So what is a Museum exactly?

According to the American Alliance of Museums a museum is:

A legally organized nonprofit institution essentially educational in nature, with professional staff, which owns or utilizes tangible objects, cares for them, and exhibits them to the public on some regular schedule.

According to the International Council of Museums it is:

A non-profit making, permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, and open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment.

Both of these definitions define museums as non-profit institutions.

A non-profit is designated by the state as a charitable institution, listed by the federal government as a 501c3 classification. Donations are tax deductible.

• New York is different than all other states.
  • Every other state in the US recognizes museums as non-profit organizations
  • In New York museums are recognized as educational institutions.
    • For that reason, a museum is held up to similar standards as a university or chartered schools
    • A museum or historical society that wishes to organize as a nonprofit education corporation must do so by petitioning the Board of Regents for the issuance of a charter.

Money made by a non-profit is put back into the running of the institution. There are no 'profits' per se.

A non-profit is overseen by a volunteer board which has fiduciary responsibility for the museum.

Roles in the Museum

There are many different roles in the museum. This semester we’re mostly going to concentrate on the Programming side and what their roles are in the museum environment especially when it comes to management of the museum collection itself.

Director

Deputy Director

Board of Trustees

Some definitions

Board of Trustees

An appointed or elected body or committee that has overall responsibility for the management of the museum.

The board of trustees holds "in-trust" the funds, assets and collection and has a fiduciary duty to protect them.

The board of trustees also oversees and advises management on issues facing the organization.

Director

Charged with conducting the affairs of the museum, interpreting and applying the policies adopted by its board of trustees and controlling the operations and activities of the staff departments.

Deputy Director/ Vice president/Assistant director/Associate director (various configurations - in the administration of nonprofit institutions (may provide oversight for financial management, human resources, education)

Development

Oversees annual campaign, capital campaign, corporate and foundation fundraising, government support, and marketing. Participates in policy setting, program implementation, fiscal oversight and program evaluation

Collections manager

Most often in natural history, history, and general museums where diversity of collections has more requirements. Directly involved with the collection, preparation, and storage of the objects (organization of storage, environmental controls, security, stabilization and preventive conservation, administration of collection facilities, dissemination of information about collection to staff, public, and researchers.

Marketing

Publicizing and interpreting the mission of the museum to the news media, coordinate publicity and promotions, special events, and community involvement.

Membership

Develop and implement the membership program and the annual appeal to individual and corporate donors, manage donor database, and assist with grant preparations.

Registrar

Controls the flow of information about the collections and is responsible for the development and enforcement of the museum's collections policy and procedures. [Information systems include forms, legal documents, acquisition files, condition reports, loans, packing, shipping, storage, inventory, insurance, etc.]

Curator

Responsible for developing in-house or traveling exhibits and interpretive material for museum visitors. Also responsible for conducting research in the museum’s discipline and developing the museum’s collection.

Archivist

Oversees the management, of the institutional archives (documentary records of the museum's mission and accomplishments) and/or archival materials in the museum's collection. Cataloguing, conservation, researchers, and support of other museum activities that include the archives.

Conservator

Responsible for the physical well-being of the objects -- examination and treatment of collection, protection from further deterioration (cleaning, desalination, stabilization)

Librarian

Purchase support material related to museum collection and exhibits for staff and public, assist curators and patrons with research, catalog new book and non-book library materials.

Exhibit designer

Works with curatorial and educational staff to translate conceptual ideas into concrete form through renderings, scale models, lighting, arrangement of objects, and sinage. Serves on Exhibition-planning team, supervises production of exhibitions and may have administrative responsibilities.

Exhibition planner/developer

Coordinates team planning for exhibitions working with curators, designers, and educators to develop comprehensive plans and be responsible to the administration of the museum. Sometimes mediator and facilitator of the process.

Exhibition preparator

Fabricates and installs museum exhibitions Advises on, Administers, supervises or performs work in planning, construction, installation, and operation of exhibitions. The preparation of gallery space for exhibitions.

Docent:

Guide, paid or volunteer, to visitors -- the "voices" of the museum (fromdocere -- latin "to teach") trained as museum educators to mediate, interpret and encourage visitors to participate actively in learning. Also serve in public relations capacity -- lectures to outside groups, special events, demonstrations.

Educator.

Provides broad spectrum of learning experiences for museums' diverse public. Develops, implements, evaluates, and supervises the museums educational programs based on the mission of the museum. May employ a variety of media and techniques, on-site and off. (films, lectures, special events, teach training, school trips, outreach programs, demonstrations, docent training). Often on exhibition planning team and part of museum management team.

Security chief

Responsible for the protection of the building, its collections, the exhibitions, the staff, and the public who visit it.

Museum shop manager

Responsible for the operation of the museum shop in a retail environment. May develop new merchandise production in consultation with museum staff.

Facilities manager

Coordinates the physical work place. Usually responsible for everything from building management to event coordinator.

Graphic designer

Works with publications and exhibitions -- designing banners, posters, signage, and publication graphics.

Discussion Topic

I want you to think through who plays what roles in the museum environment to give you an idea of how everyone works together. Think through who on a museum staff might be involved in ONE of the following two scenarios. Post your results in the discussion forum and let us know what Scenario you are referring to. There are no wrong answers! I just want you to enjoy this exercise in thinking how anyone in the above roles could play a part in the Museum environment. Please also engage with your classmates asking questions or commenting on their posts.