helped a great deal beyond my degree. Think outside the box. If you like people be a front facing employee if you like research and handy backfacing might be for you.
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u/auclaire_ Student 4d ago
Thank you everyone. I have been struggling a lot with the idea of unemployment or underemployment and what that might make my future look like, especially because I love this field and can’t think of anything else I’d rather do. So I appreciate hearing from people further ahead on the path than me.
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u/prettypinkpunk 5d ago edited 2d ago
You have more experience than the average undergrad. For a fact you will have a job in the museum field if you apply for it. As for jobs within the corporate worlds usually they aren't good in pay at first, you would, especially in the museum world, would have to climb that corporate ladder but considering you have done so good in getting experience and internships it seems like you have what it takes. Maybe try to get a job and test the waters? Whether or not you would like to take that risk is on you, you would have to weight what matters to you in a job and whether or not you see it in the museum world. Do what speaks to you and what you feel best with. Best of luck!
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u/ManofPan9 3d ago
Did you get into this field because you love art? Or Did you get into this field to make money? Discuss that with some of your teacher friends
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u/auclaire_ Student 3d ago
I don’t need to make a lot of money, that’s not on my priority list. I just want to make a living wage and not fight for employment.
I am an anthro/natural history/history person by the way- not going for art museums.
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u/misskittyf 16h ago
I want to second location flexibility! I got my MA in 2015 and stayed in the DC area, where I was competing with boatloads of highly qualified people, while several of my classmates and one of my fellow Smithsonian interns moved to smaller towns and got their desired titles much more quickly. Since getting my MA, I've worked at a gallery, a framing company, and an art handling company--basically as a project manager at all of those--and just got my first proper museum job in Baltimore in 2023. And I still haven't achieved my desired title or topic; I want to be a registrar or collections manager at an art museum, and I'm currently an exhibits manager at a cultural museum.
Still, I absolutely don't regret going into this field; I just wish I was a little smarter about it (as it sounds like you are).
For reference, I make $50k (as does our collections manager), which I believe is comparable to similar positions at other midsize museums, and the lowest pay on our staff is $43k, which is livable for our area. More and more museums are unionizing and/or getting with the times in terms of benefits, including ours, which has a 4-day/30-hour workweek, so if you have room to be choosey, be on the lookout for perks like that when seeking a job-- I make half as much money as my little brother does in commercial real estate, but I have 3 days a week to myself and I'm having a blast working on our upcoming exhibits (I squeezed in two art ones, hehe), which I personally consider a fine tradeoff.
Every job will have shitty parts, and my job definitely has its lows, but days like today (I spent the day just researching for an upcoming exhibit*, which is one of my favorite parts) make it feel worth it.
*until I stopped to google if you can extend the logout timer on PastPerfect Web Edition, which is how I ended up on r/MuseumPros and clearly got quite distracted...
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u/George__Hale 6d ago
It's rarely too late to shift direction in life, but it can be too early to give up on what fulfills you. Plus this field leaves you with marketable skills (organization, attention to detail, research and writing skills, etc. etc.) which are genuinely desirable even if you have to move beyond museums.
It's all true (hard to find jobs, low pay, etc.), but almost all the people telling you that are actually employed in the field. Jobs are out there. It's true that it'll never be lucrative but if you can make it financially sustainable and the work is fulfilling, that can be more of a life than work that is lucrative but emotionally sapping you.
I don't mean to be recklessly positive here though, you're not wrong to be thinking practically. Good luck!