Teaching the next generation of museum professionals (Mattie Reynolds, USA, ITP 2024)

Written by Mattie Reynolds (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma), Department Chair + Assistant Professor of Museum Studies, Institute of American Indian Arts (United States, ITP 2024)

As the ITP gets nearer and nearer to the end, I’m grateful to have spent time with several professors from various museum studies programs from around the UK.

Today, I had the opportunity to connect with Dr. Alice Stevenson, Professor of Museum Archaeology at University College London. Our casual coffee in the park demonstrated to me that no matter where you teach, some things remain constant.

Both academic programs that we’re a part of prioritize practical, hands-on learning. Even though Dr. Stevenson teaches in a graduate program while I teach in an undergraduate program, our programs are very similar in that skills that are necessary across the museum field are introduced and then practiced. For example, in both programs, students are taught early on collections management basics, like numbering objects…which means physically numbering objects rather than simply hearing a how-to lecture.

It was very interesting to compare the structure of our departments (such as the number of faculty and students), teaching pedagogy, and the overall impression of the museum field from an educator’s point of view.

With so many options for museum studies programs across the UK, each with their own strengths and focuses, it’s been very insightful to compare best practices for teaching and student development. It seems many UK museum studies programs integrate 20-day placements into study requirements, much like our program that requires students to complete two internships (much like a placement but usually longer). These placements/internships are invaluable to students looking to enter the field. It allows them the time to “test run” career options, work closely with and learn from established professionals, and get a true understanding of the inner workings of a museum.

One of the main differences between my undergraduate program and the UK programs is the approach to specialization. Our program initially offered different tracks (curation, collections management, etc.) but eventually integrated the tracks into the curriculum as a whole. We saw the need for students to have experience in all areas of the museum field and now encourage students to seek out internships and graduate programs to further hone their interests.

It really has been a privilege to learn from UK museum studies faculty, staff, and museums!