Simply put, Brian Kirschensteiner's job is to turn ideas into full-fledged exhibitions.
As a preparator for the Broad Art Museum, Kirschensteiner finds ways to take a curator's plan and make it a reality. To do this, he needs to identify different materials, designs layouts, creates mockups and eventually helps prepare the space.
When Kirschensteiner was very young, his family lived in Washington D.C. Some of his earliest memories are exploring the many museums in that area. This sparked in him a passion and love for museums.
"For all my life really, I've been directing myself towards working in museums," Kirschensteiner said. "Museums created peak moments of understanding for me and I want to create those for other people."
In pursuing his passion for museums, he worked at the MSU Museum for about ten years before landing his current role.
Kirschensteiner said he has the coolest job in town because so many components - the university, building, architect, collector and benefactor - come together to make the Broad Art Museum unique. He said the new art museum will change not only the MSU community, but the contemporary art world as a whole.
"It's the type of job that's hard to call a job," Kirschensteiner said. "It's so engaging, and sometimes I feel like I have to pinch myself."
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