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Heritage - What You Need to Do

What "Heritage" People Do

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Meet the products – meet the people

Historic sites, museum and archival collections, traditional dance and music, and film, television and virtual presentations about history – these are all heritage products. Many different people with a wide variety of skills are needed to develop and create them. Check out the occupations on the following pages and meet people who have found great career paths in heritage.

Creating an exhibit

Exhibits are one way that museums, archives, art galleries, and historic parks and sites bring artifacts to life. No matter where you may work, you'll find many behind-the-scenes people working to bring an exhibit to the public.

Creating an exhibit

Curator
Acquires, researches and writes about artifacts and develops exhibits.

Archivist
Acquires, arranges and describes records of historical significance.

Conservator
Restores, preserves and ensures the safety of artifacts.

Museum / art gallery / historic site director
Manages the overall operations.

Heritage researcher
Researches stories for exhibits.

Librarian / information specialist
Helps people search for information.

Exhibition developer
Plans and develops the overall design of an exhibit.

Exhibit designer
Conceives and designs the exhibit.

Historian
Provides the historical background for exhibits.

Graphic artist
Designs visual elements of exhibits.

Photographer
Creates a visual record of the exhibit for promotional and archival purposes.

Preparator
Installs and maintains exhibits.

Writer
Writes about artifacts.

Exhibition developer
Plans and develops the overall design of an exhibit.

Exhibit marketer
Promotes the exhibit to the public.

Product developer
Develops exhibit-related items for sale to the public.

Conservator
Restores, preserves and ensures the safety of artifacts.

Museum / art gallery / historic site director
Manages the overall operations.

Educator / public programmer
Organizes special events for the public.

Education coordinator
Organizes and delivers programming to schools and the general public.

Tour guide
Leads tours of the exhibit.

Holding a heritage fair or festival

Have you ever gone to a heritage festival or fair to enjoy the foods, music or dance of your community and that of others? Did you know that thousands of heritage festivals or fairs are held in Canada attracting millions of visitors? Meet some of the people who bring our heritage stories to life on the festival scene.

Holding a heritage fair or festival

Artistic director
Auditions and selects performers.

Choreographer
Provides vision and direction to the dancers.

Craftsperson
Creates hand-crafted items for sale.

Performer
Entertains in his or her area of specialty.

Costume seamstress
Sews period costumes for exhibits.

Meeting planner
Oversees and implements the planning and delivery of an event.

Site production manager
Plots locations of tents and how traffic flows through the site.

Technical director
Oversees the festival's presentation and stage management.

Audio technician
Provides all audio requirements for exhibits. Lighting technician: Appropriately lights exhibits.

Lighting technician
Appropriately lights exhibits.

Site coordinator
Handles the day-to-day running of the site.

Delivery / transportation assistant
Ensures the safe arrival of all exhibit elements.

Marketing director
Promotes the festival to media and the public.

Tour group marketing director
Coordinates the marketing of the event with large tour groups.

Box office manager
Sells tickets to the general public.

Information officer
Handles general inquiries from the public.

Festival / fair director
Oversees the event and handles all administrative details.

Booking agent
Hires festival performers on contract.

Volunteer coordinator
Recruits, trains and schedules volunteers.

Emergency measures coordinator
Handles public safety and security.

Environmental crew member
Helps with the recycling program and ensures site is clean.

Security guard
Provides on-site security.

Building a collection

Heritage collections come in many forms. They include letters, photographs, diaries, artifacts, languages, plants, audio-visual recordings, buildings, traditional music and songs. These collections are carefully acquired, preserved, researched and safeguarded by many behind-the-scenes professionals.

Building a collection

Curator
Acquires, researches and writes about artifacts / records.

Archivist
Acquires, arranges and describes records from collections.

Conservator
Restores, preserves and ensures the safety of the collection.

Historian
Provides the historical background for collections.

Historical researcher
Researches stories for collections.

Collections manager / registrar
Catalogues records / artifacts in the collection.

Information specialist / librarian / records manager
Manages information resources and helps users access information.

Library / archival technician
Helps people retrieve knowledge from the collection.

Promoting historic places

Unique landscapes and historic buildings can be designated and legally protected because a community wants to safeguard them for the future. They may be historic streetscapes, historic buildings adapted for new uses, or operated as new community museums, historic gardens and designed parks, or sites found in our wetlands, mountain ranges, prairies and coastlands. Many of these sites also have on-site and online exhibits to help Canadians better understand their heritage. Other professionals promote heritage collections through writing and publishing, television, radio and podcasts, live performing arts, digital media and education.

Promoting historic places

Curator
Acquires, researches and writes about artifacts and develops exhibits.

Conservator
Restores, preserves and ensures the safety of artifacts.

Archivist
Acquires, arranges and describes records of historical significance.

Historian
Provides historical background for the site.

Heritage researcher
Specializes in researching archival material.

Archaeologist
Excavates, researches and reports on artifacts.

Conservation architect
Plans the treatment — restoration, rehabilitation, etc. — of a heritage site or building.

Conservation landscape architect
Plans the treatment of an historic landscape, or develops a landscape suitable for the site's history.

Conservation engineer
Oversees the physical building or repair — mechanical, electrical, etc. — involved in preserving an historical site.

Naturalist / botanist / biologist
Cares for the wildlife and plant life.

Exhibition production coordinator
Oversees the production and construction schedules of exhibits.

Collections manager / registrar
Catalogues and cares for artifacts and coordinates shipping and receiving.

Costume designer
Designs period costumes for exhibits.

Conservation architect
Plans the treatment — restoration, rehabilitation, etc. — of a heritage site or building.

Museum / historic site director
Manages the overall operations.

Park superintendent
Oversees the management of a park.

Marketing / communications manager
Promotes the site to the general public.

Sponsorship coordinator / fund-raiser
Finds sponsors or raises money for the exhibit or organization.

Park ranger
Oversees the operation of a park.

Guide / interpreter
Explains the site's heritage significance to visitors.