Working at a living history museum?
October 9, 2005 1:51 PM Subscribe
What qualifications does one need to work in a living history museum? Does anyone have any recommendations of good museums (in the USA) to investigate in regards to employment, or just in general?
I'm currently a college student, and am interested in possibly working/volunteering at a (preferably open air) living history museum this summer. I've come up with Washburn-Norlands and Conner Prarie, thus far...
I'm currently a college student, and am interested in possibly working/volunteering at a (preferably open air) living history museum this summer. I've come up with Washburn-Norlands and Conner Prarie, thus far...
Genesee Country Museum is often looking for skilled craftspeople, such as coopers and weavers, but other positions are often available as well (see here). I also think it's possible to apprentice there. It's good that you say you are looking for either employment or volunteer work, as the pay scale at many of these places can be quite low. The opportunity to learn some 19th century trades might help make up for that, though.
posted by obloquy at 3:31 PM on October 9, 2005
posted by obloquy at 3:31 PM on October 9, 2005
Plimouth Plantation (Plymouth, MA) -- and its internship program.
Also, Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge, MA).
posted by ericb at 3:49 PM on October 9, 2005
Also, Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge, MA).
posted by ericb at 3:49 PM on October 9, 2005
The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village (Dearborn, MI) -- employment page.
posted by ericb at 3:52 PM on October 9, 2005
posted by ericb at 3:52 PM on October 9, 2005
The Student Conservation Association has lots of living history positions.
posted by MsMolly at 4:23 PM on October 9, 2005
posted by MsMolly at 4:23 PM on October 9, 2005
The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:51 PM on October 9, 2005
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:51 PM on October 9, 2005
Email me off-list, if you like; I help run one of these places for a living.
These jobs attract people from a wide variety of backgrounds. They are part of a much larger field known as 'Public History.' Googling that phrase will be of help. People in the field of public history may work in museums, living history or otherwise; in national or state parks; in historic houses and local historic societies; teaching; or serving in government. You'll also want to look at information about Museum Studies. The two fields overlap in history museums, obviously.
In general, an undergraduate humanities degree is the basic requirement. It doesn't need to be in history; almost any humanities field will be helpful. Even technical fields can prove useful. An interest in history is, obviously, required. You need an ability to absorb abundant information quickly, and experience with, and desire to, work with the public. These are the paramount skills sought; everything else can be taught. Additional helps include: strength in a subject area (such as foodways or horticulture or the social history of a certain historic period); concrete skills, such as metalsmithing or farming or boatbuilding; and flexibility.
If you want to make this a career, you'll also need to develop managerial, leadership, and administrative skills. It's important to know that working in a living history museum is not that hard to do; making a living in public history, though, absolutely is. Rarely do the front-line jobs pay much more than minimum wage -- serving as interpreter somewhere like Conner Prairie, you might make between $7/hr starting, unskilled, to maybe $12 for a skilled craftsperson with experience. Museum workers often survive by having second jobs. I worked in a restuarant and as a musician while I was paying my dues; now that I'm in admin, I make a fairly decent non-profit salary. So why do people do it? Because you'll learn bizarre and amazing factoids and skills, meet really unusual and cool people, work in what will likely be a pleasant setting, and enjoy constantly learning.
Here's a good place to start: AHLFAM, the Association of Living History Farms and Museums. Sorry the web site is so ugly, but we have to cut these guys some slack, they're historians. Read through their pages and links, and start making calls. Visit as many of these places as you can -- there are commonalities, but also important differences in content, structure, and pay scale. Finally, if you have no museum or education experience at all, there are two ways to get your foot in the door. One is to volunteer - shouldn't be hard to get a volunteer gig. This is important experience. The second is to take do an internship or summer seminar. Many large history museums (Deerfield, Mystic Seaport, Williamsburg) offer summer programs that will serve to introduce you to the field of museum studies. Having gone through one of these programs is a significant credit on a resume.
Good luck -- if you can live with the money, it's a fantastic career.
posted by Miko at 6:46 PM on October 9, 2005
These jobs attract people from a wide variety of backgrounds. They are part of a much larger field known as 'Public History.' Googling that phrase will be of help. People in the field of public history may work in museums, living history or otherwise; in national or state parks; in historic houses and local historic societies; teaching; or serving in government. You'll also want to look at information about Museum Studies. The two fields overlap in history museums, obviously.
In general, an undergraduate humanities degree is the basic requirement. It doesn't need to be in history; almost any humanities field will be helpful. Even technical fields can prove useful. An interest in history is, obviously, required. You need an ability to absorb abundant information quickly, and experience with, and desire to, work with the public. These are the paramount skills sought; everything else can be taught. Additional helps include: strength in a subject area (such as foodways or horticulture or the social history of a certain historic period); concrete skills, such as metalsmithing or farming or boatbuilding; and flexibility.
If you want to make this a career, you'll also need to develop managerial, leadership, and administrative skills. It's important to know that working in a living history museum is not that hard to do; making a living in public history, though, absolutely is. Rarely do the front-line jobs pay much more than minimum wage -- serving as interpreter somewhere like Conner Prairie, you might make between $7/hr starting, unskilled, to maybe $12 for a skilled craftsperson with experience. Museum workers often survive by having second jobs. I worked in a restuarant and as a musician while I was paying my dues; now that I'm in admin, I make a fairly decent non-profit salary. So why do people do it? Because you'll learn bizarre and amazing factoids and skills, meet really unusual and cool people, work in what will likely be a pleasant setting, and enjoy constantly learning.
Here's a good place to start: AHLFAM, the Association of Living History Farms and Museums. Sorry the web site is so ugly, but we have to cut these guys some slack, they're historians. Read through their pages and links, and start making calls. Visit as many of these places as you can -- there are commonalities, but also important differences in content, structure, and pay scale. Finally, if you have no museum or education experience at all, there are two ways to get your foot in the door. One is to volunteer - shouldn't be hard to get a volunteer gig. This is important experience. The second is to take do an internship or summer seminar. Many large history museums (Deerfield, Mystic Seaport, Williamsburg) offer summer programs that will serve to introduce you to the field of museum studies. Having gone through one of these programs is a significant credit on a resume.
Good luck -- if you can live with the money, it's a fantastic career.
posted by Miko at 6:46 PM on October 9, 2005
Iowa Living History Farms and Old World Wisconsin.
The opportunity to learn some 19th century trades might help make up for that, though.
You never know.
posted by dhartung at 10:18 PM on October 9, 2005
The opportunity to learn some 19th century trades might help make up for that, though.
You never know.
posted by dhartung at 10:18 PM on October 9, 2005
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posted by LarryC at 1:55 PM on October 9, 2005