tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007090566288222344.post4436529259810677246..comments2023-07-18T11:13:18.577-04:00Comments on Museos Unite: An Apology, a Link Roundup, and the Museo of 2050.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17356138357659552896noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007090566288222344.post-83306293628273707542010-01-15T11:01:42.349-05:002010-01-15T11:01:42.349-05:00I'm of two minds about small museums. On the o...I'm of two minds about small museums. On the one hand, I love love LOVE any and all talk of museums in unexpected places. When I see an empty space in a struggling shopping mall I just want to put a pop-up gallery there. I'd love to be able to look at an exhibit while waiting for my laundry to dry. On the other hand, I work in a small museum and I think the current funding situation (grants for programming but a lack of them for infrastructure, collections care, salaries etc) will ultimately doom them/us. While I think smaller institutions are better placed to accomplish community connections than big museums, I think big museums are more financially sustainable and therefore more likely to ride out the current wave of closures, cuts etc. <br /><br />Ugh I sound like I want to throw around the phrase "too big to fail" don't I? I really don't, although I do see larger museums dominating as much in the future as they do now. I'm aware that larger museums can and do fail (and do so with much more fanfare than truly small, local institutions.)<br /><br />The reason we were trying to establish what constitutes fair compensation a couple of entries ago is because there's working for low pay and then there's putting yourself in a truly appalling situation. You can only love every minute of your low-wage job so much if you're unable to afford health insurance, childcare, etc. It's one thing if low pay is balanced with other benefits and opportunities, and another if museos are supposed to pay for those benefits out of their low pay. Do I think museos are ever going to make millions? No. Do I think the AAM should step the hell up (like the MA has in the UK) and state what's an acceptable salary and benefits package and what isn't? Absolutely.Kirstenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05197445379103297920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007090566288222344.post-32236841292497582832010-01-14T19:28:10.074-05:002010-01-14T19:28:10.074-05:00OK, that's depressing. Here's an alternati...OK, that's depressing. Here's an alternative:<br /><br />Museos will realize that big, bloated institutions are unable to provide real community value and will start entrepeneurial, small museums. Some will be in libraries or coffeeshops or laundromats. The museos will work for low pay but love every minute of it.<br /><br />This is certainly what I intend to do. Except not in 2050. By then, my kid better be running the place :)Nina Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11723930679606298550noreply@blogger.com