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Hi, there! I'm Karen Breece

Meet Me

I believe museums are good for the soul. I help people discover themselves and their world through community-engaged audience research, meaningful public programs, and compelling exhibits. I am an experienced informal educator with interpretive writing and visitor studies experience, and am proud to work for organizations making a difference in the lives of the people who visit them.

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If you would like to know more about me and how I approach my work, feel free to check out my About page HERE

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Projects

Click to explore!

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Evaluation

At the Indianapolis Zoo and Other Projects

Interpretive Writing

At the Indianapolis Zoo 

Graduate Work

A mix of cutting-edge research, teamwork, and community partnerships

Education and Licenses

May 2021

Master of Arts in Museum Studies
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
GPA: 4.0

Coursework gave a general overview of working in a museum, including museum education, collections care, fundraising, and visitor studies.

May 2019

Bachelor of Arts in History

Minors in Museum Studies and Art History

Earlham College

GPA: 3.98

Here, I received a liberal arts education and earned awards, including being elected to Phi Beta Kappa. I studied abroad in both France and Taiwan. My extracurriculars included singing in the college choir and being an editor for the college's historical journal.

May 2017 - May 2021

Certified Interpretive Guide (C.I.G.)

National Association of Interpretation

This is an informal education credential that certifies that I know the basics of informal education. To earn it, I had to develop a 10-minute educational program and submit it to a licensing board. 

September 2020 - September 2025

Certification required to do social and behavioral research by Indiana University IRB. Completion demonstrates that I am familiar with research ethics regarding human subjects. I have applied this knowledge to the evaluation projects I have done at IUPUI and the Indianapolis Zoo. 

Past Experience

Would you like a PDF of my resume instead? Click HERE.

August 2020 - May 2021

Interpretive Writing and Evaluation Fellow
Indianapolis Zoo

  • Drafts and edits copy for temporary Zoo signage and publications

  • Coordinates signage projects between Zoo departments

  • Collects observation data on exhibits and animal presentations

  • Cleans, organizes, and analyzes visitor observation data to prepare written evaluation reports

  • Presents evaluation data to staff and internal stakeholders

  • Provides support for educational programs and seasonal events

January 2021 -  May 2021

Community Engagement Associate
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

  • Assists Dr. Lois Silverman, Professor of Museum Studies, with evaluating the partnership between her Museums, Health, and Well-being class and a social service agency

  • Uses qualitative data analysis to evaluate the service-learning pedagogy used in the course

  • Prepared an IRB application detailing the risks and benefits of a study of routine educational practices for participating students

August 2019 - February 2020

Audience Research Associate
Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields

  • Collected exit and exhibition surveys from museum visitors in order to support Newfields' audience research

  • Built customer service skills by interacting with visitors in a warm and helpful way, giving them directions, and answering questions about museum events and exhibits

August 2016 - May 2019

Outreach Staff
The Joseph Moore Museum at Earlham College

  • Researched and designed interpretative programs promoting science education focusing on women scientists from Indiana

  • Co-led 12 hour-long public programs at an educational center for girls aimed at fostering girls’ interest in future careers in science and technology

  • Led public programs aimed at educating museum visitors, including school tours, activity stations at museum events, and planetarium shows

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A thought to leave you with:

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"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry with us, or we find it not."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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