Looking back on this semester, the biggest and most memorable piece of information I’ve learned has been about the politics both within and between museums. I enjoyed learning about the different roles that museum workers play–what a registrar does, what an educator does, what the docents do, and so on.

In terms of leaning about the politics and relationships museums share with each other, I was very interested in learning about how they pass along works and send around exhibitions. It was neat to learn that not all museums are created equal–some aren’t properly equipped for certain works and exhibitions, and there are absolutely cases where a museum’s request for an exhibition can be denied. And this principle can also be reversed; museums have the right to turn down exhibitions if they’re too expensive, don’t fit with the mission and content of the museum, and so on. I also liked learning about the shipping methods, specifically internationally. I feel this is a section of museum work that isn’t really thought about for students, but proper shipping is instrumental in the conservation of the material and the sharing of knowledge and culture.

Overall, I enjoyed learning about the inner workings of museums and their relationships with each other. Museums are intricate operations with huge cultural significance, and I liked learning about how important each small component and role is to the success of the industry.