Permission Granted: Make Time to Rest This Summer

Summer is here. And if you work in a museum, you know what that means. It means programs are running, events are happening, tourists are arriving at your doors, and for many of you this year, “America 250” celebrations are adding a whole new layer of activity on top of an already packed season. I’m not telling you what you don’t already know. Summer is not a slow time for museums!

And yet, still, in the back of your mind, you’re dreaming of a vacation. I’m talking about a real vacation, the kind where you actually close the laptop and stop checking your phone every twenty minutes. For a lot of museum professionals, that kind of rest feels impossible. Not because they don't want it, but because nothing is set up to run without them.

The Myth of the Indispensable Museum Professional

Here's something I've noticed after more than three decades of working in museums. Museum professionals are exhausted. I know this anecdotally, and I have also read the research. The American Alliance of Museums' 2025 National Snapshot tells us that museums are navigating cancelled grants, declining attendance, and shrinking teams. The people still standing are doing more with less, and they have been for years. At some point, that catches up with you. And when it does, the response is often to push through. You answer the emails on vacation, or you skip the time off entirely because the thought of coming back to a mountain of work just isn't worth it. You keep going because the museum needs you, and you're not sure it can run without you.

That last part is what I want to talk about today. When one person is the only one who knows how things work, the only one who can answer certain questions, the only one holding the operation together, that's not dedication. That’s a vulnerability that puts both the person and the institution at risk.

What the Data Tells Us

In that same AAM report, one statistic really stood out. Only 4% of museums are using systems or tools to lighten the load on their teams. Four percent!

That means 96% of museum teams are still doing everything the hard way. Manually. On top of already stretched budgets, reduced staff, and a funding environment that has never felt more uncertain. The people doing this work are carrying an enormous amount, and almost none of them have the systems in place to share that load.

Rest Is Not a Reward. It's Part of the Strategy.

We tend to think of rest as something you earn. You work hard, you get through the season, and then maybe, if everything is caught up, you get to take a break. But in a museum, nothing is ever caught up. There is always another program to plan, another email to answer, another exhibit to promote.

If you wait until everything is caught up to rest, you will never rest.

Rest is not a reward. It is part of the strategy. A well-rested director thinks more clearly, makes better decisions, and leads with more creativity and vision. A communications team that has breathing room produces better work, catches mistakes, and brings ideas to the table instead of just keeping up. Needing rest shouldn’t be thought of as a weakness or not being “dedicated enough.” It's what gives you the energy to show up for your job.

The institutions that are thriving got there by building something sustainable. Rest is part of that. It's not a luxury. It's a long-term investment in your museum and in the people who make it run.

What That Actually Looks Like

So what does a museum look like when it's set up to run without any single person holding it all together?

It looks calm. Things are organized. People know what they're doing and why. When someone goes on vacation, the work doesn't stop, and it doesn't pile up waiting for them. When something unexpected comes up, the team can absorb it without everything falling apart.

It doesn't happen by accident. It happens because someone took the time to build the systems, document the processes, and create the conditions that make rest possible. Not just for one person but for the whole team.

The good news is that you can build this for your museum, too. It doesn't require a bigger budget or a larger team. It requires intention and a willingness to invest a little time upfront so that everyone, including you, can step back when they need to.

Why This Matters Beyond the Vacation

Building these systems isn't just about taking a summer vacation, although that is a very good motivation to begin. Imagine being able to take a sick day without the whole operation grinding to a halt. Imagine your institutional knowledge for how things get done not walking out the door when someone leaves. That knowledge should live in shared systems and processes, not just in people's heads. It's also about your own longevity in this field. The museum professionals I most admire, the ones who have been doing this for decades and still love it, figured out how to build something that works without them at the center of it. They learned to let go. And their museums are better for it. I know that's a lot to think about. So let's just start here. Let's start with your summer vacation. You deserve to enjoy your summer. And so do your colleagues.

Where to Start

If this resonates with you and you're wondering where to begin, here is one question to sit with:

If you were out for two weeks starting tomorrow, what would happen?

The answer will tell you exactly where to start.

Want to continue the conversation? We’ll be talking about this over the summer in my community. Be sure to join using the link below: