Introduction                       Challenges and Opportunities
Careers In Culture

Heritage - What You Need to Know

Starting with You

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Imagine our country without heritage

There would be no historic buildings, no museums or archives, no family traditions or photos, no traditional music or dance. Heritage is the core of our identity as Canadians. It is your story, your friend's story, your neighbour's story, your community's story – all the stories from the past that Canadians keep alive and tell others.

If you're interested in a career in heritage, then you'll be joining the thousands of workers who keep our Canadian identity alive by telling our stories in different ways. By protecting, preserving and interpreting our heritage we can better understand the present, and make more informed choices for the future.

Would you like to become a museum curator and create exhibits ? Maybe you'd like to be a park guide telling the story of a landscape? Or perhaps you want to create a multimedia installation of an important moment in Canadian history. What about becoming an architect or engineer preserving old buildings for modern uses? Whatever career you choose, you will find that having a successful and enjoyable work life in heritage begins with honing your skills and using them to their highest potential.


Curiosity checklist

How do you know if a career in heritage is right for you? Look inside yourself to answer that question. What are your passions? What are your interests, talents and skills? Use the following checklist to help you decide.

Curiosity Checklist


Do you...

Like hearing stories about Canada's peoples and places?
Have an interest in history and its preservation?
Enjoy learning about your family history?
Dream of going on an archaeological dig?
Have an interest in monuments and historic sites?
Want to promote your town's history to the public?
Enjoy investigating past events?
Like understanding people's past behaviour, such as what led to large migrations?
Use words, dance, art, music, or film to honour a place or group of people?
Have an interest in preserving old buildings or historic streetscapes?
Like learning a native language?
Have an interest in collecting or restoring rare books?
Want to design new uses for historic buildings in your community?
Want to organize a festival that celebrates our multi-cultural history?
Enjoy using new media to tell old stories?