Director Jon L. Seydl sat down with Bryan Engelbrecht, Customer Service Specialist.
JLS: You’re inaugurating the museum’s first visitor service position. What does that entail?
BE: The main goal is to ensure our visitors have a pleasant experience and can enjoy the art in a safe and secure setting. My role is partly behind the scenes but also includes responding to visitors, managing the gallery attendants, setting up for events, and creating a welcoming environment.
JLS: Could you say more about your work with the gallery attendants?
BE: I’m redeveloping the attendants’ training and transitioning them from a security role into one with more visitor interaction to enhance the welcoming atmosphere at the museum.
JLS: You most recently worked at a historic site. Could you share more about your background?
BE: I have a BA in history from Illinois State University and an MA in public history from the University of Illinois Springfield. I then took a position with State Historic Sites in Springfield, where I worked as a site interpreter giving tours, helping with events, and doing light maintenance at the Old State Capitol, Lincoln’s Tomb, the Dana-Thomas House, and the Vachel Lindsay home.
I was then promoted to assistant site superintendent for Bishop Hill and the Carl Sandburg State Historic Site in Galesburg, Illinois. I did it all there, from scrubbing toilets to planning events and managing building projects. Basically, I covered anything that needed to be done to keep the sites going since we had a tiny staff. The larger staff here at the museum allows me to concentrate on doing one job. I also wanted to be closer to home—my wife and I are both from Bloomington-Normal, and we wanted to move back from western Illinois.
JLS: What goals do you have coming out of the strategic plan?
BE: I’m definitely looking to boost engagement with visitors and increase front of house staff training, which will help us connect more with university and community partners. We also need more feedback from visitors to determine who we’re reaching and where we need to develop relationships both at Illinois and in the community.
JLS: Can you tell us about the twins?
BE: Dominik and Tess come from an art background: their mother, Mary, is a photographer, and their maternal grandmother is a former art teacher. After they attended a recent Kids at Krannert event, they turned a wall in our basement into an art gallery where they’ve been hanging up their drawings. So, they’ve already got a taste of the arts from my time here.
