User:Bchamberlain95/sandbox

Exhibition Manager
Working with and caring for collections, objects and exhibitions is one of the six most common functions in museums. Exhibition development--along with research, teaching, publishing and conservation--is considered to be one of the most important functions for academic museums. Exhibition Managers are skilled museum professionals tasked with implementing and overseeing a museum’s exhibition program including developing, designing and installing/de-installing exhibits. They also assist with generating exhibition topics; interpreting scholarly content; collaborating with designers and fabricators to produce exhibitions that convey exhibition content effectively to audiences; and evaluating the success of the exhibitions (i.e., whether or not the museum's goals were achieved).

Exhibition Managers also typically develop, monitor and control exhibition budgets and track schedules to help ensure each project can be completed on time and on budget. The safety of the objects and museum visitors are also one of their most important priorities.

Ancillary functions
Exhibition managers may also be responsible for ensuring exhibition content and delivery are aligned with the institution's mission and support audience development efforts and marketing targets. They may also be accountable for enabling exhibition projects to be used to advance the museum’s community service goals. Exhibition development--along with research, teaching, publishing and conservation--is considered to be one of the most important functions for academic museums. These managers may also be responsible for developing interactive and participatory elements, selecting and overseeing incoming and outgoing traveling exhibitions, fabrication and maintenance. They may also manage the logistics for packing/crating, shipping, securing venues and contracts.

Exhibition team members
The exhibition manager works with curators and content specialists, educators and other exhibitions staff members (e.g., exhibition developers, exhibition designers, exhibition fabricators) and collections management staff to create exhibitions built on accepted scholarship and designed to engage current audiences and attract new visitors.

Managing outside contractors
Exhibition Managers may also oversee outside contractors, such as mount makers and display makers, and help ensure communications between members of the project team and outside contractors are tracked and effective.



Definition of an exhibition
Exhibitions are defined as a public display of works of art or other items of interest, held in an art gallery or museum or at a trade fair. An art exhibition is traditionally the space in which objects meet an audience. They may be temporary or permanent and be comprised of objects in the institution’s permanent collection and/or borrowed from another institution or private collection.

Preparation, education, experience and skills
Typically required: Undergraduate degree in design, business, communications, education or subject matter expertise.

Preferred: Advanced degree in education, museum studies, the museum’s discipline, or arts administration. Experience working with education, design and project management. Competent with tools, processes and software to physically produce and/or design exhibition components. Experience meeting with visitors in the galleries so they can understand how people think and learn and translate complex topics to the general public.

Working in a small museum may offer opportunities to wear multiple hats and perform several functions that would be divided among various staff members at a larger museum. An art school may provide the best hands on education.

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) offers a Certification in Exhibition Management (CEM) educational and professional designation program for individuals in the exhibition industry.

Six common functions at museums

 * 1) Working with and caring for collections, objects and exhibitions
 * 2) Education, interpretation, programming and evaluation
 * 3) Marketing and communications
 * 4) Visitor services and visitor experience
 * 5) Fundraising and development
 * 6) Administration and operations