Cultural Resource Management

Cultural history and artifacts are managed by many different cultural resource management professionals. They work within museums and non-profits, for the government and for private-sector cultural resource management firms, which help businesses follow laws pertaining to heritage preservation. Read on to find out how to succeed as a cultural resource manager.

Inside Cultural Resource Management

Cultural resource management (CRM) is the field of knowledge and practice responsible for the location, preservation and display of the archaeological, architectural, cultural and historical artifacts of a people. These cultural resources include folklore, storytelling, drama and language in addition to the built environment or architecture and material culture, such as pottery and weaving. The resources preserved by CRM professionals may be housed in large or small museum and gallery collections, or restored and displayed in place, such as is often done with large-scale archaeological sites. In addition to this hands-on work, CRM professionals may act as consultants to government and business, helping them to, respectively, create and navigate laws pertaining to cultural heritage preservation.

The education necessary to become a cultural resource management professional depends upon the role one wishes to play within the process of preservation. Those who hold bachelor's degrees may find employment as technicians or ancillary personnel. A master's degree is a minimum education required for many CRM positions. While degree programs in CRM as a standalone discipline exist, most are tied to the departments of anthropology, archaeology, history or other fields. Anthropology degrees in CRM focus upon the modes and techniques of preservation appropriate to intangible culture, such as ethnomusicology, folklore and oral history. Archaeology degrees in CRM are primarily geared toward the restoration and preservation of material objects, both small and moveable pieces of art or large-scale architectural pieces which must be left in place.

The American Cultural Resources Association has found that 50% of those employed in private CRM firms are archaeologists, followed by architectural historians at 13%, and historians at nine percent (www.acra-crm.org). The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that most archaeologists are employed in CRM, whether by private firms or local, state or federal government. Archaeologists and anthropologists had an average annual income of $58,040, the BLS reported in May 2010. CRM is also conducted through non-profit or governmental agencies, such as museums. Curators of history museums, for example, are involved in CRM; the BLS indicated average annual wages for curators at $53,160 as of May 2010.

Learn More About Cultural Resource Management

Professionals working in cultural resource management are tasked with restoring and preserving the heritage of regions and peoples for posterity. They often participate in sharing this heritage with others through display in museums or as part of national historical preserves. A strong educational background in CRM or a related field is necessary; below, you will find some links from Education-Portal.com explaining how to start on a successful CRM career.

Degree Options

In addition to a degree in cultural resource management, a degree in the related fields of anthropology, archaeology, history or museum or archivist studies can be a stepping stone towards employment in CRM. Here are some articles on these related programs to tell you more about your choices.

Career Options

Many professions come together to manage our cultural resources and heritage. Below, you will find a selection of articles treating the requirements and outlooks for a few of these vocational choices.

Distance Learning Options

While degrees such as archaeology and anthropology often require fieldwork, degree programs in many disciplines related to CRM are available through entirely distance learning programs. These articles relate some of your distance learning options in this field.

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