Bri is shown next to a dinosaur and she is making a "shocked" face. There is a cartoon meteor coming down to an impact bubble with the text "The greatest impact in all of Earth's (or at least Bri's) history" and other text on photo says "Is that a meteor or just the sound of Bri's museum aspirations becoming reality?!!"

Museum dreams come true- My new job!

6 Comments / Museums 🦕🦣🦖, Travel / By

Hi, I'm Bri and I was (and am) that person who will spend hours looking and reading EVERYTHING at a museum.

This love for museums stems from a love for learning. Specifically, non-traditional learning. By non-traditional learning, I mean the learning that occurs naturally from an individual exploring their curiosity. This type of learning often occurs when 'playing' in a museum, zoo, in nature, etc. But also occurs when one reads for leisure or watches educational content.

A "My favorites" page of a school memory book. Listed under "favorite things about fourth grade" is having double field trips." And the response to the prompt "My favorite thing we did at school this year was "visiting Harrisburg going to a museum and stater capital".
I find it funny that looking through my school memories book my favorite things about school wasn't about school at all. Rather my favorite thing was field trips! Reflecting on this I believe I loved field trips since each trip was a break from the pressures of traditional schooling, and a chance to explore new places/things.

Fortunately for me, I was able to pursue my passion for museums in a variety of ways. For example:

  • My first Job, at 14 years old, was at a museum.
  • I was of the first batch of students to participate in Museum studies at my College.
  • I designed my own museum education internship.
  • I was awarded the Museum Research Apprenticeship, summer 2021.
  • I worked part-time at my College's Digital Collections department.
  • My Jr. I.S. research was on the significance of accessability and engagement in museums.
  • I was a teacher assistant for a course about Natural History Museums.
  • And, of course, I always prioritize exploring (and talking to people) when visiting museums!
My mom posted this in response to my job offer to be a receptionist at Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center.
My mom posted this in response to my job offer to be a receptionist at Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center.
A powerpoint poster describing how to set up a statistics based boardgame Bri designed for GroundHogs Day.
At the end of my self-designed mini-internship I got to create several children's activities for the 'Groundhog Lodge' event, such as a boardgame aimed at teaching kids about statistics!
Bri smiles showing off her "Peace Love Museums #Woosterintern" her mom made her
Peace, Love, Museums shirt! A homemade gift from my creative mom to celebrate my museum research apprenticeship!
A research poster about Bri's work on the "About Face exhibit"
My research poster highlighting my contributions to the "About Face Exhibit" as C.W.A.M's Museum Research Apprentice!
Bri stands smiling next to her museum research apprenticeship poster at the summer research symposium,
Was very proud to show off my hard work and poster that day!
Bri stands next to her Digital Collection's supervisor and the whiteboard sign that says "Happy I.S. Monday, Congratulations Brianna!"
How cute is my Digital Collections Boss?! I felt so cool and lucky to be a Digital Collections Student employee on I.S. Monday. 🥰
A close up picture of a renaissance painting featuring a baby.
Silly, but one of my favorite things to do in an art museum is to find as many renaissance babies as possible. The uglier the better.
Picture of Bri and her friend in front of a big art mural.
They call us the Art History Babes. Museums can also benefit well-being through stimulating creativity and community engagement!
Selfie of Bri, her boyfriend Alix, and her best friend Megan in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
My partner and my best friend share my enthusiasm about museums!
Bri and her 3 siblings are seen in the distance by the sign for Mammoth Cave, SD.
I have been very fortunate to have visited so many cool museums and historical sites with my family throughout my life!

Below is a video describing the "Disguise a Ground-Hog" activity I designed for the "Groundhog-Lodge event" at the Pennsylvania-Dutch museum I had interned at.

It's crazy to think of all my progress I have made since creating such activities at the very beginning of my 'professional' museum journey. Throughout this 'professional' journey I have only grown to be more curious about museums and their potential to spread awareness and ignite a sense of learning in others. I have gained confidence in my ideas and in public speaking through designing and implementing programs and activities. And most importantly, this journey led me to realize that museums and the realm of non-traditional education I can truly see myself happy in.

So imagine my boundless ecstasy to have been selected for the Database Collections Manager at the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum.

I was about to accept a job offer for a job I knew I wouldn't be happy in, when I got the call to interview for this position (very unprofessional but I may have let out a squeak of excitement on the phone).

When I first read the job description I almost gasped because I actually felt qualified for the job. I was overjoyed that a museum actually contacted me back about my candidacy and am now over-the-moon to get my foot-in-the-door of the museum world.

The official logo of the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum on a white background with the added text "Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center"

My Nana, always wise, shared with me some meaningful reflections today:
She told me about how this job is perfect for me. Expressing faith in how life always finds a way to make things that need to be, be. I was about to take a position I didn't truly want. Now I get a position right-up-my-alley. She told me that I studied Biology because, while I do love science, it is a safe-bet, and could always land a job. I studied Anthropology because of passion. Now I get to use my study of passion towards a career. She told me about the value of family. How this museum being a cultural center that emphasizes my partner's heritage will only strengthen my relationship with him and his family. She told me this is where I need to be in life right now and I couldn't agree more. I express great thanks to the Seneca Nation and the Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center for this opportunity. I cannot wait to let my endless curiosity unleash as I learn as much as I can. Which, is additionally exciting as the more knowledgeable you become about something, the more you realize there's so much you don't know! So you get to explore new questions and ideas! Anyway, I guess I'm starting one of the most exciting new chapters of my life. Wish me luck as I continuously aim to improve myself to be the best Bri and museum-aficionado I can be!

Enjoyed this post? Let me know by commenting below! I would love to receive any questions about non-traditional education and/or any advice you may have! As always, stay curious. ~Bri

Bri stands in front of a large 2-dimensional piece of abstract art with one hand up and another down like presenting. The text says "Museum world here I come" with a bunnch of museum symbol emojis.

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