Webinar Wednesday Recap: Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management & Museum Management and Curatorship
We recently hosted a Webinar Wednesday session exploring two of our unique programs: Museum Management and Curatorship (MMC) and Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management (CHM). If you couldn’t join us live don’t worry, we’ve rounded up the key highlights below, and you can watch the full recording at your convenience.
These programs are known for their hands-on, immersive learning experiences and strong connections to the museum and heritage sector. During the session, prospective students heard directly from Dr. Amy Barron, Program Coordinator, and recruitment representative Nick Draker-Fortis, who walked through what each program looks like in practice. From exhibit development and collections work to conservation labs and internships, the webinar provided a detailed look at how students gain real-world experience and build the skills needed for careers in museums, galleries, and heritage institutions.
WHY CONSERVATION AND MUSEUM STUDIES AT FLEMING?
Fleming’s post-graduate Heritage Programs offer truly hands-on approaches to learning, giving students the opportunity to step beyond the classroom and into real museum environments. From day one, students gain practical experience working with collections, developing exhibits, and collaborating with community partners like the Peterborough Museum and Archives, which acts as home base for one of our programs while the dedicated conservation lab is home to the other. Small class sizes and close faculty mentorship create a supportive, collaborative environment where students build both technical skills and professional confidence. By the time they graduate, students leave with a strong portfolio of real-world projects and the experience needed to thrive in a wide range of museums and cultural settings.
THREE KEY TAKEAWAYS
1. Two distinct programs, two different career paths
The webinar highlighted how MMC and CHM differ not just in theory, but in day-to-day learning. MMC students build a wide range of museum skills, including creating exhibits from scratch. For example, students start with a small one-artifact exhibit in semester one, then collaborate on a full-scale exhibition at the Peterborough Museum and Archives in semester two. In contrast, CHM students focus on conservation science, working directly with materials like metals, textiles, and paper. By later semesters, they are treating real artifacts on loan from museums, applying chemistry-based techniques to preserve them.
2. Real-world experience through community partnerships and unique projects
Students don’t just learn in the classroom, they actively work with local and national partners. The webinar shared examples like MMC students collaborating with the Peterborough Museum and Archives and Lang Pioneer Village to develop exhibits, while CHM students have worked on projects such as cleaning gravestones at a local pioneer cemetery or visiting the Canadian Conservation Institute in Ottawa to explore federal conservation labs. These experiences give students exposure to a wide range of heritage settings and hands-on problem solving.
3. Diverse and impactful internship opportunities across Canada and beyond
Internships are a major highlight of both programs, with highly personalized placement support. Examples shared in the webinar included students working at the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Canadian War Museum, the Royal Botanical Gardens (preserving historic herbariums from the 1700s), and Parks Canada labs. Others gained experience in archives, art galleries, and even zoos, sometimes leading projects like designing their own exhibits. These placements not only build confidence but also often lead to job opportunities after graduation.
CHECK OUT THE FULL WEBINAR:
HAVE QUESTIONS OR WANT TO LEARN MORE?
If this session sparked your interest or you’re considering a future in the arts, we’d love to connect with you. Our Student Recruitment. team and program representatives are here to answer questions, help you explore admission pathways, or guide you toward the right next step. Be sure to check out our upcoming Webinar Wednesday sessions online. We’re hosting new topics in the months ahead and it’s a great way to learn more about programs that excite you.
CAN’T MAKE A LIVE WEBINAR WEDNESDAY EVENT?
No problem! We’ll save video recordings on Fleming’s official YouTube channel. And don’t worry, Program Coordinators are always available to answer your questions!
For more information about Webinar Wednesdays, please contact Student Recruitment.