The Museum Shop at UBC's Museum of Anthropology sells ethically sourced gifts, Northwest coast jewelry, and fine art objects from the Northwest coast and beyond. The shop's revenue supports the Museum's operation, and any artist or designer featured on the mass-produced items receives some form of compensation.
Alongside the customer service skills and regular retail stocking I expected to exercise at the shop, I found myself learning about Northwest Coast artwork in a much deeper way than I expected, and truly enjoyed helping people appreciate the beautiful pieces we carried. I was able to interact with a diverse variety of museum patrons; students, educators, and travelers, and engage with them about the museum and objects they saw. I found this experience to be incredibly rewarding, and have become interested in museum public programming and education as a result. It was incredible to see an institution like MOA 'behind the scenes' and gain a glimpse into what it takes to build these spaces.