In 2014, I started volunteering at the Museum of Discovery in Fort Collins, CO. FCMoD is a family-oriented museum that focuses on science and local history. Many of its exhibits emphasize interactivity and exploration rather than a solely text-based approach to learning.
My first volunteer role was as a “gallery host,” in which I monitored the main museum floor and interacted with the public in an educational manner. Although this was a helpful exercise in learning how to connect with patrons, I soon moved on to explore more specialized fields. In 2015, I started volunteering in the museum’s live animal department and in the archives. I still serve in the archives (in a more limited capacity after starting school), but my status in the animal department shifted into a paid position in early 2016.
In September 2016, I was hired as FCMoD’s exhibit technician. Though the core aspects of my job revolved around maintaining the upkeep of the museum’s exhibits, I gained valuable knowledge of how to design, build, and deconstruct new attractions, as well as some insight into the more logistical side of running a museum. As the exhibit technician, I worked with nearly every department in the museum to some degree, especially with graphic design and special collections. Listed below are the major projects I worked on during my tenure at FCMoD:
Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs
RARE II: Imperiled Plants of Colorado
Get in the Groove: Cooperative Phonograph
Wild x Wild and The Fort in the ’50s
Fort Collins at the Turn of the Century
