ABSTRACT
There has been very little empirical research into the number of women in museums, their profiles and experiences. This piece dates from research undertaken in 1985 and as yet has not been updated. Unpublished research at master’s degree level has pointed to certain developments since this paper was published. Clearly women are now reaching more senior appointments in the museums profession. But the picture is still one of inequality. A significant proportion of women in senior positions do not have children and have therefore not had to deal with either the career breaks or the role conflicts experienced by others. No museums in the UK, not even the nationals which can have over 1,000 employees, have any form of creche provision and most museums have conditions of service which afford little support for employees who are parents. Gender differences can also be found in certain subject disciplines, for example the majority of curators within the field of technology are male. They can also be found in museum type: most directors of independent museums are male. The services such museums provide tend to bear evidence of this imbalance.
