Front of House, Front of Mind
A recent Reddit post on r/MuseumPros had me thinking about a tough truth. They asked: Is a retail shop job "considered a 'serious' role in the museum, whether front-of-house or entry-level?" and was it valued on a resume?
The collective answer? Nope. No. Not at all. It might be good for connections, but rarely a direct path to another position. And an unpaid internship had more value than paid museum retail work.
😑 Ugh. Most museums and cultural attractions don't value their front-of-house staff and don't create growth opportunities for them.
I've made a career in museum stores and earned revenue. It's my mission to show that museum stores are mission-critical. We can't succeed in a silo. Working in museum retail & earned revenue, my way, means I work with every department. My role requires working seamlessly with:
• Curatorial & Education: To ensure products and publications align with the mission and exhibitions
• Visitor Services: To understand visitor needs & the word on the floor
• Accounting: To manage and optimize the vital earned revenue stream
• Security & Facilities: To ensure safe operations and display
• and everyone in between
I am a partner to them, just as much as they are a partner to me.
And store and front-of-house staff? They know your visitors. They know your donors. They know your museum in ways you might not imagine.
One thing I loved doing was partnering with UNT (University of North Texas) to speak with Museum Studies students, introducing them to the deep work, research, and revenue power behind cultural retail. It was news to many! My goal wasn't to recruit retail staff, it was to ensure that no matter where they land, they see retail & revenue folks as valuable partners.
If museums want to walk the walk and create growth opportunities, they can create clear career pathways. Which museums have established internal internship or growth opportunities specifically for front-of-house staff to help them transition into back-of-house, administrative, or specialized roles?
I'd love to hear about successful programs!
Join the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7394071453404622848/