Career in Museology

We hardly see anyone who does not like to visit museums. A place full of historic objects and artefacts from the past, a museum is an asset for the society. Museums have a long history which dates back in the 3rd century B.C when the University of Alexandria in Egypt opened the first known museum in the world. Over the years, museum culture has spread to nearly every part of the globe. Earlier museums were elitist, uninspiring and aloof as they encouraged only the educated sector to visit them, but things have changed with technological advancement and innovation in recent years. A career in Museology can be a unique choice for the admirer of history, who like to collect and study the objects which are of scientific, historic and artistic importance. 

What is Museology?

Visiting a museum is fun and an experience cherished for years. Imagine, if we wake up to see all the museums in the world putting things haphazardly. What would it look like? What makes a museum unique, is its arrangement of artefacts in an organized manner. It takes years for museum management to collect things, study and put them in order. This unique and appealing arrangement of every little detail in a museum is the outcome of hard work put in by its management team. A study of Museology involves managing and administering museums that deals with the aspects of History, Research, Archaeology and Archiving. As a Museologist, you are responsible for combining the activities of research, administration and public relations in museums across the world

What is Taught in Museology?

The museums all over the world are going through a radical change in their way of exhibitions and the ways in which they were projected in the society. With the number of museums increasing day-by-day, the quantity of artefacts is in them have soared. This has resulted in an urgent requirement for professional museologists. A study in Museology aims to educate students with the necessary skills in managing, expanding and studying museums. Other major topics include the role of museums on educating the society and conservation of heritage. Museum Studies facilitates the development of practical skills relevant to build a professional career in museums. The coursework of Museology covers the following areas:

• Curatorship and Collection of Artefacts.
• Exhibition
• Documentation of museums
• Museum Marketing and Public Relations
• Museum Administration
• Museum Architecture
• Theories in Museology

Universities and Colleges Offering Courses in Museology

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The rise in demand for museum professionals has led to many universities offering the courses in Museology. Generally offered in masters level, the courses are designed to provide you with the deep knowledge as well as the practical skills required in museum management. 

Let’s take a look at some of the leading universities along with their courses in Museology:

University or College	Location	Course	Duration
University of Lincoln	United States	BA (Hons) in Design for Exhibition and Museums	3-year
Concordia College	United States	BA in Heritage and Museum Studies	4-year
Victoria University of Wellington	New Zealand	BA in Museum and Heritage Studies	3-year
University of Lethbridge Art History	Canada	BA in Museum Studies	4-year
University of Leeds	United Kingdom	BA in Art Gallery and Museum Studies	3-year
Rochester Institute of Technology	United States	BSc in Museum Studies	4-year
KU Leuven	Belgium	MSc in Conservation of Monuments and Sites	1.5-year
SOAS University of London	United Kingdom	MA in Museums, Heritage and Material Culture Studies	1-year
Marist College	United States	MA in Museum Studies	1-year
University of Bologna	Italy	MA in Arts, Museology and Curatorship	2-year
Aarhus University	Denmark	MA in Sustainable Heritage Management	2-year
University of Queensland	Australia	MA in Museum Studies	2-year
Leiden University	Netherlands	MA in Museums and Collections	1-year

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Job Opportunities in Museology

Depending on your interest, graduates in Museology can choose to work in both government as well as private museums. To grow awareness about heritage and conservation aspects of museums, thousands of museums all over the world are offering job positions to enthusiastic students. A career in Museum Studies can be both exciting and satisfactory for those who love History and Arts. Below are some of the job profiles that you can consider after your degree in this field: 

• Curator
• Gallery Assistant
• Collections Assistant
• Archivist
• Art Teacher
• Guide
• Design Consultant
• Author
• Creative Director

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Career Opportunities in Museology

One of the most important factors when considering a course is looking at the job prospects and the scope after the degree. You must also be wondering about the opportunities available once you have completed your course in Museology. Below are some of the work profiles:

• Curator: As a Curator, you can procure artefacts, create exhibitions and maintain exhibits. They organize the display of artefacts in museums, organize exhibitions by choosing the display items, labelling them, arranging them, making purchases of rare and new collections for museum enrichment.

• Design Consultant: A architecture consultant demonstrates a product clearly, assists with marketing procedures, or uses suitable tools to bring out interior space or textile styles.

• Museum Director: He or she is in charge of the museum and is responsible for long-term plans, legislation, and so on. They are also responsible for securing and administering the museum’s collections.

• Gallery Assistant: For an art gallery, administrative and artistic facilities, as well as customer support, must be included. They also interact with guests, answer phones, plan activities, collaborate with gallery planners, and oversee the gallery’s collection.

Those interested in Arts, History, Art History, Archaeology and the perseverance of culture, can definitely opt for a career in Museology. You can take the help of our Leverage Edu AI tool to browse through an array of courses and universities and find the right one that matches your interest and preferences.