Why Working at a Science Museum is Awesome

There are a number of colleges in Syracuse, NY, and they are a great source of workers, volunteers, and interns for the Museum.  In fact, I'm not sure what we would do without them.  But one of my favorite interactions with the students is when Syracuse University's Museum Studies graduate class comes to visit.  Each year a group of roughly 30 students visits the museum for a tour and question and answer session with some of our staff.  I really enjoy their visits.  I love sharing what it is like to be an informal science educator (hence the blog), and listening to the kinds of questions the students have.  I also like feeling that I am helping. Reading books and blogs is good, but getting to ask working professionals about their lives is much better.  The times I have gotten to do this have been very rewarding (check last blog entry), and I hope these students are getting as much out of the opportunity as they can.

So what kind of questions do the students and their teacher ask us?  They want to know about our backgrounds, what a normal workday is like, how the interaction between Curator and Education Department work, and what it is that we like best about our jobs.  Maybe I'll get to all of these on later blogs, but for now I would like to focus on just one question.

What is my favorite thing about my job?

I wouldn't have this job if I didn't love teaching, but I think my favorite thing about specifically being an informal science educator may be the freedom.  The freedom to be creative, to ask questions, to have flexible hours (sometimes), to follow my interests, and to bring together my diverse passions.  I love that I'm not confined to a cubicle, and that the office I share with the other educators is a place of ideas, collaboration, and playfulness.  I love that every week brings new experiences that never stop challenging me.  I love that I spent some days at my office, others in the planetarium, and still more traveling the county and beyond teaching audiences about science.   I love the freedom to attend conferences and meet interesting people.  I love that I am respected at work by my co-workers and the guests.  I love that I have a job that will never get boring, where my ideas are listened to, and my effort recognized.

I understand I didn't really pick one favorite thing, but hey, can you blame me?

What kind of a job would you like to have?

Here are some links about working at a museum.
Benefits of Working at a Museum
So You Want to Work in a Museum
Why I Love Working at the National Museum of Natural History