How to Get a Job in a Museum or Art Gallery

by Alison Baverstock

Getting your dream job in the arts is no mean feat these days. In this book, the author explores the world of museums and galleries, focusing on contemporary issues and current options for employment in this field. This down-to-earth guide will help you work out what kind of job you would be best suited to, and how to prepare for a career in your chosen field. Featuring many case studies and real life examples, this book takes a practical approach to finding the right job for you. It includes advice on creating an eye-catching CV, applying for an advertised post, finding work experience, the interview itself, and creating the career you really want. The book features a foreword by Sandy Nairne, Director of the National Portrait Gallery.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Education, Reference, Ebooks, Museums, Counselling

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted on my book blog.

A thorough and sobering look at the business of museums and galleries and what it is really like working in this field. The art world sometimes feels like a confusing place, and it's hard to plan a career because nobody seems to have followed the same route to where they are, erroneously leading one to think that everything depends on luck. So it's refreshing to read a practical study, with interviews and case studies from people in the field.

The only negative point is that it's very UK centric, but I guess that's to be expected. All in all, a very useful read, highly recommended if you're starting out.

[Timothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent resource for students. The writing is clear, the ideas are sound, and the case studies relevant. Written for a British audience it would be nice to have a North American edition.

[Juliet Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some bits outdated… some banal excerpts and case studies but all over an interesting read thy have me good leads

[Elle Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative book about how to secure a job in the art industry. The writer has obviously done intensive research into this area. I have rated it 3 stars because I wouldn’t call it the most up-to-date book, as it was written over ten years ago. Perhaps the author may release a second edition, due to there now being a phenomenal emphasis placed on online presence for artists, museums and art galleries.

[Tress · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although published in 2010, the general concepts still hold true 14 years later. Includes case studies and personal experiences which provide insight into the industry. This seems like a resource which would be useful for anyone trying to find a position in relation to research of institution, position and explaining the system which will be navigated.

[Johnwhite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book.
Realistic (I suspect)
Doesn't sugar-coat or raise false expectations.

[Paschalis]

elibrary

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book for high schoolers or first/second year college students who are interested in working at a museum. It breaks down and explains the different kinds of jobs that you can have at an institution. It also covers the basics of how to get your foot in the door, writing CVs, and interviewing.

I especially enjoyed reading the interviews with people in various roles at a number of different institutions. They discussed day to day activities, how they got their positions, what they do and don't enjoy about their jobs, etc. Now that I've been in a curatorial role for a few years, I either relate to or know a great deal about what was discussed, but for students who might idolize a job as a Curator (or other roles) without understanding what it entails, I think the interviews help demystify or ground expectations. My boss and I like to joke that we "hang pictures for a living," but there's a lot of legwork that has to be done before we can get to that point of the process.

One small caveat - the book is geared towards the UK so most, but not all, of the information translates to students in the US.

[Kelvin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Already working in a gallery, I'm not the target audience for this book, but I was curious nonetheless and it may always be worth it to pick up some ideas, should I want to move on at a certain moment.

This book however, seems to be aimed at the 16-year old who just went on a school trip to a museum and decides that he/she wants to work there, without actually knowing anything about the field as a whole. Everyone with a professional interest in the museum and gallery field, will know what a curator, conservator or gallerist does. They will also know that when buying art, the personal taste is of influence. And that a CV should be without grammar mistakes goes without saying.

Some of the anecdotes were somewhat interesting, but overall this book won't be of much use if you already are professionally interested in museums and galleries. If you just completed your studies and are looking for a job, it's probably already too late (unless you swim in a pile of money) and this book won't change that.

[Jovanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little skeptical about this book at the beginning because it lists as one of the reasons for working in a museum: "A job that other people find fascinating" and "Working in a pleasant place" which I found quite unnecesary, but after getting through that it turned out to be incredibly useful since it gives you so many tips that I would have never thought of. It mainly focuses on museums in the UK but you could adapt certain things to the specific country you live in, maybe a bit more internationality would have been helpful. Overall however I really appreciated the advice and it has motivated me to start looking for work in a museum.

[Bob Segers]

Non Fiction