Museum technicians are kind of like assistant curators. They have similar training and backgrounds. These jobs are generally available for those with a solid education in museum-related subjects and a passion for collecting and documenting.
There is not one specific way to train for a career as a museum technician. There are just too many different kinds of museums to have a specific educational plan that applies to all future museum technicians and aspiring curators.
The general strategy is to pick a particular kind of museum that you would like to work at in the future and then major in a related subject. For example, history buffs could major in history and seek work at historical museums. For those who love art, then getting at least a bachelor’s degree in art history would be more appropriate.
It should be noted that there are relatively few jobs for museum technicians. Those seeking this kind of career may be surprised to actually find that there are only about as many combined museum technicians and conservators as there are curators. There are around 10,000 with jobs in each of these categories. Thus, a more ambitious plan of trying to become a curator may be a better goal. Truthfully, both are rather difficult goals to achieve and will take some luck and fortunate timing in addition to getting a proper education. If you do become a curator, the median salary was about $48,000 in May of 2010. Museum techs and conservators, on the other hand, were earning about $37,000.
At any rate, it is best to go for a master’s degree in a related field to get jobs as either a museum technician, conservator, or curator. You can also increase your chances by getting a second degree in museum studies. This is a graduate degree program that is offered by a number of universities. Those with a master’s degree in this discipline will be more likely to get their foot in the door when there is occasional turnover at a museum for technician jobs.
Graduate programs in museum studies go by many different names. For example, the University of the Arts has a Master of Fine Arts in Museum Exhibition, Planning, and Design. There are 154 different graduate programs listed at the GradSchools website. Not all of these are specifically for future museum technicians, but many of them are highly applicable and can also give you good training for a potential career as a curator.
Resources:
GradSchools: List of Museum Studies Graduate Degree Programs
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Jobs and Salary Information for the Career of Museum Technician and Conservator