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  • 1.  Museum Studies Apprenticeship Program

    Posted 20 days ago
    We are currently developing a Museum Studies Apprenticeship Program in collaboration with a college in California. As part of this process, the college is looking to design a comprehensive curriculum.

    They have requested that we reach out to established museums for input on essential courses and topics. Do you have any suggestions or ideas on what should be included in a museum studies apprenticeship curriculum?

    Thank you for your assistance.

    --
    M. Ruby Garcia, ABOC, NCLEC Licensed Optician, MBA
    California State Society for Opticians
    Executive Officer
    (805) 263-9765


  • 2.  RE: Museum Studies Apprenticeship Program

    Posted 19 days ago

    My colleague, Emma Turner-Trujillo, and I created a Collections Diversity Apprenticeship Program that includes a robust curriculum. The program was created as an alternative to an expensive master's degree. We have been unable to launch the program, as it's rather difficult to get grants for diversity programs these days, but the program is really applicable to anyone who wants to get started in museums. All materials for the program can be found at https://sites.google.com/fieldmuseum.org/cmdap/home and are available to use under a creative commons license.

    For those interested in learning about ways museums are working on increasing diversity in collections work and how we can work together to create a national program, we have started an affinity group through ARCS. Information can be found at https://www.arcsinfo.org/community/affinity-groups. 



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    Lauren Hancock
    lhancock@fieldmuseum.org
    Head Registrar
    Field Museum of Natural History
    Chicago IL
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Museum Studies Apprenticeship Program
    Best Answer

    Posted 19 days ago
    I am a current Museology student (graduate in June) and a masters-prepared educator with 10 years of teaching experience. I would love to talk to you about your curriculum!



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Museum Studies Apprenticeship Program

    Posted 19 days ago

    Thank you!

    We would love to talk about your curriculum.  Would you be willing to meet by a virtual meeting?  Thank you!

    M. Ruby Garcia, ABOC, NCLEC Licensed Optician, MBA

    California State Society for Opticians
    Executive Officer
    (805) 263-9765



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    Martha Ruby Garcia MBA
    Founder
    Port Hueneme CA
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Museum Studies Apprenticeship Program

    Posted 19 days ago
    Absolutely! My email is cgabzdyl@uw.edu. Looking forward to it!



    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Museum Studies Apprenticeship Program

    Posted 6 days ago

    Hi Martha,

    This is a great initiative. What an exciting program to build.

    While I don't come from a historian or museum studies background, I'd offer a perspective from the business and operations side, which could be a valuable complement to the academic curriculum.

    In addition to areas like curation, ethics, and diversity (which are clearly essential), it may be helpful to expose students to how museums actually operate as organizations. For example:

    • How museums generate revenue (memberships, events, partnerships, grants)
    • Strategies for attracting and retaining visitors
    • Basics of marketing, audience development, and community engagement
    • Operational workflows and how different teams collaborate
    • Using data to inform decisions and improve performance
    • Leveraging data and AI tools to improve decision-making, streamline operations, and enhance visitor engagement

    Understanding these aspects can help students see the full picture. How mission and sustainability work together and better prepare them for real-world roles within museums.

    Just a thought from a different angle, but I hope it's helpful.

    Cheers
    Tanya



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    Tanya Lipovich
    Fractional CMO
    San Ramon CA
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Museum Studies Apprenticeship Program

    Posted 5 days ago

    Hi Martha,

    Tanya made some great suggestions. To those I'd add inclusion of what it means to be, work in and run a nonprofit. When I taught museums studies (2005-2021) and when working with younger/emerging professional staff a several museums, it was clear that they didn't really have a solid understanding of nonprofits as a business model, the governance structure, the role of a board of directors, and what it means to be a mission-driven organization that is also bounded by federal and state nonprofit statues and laws.

    Good luck!

    Keni Sturgeon

    Sr. Director of Strategic Initiatives

    Association of Children's Museums 



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    Keni Sturgeon
    Director of Strategic Initiatives
    Association of Children's Museums
    Arlington, VA
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Museum Studies Apprenticeship Program

    Posted 14 hours ago

    I would like to reemphasize Keni's point. You must come at this as if it were a business. The "If you build it, they will come" very rarely succeeds. 



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    Mel Glover PhD
    Director
    Churchill County Museum and Archives
    Fallon NV
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Museum Studies Apprenticeship Program

    Posted 3 days ago

    There are several 'museology' or 'museum studies' programmes offered by American & Canadian colleges & universities.  Each will have descriptions of the courses offered.  Just Google "museum studies programmes in [geographic region]".  E.g. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=museum+studies+programmes+in+Ontario%2C+Canada OR https://museums.ca/site/aboutthecma/careersheritageycw/museumsstudiesprogramsincanada .



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    Paul C.Thistle
    Director/Curator (retired)
    Stratford, Ontario
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    Original Message


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