May 18 is Museum Day

Posted on Wednesday, May 18th, 2022

“Each year since 1977, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) has organized International Museum Day, which represents a unique moment for the international museum community.

The objective of International Museum Day (IMD) is to raise awareness about the fact that, “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.” Last year, more than 37,000 museums participated in the event in about 158 countries and territories.” – International Council of Museums

The three-year Applied Museum Studies Ontario College Advanced Diploma prepares you with the knowledge and skills to support curatorial and conservation activities in the museum, heritage and cultural sectors.

To mark International Museum Day, we asked Terry Quinlan, program coordinator and professor in Applied Museum Studies to share some information about the program.

Tell us a bit about the Applied Museum Studies program

This is one of the oldest post-secondary museum studies programs in Canada. It has been in operation for near 50 years with successful graduates positioned nationally as key players in the cultural sector.

What types of courses do learners take or study?

Programs include Introduction to Museum Research, Art, Architecture and Artifacts, Museum Management, Preservation Principles, Digital Design for Museums, and Museum Field Placement.

What makes the program unique from other programs available?

Algonquin College’s program offers a unique mix of both theory and practicum-based learning. The Applied Museum Studies program (AMS) has benefited from continued support within the College and has both a 1,400 square foot conservation laboratory and an 1,800 square foot fully equipped exhibit design and fabrication studios.

What kinds of placements are available during their learning?

Students have an opportunity to undertake field placements in all facets of museology. Students have been able to earn valuable work experience during placements at the Royal Ontario Museum, Parks Canada Ontario Service Centre, Canada Council for the Arts, Governor General’s Residence and other local and national institutions.

With so many museums in Ottawa do you have partnerships, visiting professors, access for students? 

The AMS program has cultivated partnerships with most of the institutions in the Ottawa area over its last 45 years of operation. Guest lecturers, off-site visits, practicum-based partnerships with cultural institutions in the Ottawa area remain key to the success of our students and we are grateful for the continued support we have from our partners in the cultural sector.

Who is a typical student?

A typical student of the AMS program is one who has a keen interest in the cultural sector and recognizes the nature of the workforce. That is, typical employment takes place within the public sector.

Once students graduate from Algonquin College what are the chances of them finding employment?

In recent survey findings, over 80 per cent of graduates were able to find employment in their field.

To learn more about the Algonquin College Applied Museum Studies program visit – https://www.algonquincollege.com/healthandcommunity/program/applied-museum-studies/

(Photo Caption – Aline Padaratz works on a display at the City of Ottawa Archives)


Comments

Comments are closed.