Take heart all ye downtrodden, downsized museum professionals!
U.S. News & World Report has just designated “curator” as one of 2010’s 50 Best Careers. If your sense of sardonic humor is still intact after this year’s financial drubbing, you may find yourself wondering if some of the magazine’s published job description is straightforward or parody:
Whether it’s ancient Egyptian sarcophagi, brachiosaurus fossils, or a
splatter painting by Jackson Pollack, the pieces of history on display
at your favorite museum were put in place by a curator [hopefully one who even knows how to spell “Pollock”!].The number of curators is expected to rise by 23 percent, well above
the average rate for all careers. Between 2008 and 2018, there will be
2,700 new positions added. [I guess that’s because of all the positions that have just been subtracted.]….Some curators’ duties are mainly comprised of research and working with
the public, while others may be involved in the installation of
exhibits, which can involve lifting, climbing ladders, and carrying
objects. Curators for large institutions are often asked to travel.
Those who work for scientific institutions or historical sites [or sprawling encyclopedic museums] may do
field work that involves walking great distances.
But what about journalists? Our profession, like that of curators, has fallen on hard times of late. Are things looking up for us too? Alas, the closest fields I see in the U.S. New Top 50 are technical writer, court reporter and (arrggh!) public relations specialist.
Well, I guess there’s always funeral director!