What Makes Mia a Great Place to Work?

April 11, 2025—On her morning drive into work, Colleen Bracy, Mia’s head of HR, pauses to look at the iconic façade of the museum’s 24th Street entrance.

“I go past it and think, wow, I work there,” she says. “I’ve been coming to this museum since I was 5 years old. Mia is a local landmark, and that makes people excited to work here, because it stands for something. It’s a respite for some people; it’s an energizing place for some; it’s a soothing and familiar place for some. It affects our community in so many different ways—the one shared aspect is a passion for art.”

Colleen is one of 328 people who work at Mia in a wide range of jobs. For some, this is a place they stay—there are employees on staff who have been with the museum for more than 30 years. Exhibition Designer Bill Skodje, for example, began working at Mia in 1989.

“I think of Mia as a community of artists and scholars who share their knowledge and enthusiasm for the arts,” says Skodje. “Working in this museum allows me to be surrounded by art and, in my position, handle it as well. I am constantly inspired by my colleagues and the art that is cared for by Mia’s employees.”

Here are a few more ways Mia strives to be a truly great place to work.

360° Approach to Well-Being

Mia approaches employee well-being holistically, taking into account financial compensation, benefits, learning, and mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness.

“The question we always ask ourselves is, how can we make the employee experience the best it can possibly be?” says Bracy. “We want it to be well-rounded and not have this just be a place you come for a job and a paycheck. We want to keep and retain people.” 

A free yoga series, for example, is one of Mia’s regular wellness offerings.

“The restorative yoga sessions at Mia have opened the door for me to reconnect with my body, mind, and emotions,” says Curatorial Department Assistant Danika Chavarriaga Angel. “Practicing yoga has shown me the importance of appreciating today, knowing that the present is a gift. During the summer, that gentle touch to the earth deepens a close bond with nature, evoking its smells, sounds, and everything I am not fully aware of in the fast pace of daily life.”

Employee Resource Groups

Mia’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are spaces for connection and community, offering staff the opportunity to build coalitions around shared identities and experiences. Established in 2018 and chaired and facilitated by Mia staff, the four ERGs (2SLGBTQIA+, BIPOC, Employees Who Care for Children, Disability & Neurodivergence) meet monthly on-site. In addition to meetings, the groups host outings, teach-ins, and art-making events. 

“Serving as chair of the BIPOC ERG at Mia has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” says Head of Website & Digital Engagement Kristen Torres Korman. “It’s allowed me to help build a space where authenticity is celebrated, voices are uplifted, and meaningful conversations thrive. As a BIPOC woman who has often found myself in predominantly white institutions, the most memorable part of it all is having a space of belonging. The connections I’ve made within our ERG and through collaborations with other local BIPOC ERGs have been truly impactful. It’s a powerful reminder of how collective support and shared experiences can drive positive change within our institution and across our community.”

Learning and Enrichment Opportunities

The value of continuous learning is taken seriously in a place that enshrines creativity. Mia offers multiple opportunities for enrichment, including fellowships, seminars, lectures, and even on-site language classes. Spanish was the staff language of choice in 2024; this year, it’s Dakota.

“I have found it incredibly rewarding to dedicate time to learning the Dakota language,” says Content Marketing Specialist Hattie Peach. “Pushing yourself to try something new can lead to so much personal growth, and I’ve been loving what the class offers.”

A recent staff seminar tapped experts at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Healthy Aging & Innovation (CHAI) for anti-ageism training. Age-friendly practices are at the heart of the museum’s mission. Mia has been recognized by the Age-Friendly Institute’s Certified Age-Friendly Employer (CAFE) program, which identifies organizations committed to being the best places to work for employees aged 50+.

Photographer Pierre Ware was selected for Mia’s first Visual Resources DEI Fellowship in the fall of 2023. Dan Dennehy, Mia’s head of visual resources, initiated the fellowship in partnership with Mia’s DEI Division, and he says the staff learned at least as much from Ware as he did from them.

“To pair with someone at a different point in his career, with different experiences—that was so valuable for us, too,” Dennehy says. “As museums reimagine how we engage with cultural heritage, it’s wonderful to see through the lens of young people who are just really excited about the work and don’t have preconceptions about what it should be.” 

Culture of Creativity

“You’re surrounded by creative people here,” says Bracy. “Whether they’re artists themselves, whether they studied art history, or whether they like museums, everyone here is incredibly passionate. And that makes it a place where you’re always learning.”

Nowhere is the breadth of creativity among Mia staff more evident than in Artists at Work: The Mia Staff Art Show, organized by Team Mia, a group of museum staff devoted to encouraging relationship building, providing accessible opportunities for connection and growth, and recognizing and celebrating museum employees. 

“That’s something that I have always felt about working at Mia, that it’s very much encouraged to keep that creative side of yourself front and center,” says Visitor Experience Representative Allison Keirstead Jones, whose embroidery was featured in the staff art show. “So many people in this environment are artists, so it connects me more to people to show this side of myself and have that be integrated into my work persona. Once I saw my piece up on the wall alongside my coworkers’, it felt really good.”

Feeling good and doing good—that’s the result of Mia’s thoughtful approach to fostering positive employee experiences. Mia values employee well-being, community building, and lifelong learning, and continuously looks for ways to cultivate an engaging work environment. In doing so, Mia deepens what it means to be an arts institution, prioritizing the art, of course, but also the development of the people who care for the art, building a lively, diverse staff community along the way. It’s an exciting place to be!

Interested in Joining Our Team?

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