Job Talk: Curator, High Point Museum
Job Talk: Curator, High Point Museum
NAME/AGE: Jennifer Burns, 34
TITLE/OCCUPATION: Curator of collections / curator, nonprofit museum
EMPLOYER: High Point Museum
YEARS IN INDUSTRY: 10
SALARY RANGE: Upper $20,000s to mid-$40,000s
What does your job entail?"I interact a lot with the public by taking in objects and answering information requests about the general history of an object or how to take care of it. Once we get an object in, I research it to find out more about it and help us decide if we want to take it in as part of our permanent collection. We have a limited amount of space, so we want to make sure it would be a good fit for us. We're now taking inventory on an estimated 35,000 objects. I also work on the exhibit content, and I research exhibit topics. I'm also responsible for the objects database and the intellectual history of our objects, and such information as when an object was donated, what it's made of and its specific story. We have a computer database within our collections department. I oversee the department and the registrar, who reports to me. With exhibit content, it's a team effort among our employees."
How did you become involved in this line of work?"I've always worked with history. My parents traveled a lot and made sure we went to cultural sites. Also, I've always lived in old houses and my parents loved antiques. And some of my best teachers were history teachers. History can be fun; sometimes it's stranger than fiction. I majored in history at Linfield College in Oregon. I have a BA in history and a master's degree from UNCG in history with a concentration in museum studies." What training or education is required?"A bachelor's degree in history or a related degree and a master's degree is preferred in history or museum studies or a related field."
What does it take to do your job successfully?"Patience. A lot of our work is multi-year projects. Our inventory job is a several-year process, for example. It also takes good organizational skills. I need to know where all 35,000 objects are. Some are located off-site in storage, for example. You need to have a lifelong interest in learning. I have to know the history about each object. There are a tremendous amount of Internet resources for museums, and eBay is also a good resource for us."What's most challenging about your job?"Probably keeping track of all of the history. And you never know what object is going to be donated next. But that's also the fun part of the job. I never know when I pick up the phone who is on the line. We try to help people place their objects. Often, they just want to find a good home for their stuff. We'll take an item on loan but we only borrow an object if we have a specific reason."
What is most rewarding?"Preserving the collections and their history for the future. Also, capturing interesting stories that will make the objects come alive."
Any advice for someone interested?"Volunteer early to see if it's something you'd really enjoy. Also, the field is competitive and doesn't pay as well as some. It's a nonprofit industry."
Editor's Note: Every other week in TriadCareers, our Job Talk feature focuses on a different job. We interview an individual in the Triad who has that job to help passive and active job seekers learn more about actual Triad-area careers. TriadCareers is always looking for Job Talk candidates. If you know a person who works in an occupation that would be of interest to job seekers, please contact Nicholas Brown at nbrown@news-record.com or 373-7144.
Jennifer Burns, Curator of Collections at the High Point Museum,
