Museum Attendants
Overview
Introduction
Museum attendants monitor exhibits, inform and guide visitors, and facilitate interactions between visitors and exhibits. They are the foremost representatives of the museum to the visiting public. The precise duties of a museum attendant vary with the needs of the museum and the specific job title. At some institutions, volunteers rather than employees may fulfill the duties of attendants. At others, attendants may function part time in other areas of museum operations, such as in shipping and receiving, as sales clerks, or as libr...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
The range of compensation for museum positions depends on the museum's size, mission, operating budget, staffing requirements, and the metropolitan area in which it is located. Depending on full- or part-time employment status, museum attendants' salaries vary greatly, but typically begin at the rate of $7.25 to $10 per hour in institutions with operational budgets below $1 million. In March 20...
Work Environment
Museum attendants spend long hours standing or walking about the museum, answering questions, directing visitors, and monitoring exhibits. Once trained, attendants frequently work without daily supervision, but must constantly be attentive to the public and courteous even when fatigued. Attendants are needed during all hours that a museum is open to the public and occasionally when museum space...
Outlook
The public education services provided by museum attendants are a core part of a museum's efforts to justify spending. That does not necessarily mean museum employment is high. Rather, greater professionalism will be expected at all levels of museum work, and efforts to recruit and train volunteers for specific tasks will likely increase.
Museums attendants can expect to have decent empl...
