Visitor Experience Associate – PT Term

Visitor Experience Associate – PT Term

Division: Marketing, Sales & Visitor Experience
Department: Visitor Services
Closing Date: May 30, 2025

Position Type: Part-Time, term
Pay Group: 2

General:

Reporting to the Visitor Experience Supervisor, the Visitor Experience Associate is an outgoing and sales-oriented individual with strong customer service and organization skills. This key front-line position is the first point of contact for many Museum visitors and is responsible for processing admission, Membership, and Shop merchandise sales promptly, as well as, creating a positive visitor experience. The Associate provides visitor assistance and direction throughout the public areas of the Manitoba Museum including the Box Office, Museum Shop, Planetarium entrance, and visitor amenities, as well as, works in close collaboration with the Membership Coordinator in respect of Membership sales and the Shop Merchandiser/Buyer in respect to Shop sales. In addition, this position provides logistical support and services for Museum rental facility clients. The Associate must exercise professionalism, initiative, and sound judgment enthusiastically when working with internal and external customers. Fluency in both official languages is considered an asset.

Criminal record, vulnerable sector and child abuse registry checks will be required of the successful candidate.

Key Accountabilities & Typical Duties:

Priority 1: Facilitate a Positive Visitor Experience (40%)

To facilitate a positive experience for all visitors, and internal and external customers to encourage repeat visits and Museum loyalty (Membership).

  1. Maintain a constant staff presence in the appropriate public areas, provide crowd supervision, and greet and engage the general public, Members, school groups, and group tours in a positive enthusiastic manner.
  2. Assist in maintaining excellent housekeeping standards in frontline line areas at all times – including ensuring workspaces and visitor amenities are well-stocked and accurate signage is visible to visitors.
  3. Respond to inquiries in person, over the phone, and through email by following proper Museum procedures and communication etiquette.
  4. Respond to and resolve visitor inquiries, calling upon the appropriate Supervisor/Manager as needed.
  5. Usher and supervise visitors in the Planetarium Theatre, open/close theatre doors in between shows, and examine and scan tickets and Membership cards for entry using the ticket scanners.
  6. Make public and Planetarium show announcements over the loudspeaker.
  7. Stay up to date on Museum events, promotions, and procedures to inform and assist visitors.
  8. Provide general information and direction to visitors about other tourist attractions in Manitoba.
  9. Assist in providing instructions, assistance, and guidance to visitors in the event of an emergency.
  10. Communicate malfunctioning equipment to the appropriate Supervisor/Manager.

 

Priority 2: Process Box Office & Museum Shop Sales (40%)

To process admission, Membership, and Shop merchandise sales in a timely and accurate manner with the goal of increased sales.

  1. Conduct opening and closing procedures on cash registers, prepare bank coin orders, reconcile daily records for cash-outs, and prepare daily deposits.
  2. Maintain a high accuracy rate by entering customer details into the database, processing various payment/paperwork forms with efficiency, and following proper payment handling procedures.
  3. Process Box Office admission sales to all permanent venues and temporary exhibitions including control and maintenance of payments using Vantix ATMS+ and Point-of-Sale (POS) hardware and software.
  4. Use appropriate selling techniques to engage visitors in Shop products, process sales and perform inventory control management (pricing, merchandising, and invoicing), as well as, the control and maintenance of payments using Counterpoint and Point-of-Sale (POS) hardware and software.
  5. Tactfully up-sell admission tickets to memberships and recommend additional sales options to visitors such as Shop products and special events or programs dependent on visitor needs in order to maximize revenue per transaction.

 

Priority 3: Support of Department and Organization (15%)

To provide support within the Visitor & Member Services department, as well as, for various Museum departments to assist in the organization’s ability to function more effectively.

  1. Visitor & Member Services: Checking reception voicemails/emails and calling in other Visitor Services Associates on days a Supervisor/Manager is not scheduled to work, accepting deliveries at the front desk, and preparing Membership letter mailings.
  2. Programs/Birthday Parties/Rentals/Sleepovers:
    1. Processing customer payments at the Box Office ensuring that all internal procedures are properly followed.
    2. Provide logistical support and services for Museum rental clients, including setup and takedown of equipment; liaising with the client during the event; and troubleshooting as required.
    3. Assist caterer and other outside vendors during rentals, including liaising between client and caterer during the event; and clean up at end of the event.
  3. Volunteer Services: Assist with the training and supervision of volunteers in the Museum Shop.
  4. Marketing: Assist with visitor feedback surveys/contests and flyer distribution preparation as required.

 

Priority 4: Other

To provide support to other staff members with other duties as reasonably assigned.0

Minimum Required Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience

  1. Completion of high school diploma
  2. Minimum one year of experience in a retail/sales work environment using a Point-of-Sale (POS) system
  3. Minimum one year of experience handling/accounting for various forms of payment, or
  4. An equivalent combination of education and experience
  5. Experience working in a museum or non-profit organization is considered an asset
  6. Experience working in a unionized environment is considered an asset

 

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

  1. Enthusiastic and friendly manner with a genuine desire to provide outstanding customer service
  2. Effective written/oral communication, interpersonal, organization, and mathematical skills
  3. Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with culturally diverse audiences/audiences of varying age
  4. Demonstrated understanding of retail sales principles, customer service practices, and ability to recognize and capitalize on sales opportunities
  5. Basic cash handling skills and understanding of security practices in a sales environment
  6. Demonstrated knowledge and skill in Microsoft Office and Windows applications
  7. Ability to multi-task, work as part of a team, and take initiative independent of direct supervision
  8. Ability to creatively problem solve and work under pressure to meet tight deadlines
  9. Ability to remain calm in stressful situations and be flexible to last-minute requests
  10. Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the requirements of proper business demeanour, including professionalism, conscientiousness, reliability, punctual attendance, and appropriate time management
  11. Fluency in French and/or an alternative language is considered an asset
  12. Experience in maintaining accurate database records and merchandising displays is considered an asset
  13. Experience working with and managing volunteers is considered an asset

 

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position:

  1. Ability to exert up to 10lbs of force and occasionally lift/move objects up to 30lbs, such as boxes
  2. Ability to sit and/or stand for at least 2 consecutive hours
  3. May occasionally involve stooping, kneeling, bending, crouching/squatting, pushing/pulling, reaching above the shoulders, and climbing ladders
  4. Operation of standard office equipment is required (i.e. phone, computer, copier, etc.)
  5. Day-to-day moderate noise in an open setting; exposure to loud noise may occur due to large groups or special events

 

Conditions of Employment

  1. Must be available to work 3-5 shifts per week during the Museum’s regular operating hours including weekdays, weekends, and holidays
  2. Must be available to occasionally work late evenings, early mornings, and split shifts as required
  3. Clear Child Abuse Registry Check

This is a PT Term position to start as soon as possible to September 1, with a possibility of extension. The wage is $16.85 per hour (Pay Group 2) plus 6% vacation pay.

 

Please submit your resume and cover letter by 4:30 pm on May 30, 2025, to:

Manager of Volunteer & Employee Relations
The Manitoba Museum
190 Rupert Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0N2
HR@ManitobaMuseum.ca
Fax: (204) 942-3679

 

The Manitoba Museum is committed to inclusion and employment equity and welcomes diversity in the workplace. The Manitoba Museum recognizes the importance of building a workforce reflective of the visitors it serves. Therefore, the Manitoba Museum supports equitable employment practices and promotes representation of designated groups (women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities).

Employment Equity is a factor in selection for this position. Consideration will be given to Indigenous people, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities. All applicants are encouraged to self-identify if they are members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities) in their application.

This document is available in other formats and accommodations will be provided throughout the selection process upon request. Contact Human Resources at 204-956-2830 if you have an accommodation request.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those being considered for interviews will be contacted. We are not able to acknowledge receipt of applications submitted via Fax or mail.

Manitoba Museum Issues Apology to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Communities

Treaty No. 1 Territory – Winnipeg, Manitoba – May 22, 2025 –Today, the Manitoba Museum issued a formal apology to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, acknowledging that it has held Ancestral remains and associated belongings from these communities within its collections.

The Museum held a closed Ceremony and gathering in respect for the Ancestors and kinship communities, with the guidance of Spiritual Advisors. Representatives witnessing this important moment included Grand Chief Jerry Daniels of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, Elders from the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, Leaders from Inuit and Métis communities, Chiefs of First Nations Communities across Manitoba, as well as representatives of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. They were joined by the Manitoba Museum Board of Governors, the Indigenous Advisory Circle to the Museum, and Museum staff who help to care for the Ancestors.

Following a Pipe Ceremony, Manitoba Museum CEO, Dorota Blumczyńska provided an official apology on behalf of the Museum.

“We sincerely and profoundly regret that the Museum has held Ancestors of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities within our collections for decades. In doing this, we know we have contributed to and played a role in colonialization. We apologize for our actions, inactions, and failures, past and present. We know that what is required now is that our actions be transparent, honest, and meaningful. This apology is just the beginning of the Homeward Journey of the Ancestors,” said Blumczyńska.

“We promise that no Ancestors will enter the Museum in the future.”

This apology to communities, is part of the Homeward Journey, which began at the Manitoba Museum in 2022. Guided by the Indigenous Advisory Circle and with a Spiritual Advisor’s blessing, Homeward Journey aims to identify and bring home Ancestors to their kinship communities.

The important work will take several years and will be led by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, in preparation, during, and after the Ancestors’ return.

The apology represents a significant milestone in the Manitoba Museum’s commitment to rematriation / repatriation – the return of Ancestors and associated belongings. Kevin Brownlee, former Curator of Archaeology, and member of Norway House Cree Nation (Kinosao Sipi) cared for the Ancestors and advocated for the establishment of dedicated funding for rematriation / repatriation of Ancestors and belongings. The Museum began the Homeward Journey in 2022 when the Museum committed to correct this historic injustice. The Museum’s Board of Governors regretfully acknowledged that bringing the Ancestors home was long overdue and took steps to set the work in motion.

“The Museum is committed to rebuilding trust with these communities, repairing those important relationships, and moving forward in a good way,” said Blumczyńska.

For more information about the Manitoba Museum’s Homeward Journey project please click here.

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Brandi Hayberg
Manager of Marketing & Communications
BHayberg@ManitobaMuseum.ca
204-988-0614

Manitoba Museum, ROM Palaeontologists Discover 506-Million-Year-Old Predator

(Winnipeg, MB/Toronto, ON: May 14, 2025) – Palaeontologists at the Manitoba Museum and Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) have discovered a remarkable new 506-million-year-old predator from the Burgess Shale of Canada. The results are announced in a paper in the journal Royal Society Open Science (https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.242122).

Artist's rendering of Mosura fentoni in life. The underwater creature has two long limbs covered in spines pointing out in front of it, three eyes, and a number of fin-like swimming flaps along the sides of its body.

Mosura fentoni was about the size of your index finger and had three eyes, spiny, jointed claws, a circular mouth lined with teeth, and a body with swimming flaps along its sides. These traits show it to be part of an extinct group known as the radiodonts, which also included the famous Anomalocaris canadensis, a meter-long predator that shared the waters with Mosura.

However, Mosura also possessed a feature not seen in any other radiodont: an abdomen-like body region made up of multiple segments at its back end.

 

Image: Life reconstruction of Mosura fentoni. Art by Danielle Dufault © ROM

“Mosura has 16 tightly packed segments lined with gills at the rear end of its body. This is a neat example of evolutionary convergence with modern groups, like horseshoe crabs, woodlice, and insects, which share a batch of segments bearing respiratory organs at the rear of the body,” says Joe Moysiuk, Curator of Palaeontology and Geology at the Manitoba Museum, who led the study.

The reason for this intriguing adaptation remains uncertain, but the researchers postulate it may be related to particular habitat preference or behavioural characteristics of Mosura that required more efficient respiration.

With its broad swimming flaps near its midsection and narrow abdomen, Mosura was nicknamed the “sea-moth” by field collectors based on its vague appearance to a moth. This inspired its scientific name, which references the fictional Japanese kaiju also known as Mothra. Only distantly related to real moths – as well as spiders, crabs, and millipedes – Mosura belongs on a much deeper branch in the evolutionary tree of these animals, collectively known as arthropods.

“Radiodonts were the first group of arthropods to branch out in the evolutionary tree, so they provide key insight into ancestral traits for the entire group. The new species emphasizes that these early arthropods were already surprisingly diverse and were adapting in a comparable way to their distant modern relatives.” says study co-author Jean-Bernard Caron, Richard M. Ivey Curator of Invertebrate Palaeontology at ROM.

Several fossils of Mosura additionally show details of internal anatomy, including elements of the nervous system, circulatory system, and digestive tract.

“Very few fossil sites in the world offer this level of insight into soft internal anatomy. We can see traces representing bundles of nerves in the eyes that would have been involved in image processing, just like in living arthropods. The details are astounding,” Caron adds.

Instead of having arteries and veins like we do, Mosura had an “open” circulatory system, with its heart pumping blood into large internal body cavities called lacunae. These lacunae are preserved as reflective patches that fill the body and extend into the swimming flaps in the fossils.

“The well-preserved lacunae of the circulatory system in Mosura help us to interpret similar, but less clear features that we’ve seen before in other fossils. Their identity has been controversial,” adds Moysiuk, who is also a Research Associate at ROM. “It turns out that preservation of these structures is widespread, confirming the ancient origin of this type of circulatory system.”

Of the 61 fossils of Mosura, all except one were collected by the ROM between 1975 and 2022, mostly from the Raymond Quarry in Yoho National Park, British Columbia. Some also came from new areas around Marble Canyon in Kootenay National Park, 40 km to the southeast, which have revealed spectacular new Burgess Shale fossils, including other radiodonts: StanleycarisCambroraster, and Titanokorys. One previously unpublished specimen of Mosura collected by Charles Walcott, the discoverer of the Burgess Shale, was also studied.

“Museum collections, old and new, are a bottomless treasure trove of information about the past. If you think you’ve seen it all before, you just need to open up a museum drawer,” Moysiuk says.

The Burgess Shale fossil sites are located within Yoho and Kootenay National Parks and are managed by Parks Canada. Parks Canada is proud to work with leading scientific researchers to expand knowledge and understanding of this key period of Earth’s history and to share these sites with the world through award-winning guided hikes. The Burgess Shale was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 due to its outstanding universal value and is now part of the larger Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.

Many radiodont fossils can be seen on display in ROM’s Willner Madge Gallery, Dawn of Life, in Toronto, and a specimen of Mosura will be exhibited for the first time at the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg later this year.

For 50 years, ROM has been at the forefront of Burgess Shale research, uncovering dozens of new fossil sites and species. Located in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks of British Columbia, the Burgess Shale fossils are exceptionally preserved and provide one of the best records of marine life during the Cambrian period anywhere. Home to the world’s largest Burgess Shale collection, ROM shares these extraordinary fossils through global research, an award-winning online resource, and its newest permanent exhibition: the Willner Madge Gallery, Dawn of Life.

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Media Contact & Information

Image Gallery: A collection of images and a document with image captions & credits can be found here.

 

Dr. Joe Moysiuk

Curator of Palaeontology and Geology, Manitoba Museum

Research Associate, Royal Ontario Museum

Adjunct Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan

204 988 0648; JMoysiuk@ManitobaMuseum.ca

 

Dr. Jean-Bernard Caron (bilingual)

Curator of Invertebrate Palaeontology, Royal Ontario Museum

Associate Professor, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto

416 586 5593; JCaron@rom.on.ca

 

Brandi Hayberg

Manager of Marketing & Communications, Manitoba Museum

204 988 0614; BHayberg@ManitobaMuseum.ca

 

David McKay

Senior Publicist, Royal Ontario Museum

416 586 5559; DavidM@rom.on.ca

Manitoba Museum’s Newest Exhibition Opens Today

A word graphic for The Museum Collection Illuminated. On the right is a photograph of a dark-coloured ancient pitcher with an image on it silhouetted in orange. Below the exhibit title on the left side text reads,
TEMPORARY EXHIBITION REVEALS TREASURES FROM THE VAULT

 

Treaty 1 Territory, Winnipeg, Manitoba (May 13, 2025) – A temporary exhibition delving into the “What, Where, How, and Why” of museum collections opens today at the Manitoba Museum.

The Museum Collection Illuminated presents a snapshot of the diverse and extensive work undertaken throughout the Museum’s history of collecting. Research, conservation, exhibitions, and programs are featured in videos showing behind-the-scenes conservation and field work, interpretive panels, and a timeline graphic, alongside answers to frequently asked questions.

“This exhibition explores how and why we have museum collections, what we do with them, and how we preserve them. Visitors will not only gain a better understanding of how and why we collect artifacts and specimens, but also why museums are important cultural institutions.” – Dr. Amelia Fay, Curator of Anthropology and the HBC Museum Collection.

The Museum Collection Illuminated showcases unusual artifacts and specimens, hand-selected from the vaults by the Museum curatorial team for their unique qualities, including an 11lb Giant Puffball mushroom, a gloriously gaudy bison horn chair from the 1880s, a 500 BCE Archaic period wine pitcher, and more.

The exhibition had been displayed previously during the height of COVID restrictions in 2021 at a time when the Museum was subject to closures and restrictions which greatly impacted visitation.

“As we enter our 55th anniversary, its timely to reintroduce this exhibition to allow more visitors the opportunity to experience these significant and breath-taking artifacts and specimens representing the Museum Human and Natural History collections as we continue to celebrate community collaborations, scientific research, conservation achievements, and the continued commitment to public programs at the Museum. – Seema Hollenberg, Director of Research, Collections, and Exhibitions.

The Museum Collection Illuminated is now open in the Manitoba Museum’s Discovery Room and will be on display until May 2026. Entrance into this temporary exhibition is included with a Manitoba Museum All Attraction Pass. Manitoba Museum members and Indigenous Peoples can access this exhibition at no charge. Click here to plan your visit.

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Media Inquiries: 

Brandi Hayberg
Manager of Marketing & Communications
BHayberg@ManitobaMusuem.ca

Careful Where You Sit

If these furnishings look weird, it’s because they are. They were oddities even when they were made in the late 19th century, and now you can see some examples on exhibit at the Manitoba Museum.

An ornate armchair with the back, legs, and arms made of interconnected bison horns.

Chairs made with antlers and horns were a fad in the late 1800s, and available to anyone with cash to spend. Some of the earliest pieces date from the 1860s, but it was at the Chicago Industrial Exposition of 1876 that horn furniture was displayed for the first time. Ten years later they featured in the Canadian section of the Colonial Exhibition and were described as having “a very striking and pleasing effect.”

Bison horn furnishings were made for a growing middle class, who had a late Victorian taste for elaborate decorations and overstuffed parlours. After the First World War, horn furniture was seen as distasteful, and much of it disappeared. Some of these pieces later came to museums with stories that they were made by First Nations artists, but real evidence is lacking.

 

Image: This cozy bison horn chair, made in the 1880s, was owned by Archbishop Samuel P. Matheson (1852-1942) of Winnipeg. It will be on display in The Museum Collection Illuminated exhibition. H8-7-6, ©Manitoba Museum

We do know that in Winnipeg, William F. White, proprietor of a taxidermy and curiosities shop, was described as a “horn manufacturer.” He advertised “a wonderful display of fancy horn work in all kinds of useful articles” in a Dec. 12, 1892 Free Press issue, just in time for Christmas. The making and sale of bison horn furnishings was happening right here in Winnipeg.

A short and squat footstool with four legs made of polished bison horns.

A bison horn footstool, now on display in the Darbey Taxidermy shop. H9-36-126, ©Manitoba Museum

An inkwell set in a rough squared base, with a bison horn extending off the left side.

An inkwell swathed in velvet and accentuated by a huge bison horn. Dating to the 1880s, it belonged to Mr. Edward Dickson of Oak Lake, MB. H9-7-445, ©Manitoba Museum

A wall-hanging coat rack made of five pairs of bison horns extending off the base at different angles and intervals.

This bison horn hat rack was likely made in the 1880s. The velvet upholstery, common in Victorian homes, is identical to that found on the chair and inkwell. H9-39-854, ©Manitoba Museum

There was a dark legacy to the crafting of bison horn furniture. The near extinction of the North American bison in the 1880s was caused by many actors, some of whom wanted to weaken First Nations. American hunters killed bison indiscriminately to sell the hides, and dried bones were later sold for fertilizer. It was a huge loss of animal life, and a traumatic change for many First Nations who had relied on bison herds for thousands of years.

You can see – but not sit on – some of these artifacts in our newest exhibition, The Museum Collection Illuminated, opening May 13 in our Discovery Room, or on permanent display in the Darbey Taxidermy Shop in the Winnipeg 1920s Gallery.

Plan your visit today

Dr. Roland Sawatzky

Dr. Roland Sawatzky

Curator of History

Roland Sawatzky joined The Manitoba Museum in 2011. He received his B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Winnipeg, M.A. in Anthropology from the University of South Carolina, and Ph.D. in Archaeology…
Meet Dr. Roland Sawatzky

Preview the Manitoba Museum’s Newest Exhibition

A word graphic for The Museum Collection Illuminated, opening May 13, 2025. On the right is a photograph of an ornate armchair with the back, legs, and arms made of interconnected bison horns.

NEW EXHIBITION AT THE MANITOBA MUSEUM

 

Members of the media are invited to the Manitoba Museum to preview The Museum Collection Illuminated, a temporary exhibition opening May 13, 2025 in the Museum’s Discovery Room.

The Museum Collection Illuminated explores the “What, Where, How, and Why” of museum collections and presents a snapshot of the diverse and extensive work undertaken throughout the Museum’s history of collecting. Research, conservation, exhibitions, and programs are featured in videos showing behind-the-scenes conservation and field work, interpretive panels, and a timeline graphic, alongside answers to frequently asked questions.

The exhibition showcases unusual artifacts and specimens, hand-selected from our vaults by our curatorial team for their unique qualities, including an 11lb Giant Puffball mushroom, a gloriously gaudy bison horn chair from the 1880s, a 500 BCE Archaic period wine pitcher, and more.

Members of the media are invited to preview the exhibition by appointment between 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm on Monday, May 12, 2025. Please contact Brandi Hayberg at BHayberg@ManitobaMuseum.ca to arrange a preview.
The following exhibition contributors will be available for interviews:

  • Dr. Amelia Fay, Curator of Anthropology and the HBC Museum Collection.
  • Dr. Joseph Moysiuk, Curator of Palaeontology & Geology

 

The Museum Collection Illuminated will be open to the public starting Monday, May 13, 2025. Entrance into this temporary exhibition is included with a Manitoba Museum All Attraction Pass. Manitoba Museum Members and Indigenous Peoples can access this exhibition at no charge.

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Media Inquiries: 

Brandi Hayberg
Manager of Marketing & Communications
BHayberg@ManitobaMusuem.ca

The Planetarium: A Window to the Stars

It’s the 100th anniversary of the world’s first planetarium show! Join Scott Young, our Manitoba Museum Planetarium Astronomer, in the theatre to learn a bit more about how our Planetarium works to show audiences the Universe.

Was the “Charlie Chaplin Theatre” a real place?

Have you ever stopped to watch a short film at the Allen Theatre in the Winnipeg 1920 Cityscape? Affectionately referred to as “The Charlie Chaplin Theatre” in “The Old Town”, like many businesses in the Cityscape, the theatre actually represents a real place in 1920 Winnipeg!

Join Erin in this video to learn more about the Allen Theatre.

Embracing Gratitude and Growth in Leadership

Wow, it’s been four years. I can hardly believe how quickly the time has passed. Stepping into the CEO role at the Manitoba Museum was and continues to be one of the most incredible privileges of my life. As I reflect on my journey, I am filled with gratitude—not only for the opportunity to lead but also for the lessons, challenges, and joys that come with it. Leading in the museum field is especially meaningful, as it demands a deep engagement with history, community, and the future.

The Power of Continued Learning

Anyone who has changed roles or employers mid-career appreciates the importance of being a lifelong learner. While experience provides a foundation, leadership is never static, and new spaces demand we get comfortable with not having all the answers. Every decision, every challenge, and every collaboration offers a chance to grow. I have come to appreciate and enjoy that learning is not a phase or chapter but a lifelong commitment; it’s part of the entire story. Here, I’ve been given the chance to expand my understanding of museum best practices, how museums can be allies in Truth and Reconciliation, how places of history can and must be places of justice. The Manitoba Museum has refined my ability to navigate change, has called on my courage time and again, and has forced me out of ideas and knowledge I felt comfortable in. I can’t fully express how grateful I am for the ways this role has changed me. Since day one, and often still today, I don’t have many of the answers but I’ve learned to ask thoughtful, curious, open-ended questions, inviting new perspectives, and being willing to evolve.

The Joy of Thoughtful and Dedicated Colleagues

Leadership is never a solo endeavour. I am profoundly fortunate to be surrounded by passionate, talented colleagues who share a commitment to the Manitoba Museum’s mission. Their dedication to preserving and sharing history, engaging with visitors from near and far, and ensuring our institution’s future is inspiring. In a world that feels ever more chaotic and fragmented, working alongside individuals who care deeply about their work is both grounding and invigorating. The collaborative spirit, the exchange of ideas, and the shared excitement for new projects make every day meaningful.

Loving Where You Work While Working to Change It

One of the more complex aspects of leadership is balancing a deep love for an institution with a recognition that change is necessary. Museums are places of tradition, yet they must also be places of transformation. As much as I respect the history and legacy of our museum, I also see areas where we must evolve—to be more inclusive, more accessible, more reflective of the diverse stories that make up our shared past. Loving a place means wanting the best for it, even when that means advocating for difficult but necessary shifts. Growth and progress are acts of care, and it is through change that institutions remain relevant and vital.

Museums as Vital Spaces in Our Lives

The longer I work in this field, the more I appreciate how essential museums are to our collective well-being. Museums are not just repositories of objects; they are spaces where communities gather, where histories are honoured, and where learning happens in profound and unexpected ways. They challenge us to think critically, to feel deeply, and to connect with perspectives beyond our own. At their best, museums are catalysts for conversation, empathy, and action. In an era where misinformation and polarization can cloud understanding, museums offer a space for nuanced exploration of the past and its implications for the present and future.

A Brave and Deliberate Relationship with the Past

A selfie of Manitoba Museum CEO Dorota Blumczyńska wearing a soft red shirt that reads, "Museums are not neutral" in a large bold font.

Working in a museum has reinforced for me the importance of engaging with history not just as a record of what was, but as a guide for what could be. History teaches us what must never be allowed to happen again. In our relationship with the past, the Manitoba Museum is not neutral, meaning, we are not mere observers. We work to acknowledge our shared failings, sit in the discomfort of contemporary injustice, and seek to have a nuanced dialogue with the all too-familiar present we find ourselves in. The past is full of complexities, triumphs, and wrongs. To truly honour history, we must be willing to look at it unflinchingly, to confront uncomfortable truths, and to amplify voices that have too often been silenced. This is not always an easy task, but it is a necessary one. When we engage with history bravely and deliberately, we uncover lessons that help us navigate today’s challenges with greater wisdom, resilience, and compassion.

Moving Forward with Gratitude

As I continue on this leadership journey, I carry with me a deep appreciation for the experiences that have shaped me, the people who inspire me, and the mission that guides me. Leadership is not just about directing change—it is about nurturing a culture where curiosity, courage, and collaboration thrive. It is about ensuring that museums continue to be places where history illuminates the present and inspires a better future.

I am grateful for the chance to do this work, for the colleagues who walk this path with me, and for the ever-evolving lessons that come with leading in a space so vital to our collective story. The challenges are many, but the rewards—the opportunity to shape a meaningful, inclusive, and forward-thinking institution—are immeasurable. For that, I am truly thankful.

The name

Dorota Blumczyńska
Manitoba Museum CEO

Crafting Custom Artifact Storage

What do our conservators do when there isn’t a box the right size to fit a particular artifact? They make one of course! These custom boxes are designed to fit each item perfectly, supporting its conservation for years to come. In this video, join Assistant Conservator Estelle in the lab to learn how she makes these precise pieces.