Staff

Though it is mentioned briefly in the General Impressions section, you may not be shocked when I say that the Board of Trustees for the four museums were mainly made up of White individuals. Generally, Board of Trustees members are the ones who are supposed to make sure the institution lives up to its mission statement and values by setting policies, playing a role in the hiring process of a museum director, providing funding, etc. Basically, the Board of Trustees have a huge say in how these art museums are run and carry out programs. With a majority White Board directing a museum’s activities, it is not too surprising when there is a lack of diversity and inclusion efforts at that institution. This may be unfair to say, but historically it has been true. Since the Board often has a say in who is hired in these museums’ top positions, it is unsurprising once again when White directors are picked. There is then this trickle down effect where White individuals are hired more often for curator, education, and officer positions, while BIPOCs are often hired to be security guards, gallery assistants, or part of the custodial staff. 

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In museums, gallery assistants ensure the safety of the artwork and the people in the museum as well as answer any questions visitors may have. At the museums I visited, Museums C and D exclusively had Black and Hispanic gallery assistants and security guards. Any White staff members were behind the front desk, selling and checking tickets. At Museum A, the majority of gallery assistants were Black and Hispanic. Museum B had the most diverse group of gallery assistants, consisting of White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian individuals of a range of ages and genders. While the gallery assistants in Museums A, C, and D appeared to mostly be middle-aged men, the gallery assistants in Museum B ranged from recent college graduates to men and women in their 60s and 70s. Additionally, all four museums have White directors, but Museum B had the most BIPOC in senior roles.

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Security guards, gallery assistants, and the custodial staff do play an important role in maintaining these institutions and keeping them a safe environment. However, if we want BIPOC to feel more  welcomed and included in these spaces, more directors, curators, educators, and officers of color must be hired. Especially when it comes to children and teens, they are more likely to believe that they too can pursue a career in museums if they see other individuals like them in those higher-up positions. One of the best ways for museums to become more diverse and inclusive is by diversifying their hiring practices, especially among those selected to be a member of the Board of Trustees. With Museum B, I think a fair assumption is that since there were BIPOC in higher positions it may be the main reason why its gallery assistants were the most diverse.

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The overall takeaway from this is that BIPOC individuals are more often than not the ones in service roles, while White individuals are more likely to be found in the administrative roles running these institutions and making the decisions. Thus, it comes as no surprise that BIPOC do not feel like they are welcomed in these institutions. Without BIPOC in senior roles, BIPOC visitors lack a sense of belonging to the art museum community and may not believe it is worth going to museums if there is not anyone they can relate to or who can tell their stories. Art museums, and all museums in general, are supposed to be neighborhood spaces: a safe and welcoming environment open to anyone and everyone. When equal representation is not present among staff in all roles in these museums, the idea of a ‘neighborhood space’ cannot be achieved.