Goals
Looking back on these original goals, they are fairly specific but cover a broad range of operations. I formed these goals in the first week of my internship based upon my supervisor’s recommendations and expected needs at that point. We chose them because they touched on nearly every aspect of small museum management and would be a good introduction to the field. As you can see, I completed most of them in one fashion or another.
Participate in museum finance operations
❌ Research grants and apply for one
❌ Write fundraising campaign letter
➡️(While I did not write a letter myself, I did look over the current one and offer my suggestions. I also provided input for a fundraising campaign focused on one of my projects, the research library.)Interact with museum visitors
✅ Create an activity to engage young visitors
✅ Start a social media page to reach a new population
➡️(I ended up writing Facebook posts for their existing account but did not get access to the Instagram and Twitter accounts.)Evaluate objects for display at the museum
✅ Add objects to current museum displays
❌Compose new photographic displays about WWI and WWII
➡️(I composed photo displays for a number of other exhibits but not specifically WWI and WWII.)Gain experience in daily small museum operations
❌ Interpret the results of a 2010 market survey for implementation of findings
➡️(I looked over the surveys and found them interesting, but we did not do anything with the information.)✅ Analyze the value of PastPerfect software to catalog and protect items
➡️(I recommended the software for inventory purposes but my supervisor was looking into the cost.)
After working a few weeks in the museum and accomplishing some of these goals, I identified other places of need and began tackling different projects instead. My supervisor was happy to have the initiative and supported moving forward with new targets, which included creating a research library space, making new displays, and organizing research materials. The projects I ended up working on still allowed me to explore every aspect of museum administration but helped make progress in ways of which I was excited to take ownership. Although the goals we set and what I accomplished did not end up matching entirely, the goal of gaining experience in a variety of museum functions was still fully met.