Once Upon a Time...
.. . . there was an overworked, under-compensated museum director. That is how the story begins. In fact, that’s how the story of many small museum begins. It’s simply a fact of our profession. For many small, local history museums, passion for the work overrules all else, and we fight to keep the doors open, staff hired, and volunteers fulfilled despite the workload. So much falls through the cracks. I spent 24 years watching that battle in the organizations I involved myself in, and then 7 years fighting it myself. At the breaking point, an idea emerged. Clone myself. Not me, specifically, but another director. A person who had the experience, who needed no training, a person who could just finish ticky-tack projects on my list so I could run the business. I needed a museum pro.
I searched for that help to no avail. A few dear souls were willing, but their credentials either didn’t fit the need, or their price tags represented a large percentage of the overall budget. Consultants were also ready to assist, but I didn’t need a glossy report – I needed results. I needed the grant written and submitted, not a road map on how to write it. I needed a new exhibit in the gallery, not a project manager with a plan.
Museum Pros, LLC was created to fill that need for small museums. I love learning about the varied and diverse missions of different arts and cultural institutions and am always reassured by one constant – all face the same challenges on different scales. Since creating this endeavor, I’ve been happier than ever professionally. Helping connect communities to their heritage by strengthening their cultural institutions and opportunities brings me great joy, and I am honored to share my passion with you.
““It’s not a museum. It’s not a place of artifacts; it’s a place of ideas””