Well, being a curator at a museum is something I’ve always aspire to do because I think that’s the coolest job in every museum. I understand there’s quite a bit of work involved with managing collections and creating displays of museum art and/or artifacts as well as the amount of preservation the job entails, however for a social butterfly jazzy nerd like me, being a museum curator is living the glamorous life. Having the role of greeting people and giving a guided tour of a collection of artworks and artifacts that I composed would make me happy.
Yet being the director of a museum is likely where my life, interest and career trajectory will take me. Ideally a history, culture and science museum that shines light on African American BIPOC and LGBTQ+. Though I like children, I wouldn’t want to be the director of a children’s museum because unruly children and their entitled neurotic parents would drive me up a wall day in day out. I only want to be a director or a little while. Enough time to get my museum or heritage center off the ground. Maybe I won’t have to do any work because my museum will be well funded and fully staff which will free me up to focus on fundraising. I don’t think this is an unrealistic goal in the slightest, but I do understand it will take a considerable amount of time and devotion. There’s an unfilled niche in Alaska when it comes to documenting and sharing the history and culture of BIPOC and Queer folks. I want to see that need met so future generations of Alaskans and its visitors can learn about these underrepresented people.
Which leads me to another thought. The next best thing to holding a prestigious position in a museum is being an artist in residence, performing in a museum or being honored as art in a museum. Case in point in the 2021-2022 BLACK LIVES IN ALASKA: JOURNEY, JUSTICE, JOY exhibition at the Anchorage museum there was a black and white photo of me taken by photographer, Jovell Rennie. The photo was taken at the I Can’t Breath Rally in May 2020. I love the portrait of me, but dang did it made me feel old like I was a part of the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement. Another great time I’ve had was when I did a pop-up poetry performance during the pandemic for my birthday. One of my good friends who is a curator at the Anchorage Museum invited me to perform in front a camera and my little 45-minute show was streamed virtually live on social media.
So yeah, there’s quite a few positions I would like to hold in a museum in the future. Though, I’ve only being completing new hire paperwork this past week, my new temp job in the archaeology lab at the Museum of the North is shaping up to be pretty cool too. Maybe if I do well with the task that I’m given and keep my eyes open for opportunities, I’ll be able to take on some roles that possess more responsibility and offer more career experiences.
As for my question to you. Which job in the museum do you think is the most challenging and which one is the least challenging based on your interest?
Hey Mohagani, I like that you mentioned in the zoom meeting and in this discussion you aspire to open or help create a museum/heritage center for African American BIPOC and LGBTQ+. I like how you have put a lot of thought of creating a institution to represents African American BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, history, and science.
I agree with you on being able to greet people an give them a tour on a display or exhibit you researched that you put work into and being able to socialize plus answer the questions they may have. I also liked that you mention that the next best thing is a being an artist or honored as art in a museum.
to answer your question, I think being a director would be challenging because you have to make connections for your institution, making sure you long term mission is kept, making sure policies are met, and whatever else that goes into it. I don’t have an answer for least challenging, I feel they all can be hard depending on the paperwork and funding, but I don’t know much about the job roles in museums.
Hi Mohagani, I can’t wait for there to be a museum in Alaska that highlights BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. Since moving to Alaska from DC, I have felt like this representation is really lacking in Alaska and I wonder why there isn’t more momentum for changing that.
As far as the hardest job….I have to say I think being a Curator would be the most difficult job for me! Curators know a lot about one specific subject. I have a hard time ever settling on one topic, so I have always known just a little bit about a lot of different things. I admire your tenacity and admiration for being a curator though! Obviously being in Communications sounds like the easier job to me – mostly just because I know a little bit about it. A lot of people think that administration roles are the boring side of museums, but I’m here to say no! Administrative roles are vital to museum life and also very COOL!
….After writing all of this I want to add that being the Financial Officer of a museum sounds very difficult. There is a lot of responsibility on this person and I bet a lot of people try to contact you about various grants and projects. I know that the woman who does finance at UAMN is very busy, and we couldn’t do too much without her!
Hi, I really loved reading your response. I think that representation in both BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities will eventually be a huge stepping stone in those representations. For me, director or financial officer would be the most challenging, I am not very good with numbers. Anything interacting with people (Docent) or representing different cultures would be the easiest for me to do.
I love this photograph of you MoHagani – you look powerful, determined, and engaged – three qualities that will serve you well in the museum profession. I can’t wait to see the good work you will achieve through your efforts to increase representation and create a place to celebrate BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ Alaskans!
I echo the sentiments of others here – the financial side of museums is so challenging – I think being a development officer and securing financial contributions and finding corporate and private donors & sponsors is the LAST job I’d be good at! It’s amazing to me that these people are able to raise so many dollars on behalf of our museums around the world… definitely a specialized skill for people who have to really understand the mission of the museum and match it up with folks who want to support it!