Take a Museum Compatibility Quiz

Questions to Ask Yourself 

Small vs. Large: Which Size is Right for You?

The key to success at a large organization is working your way up the ladder, and that can be frustrating.  Entry-level jobs at these institutions may be limited to very specific tasks that prevent creativity or intellectual activity, such as filing and data entry.  At a small museum, you may find yourself spending three hours stuffing envelopes for a membership campaign, but you are also running the campaign yourself and can enjoy all the challenges and rewards of the project.  Working in a highly specific job at a larger museum can also produce a myopic perspective on how the institution runs as a whole.  For example, if you are the elementary school tour coordinator, you may never interact with anyone in the Conservation Department.  But at a mid-sized museum, you might collaborate with a conservator to create programs that teach local collectors how to care for their own antiques or art collections.  Elizabeth Schlatter, from her book Museum Careers: A Practical Guide for Novices and Students 

LARGE MUSEUM

• You have the opportunity for a more specialized position, and the ability to focus on a particular topic or role that interests you.
• You would benefit from the presence of senior staff members from whom you can learn.
• Salaries tend to be better.
• The museum is more likely to be part of a group health plan and offer other fringe benefits.
• There is a possibility of moving up to a new, higher position within the same museum.
• There is often more funding for professional development.
• A larger institutional budget means more money for planning and implementing exhibitions and education programs.

SMALL MUSEUM

• You could benefit from the small staff size by having the opportunity to be a “jack of all trades”, to fulfill multiple roles within one organization.
• You have a greater possibility of making a name for yourself and heading projects and programs on your own sooner. This can look very good on a resume.
• You have a chance to form very close relationships with community members and staff of other small organizations.
• Often staff has more direct contact with the Board of Trustees; this gives you the ability to build the skill of working with Board early in your career.
• You often have more flexible working hours (though sometimes longer overall hours).
• You are given more independence in choosing projects and being creative.