I understand there is a variety of individuals on this subreddit, as some of you are professional historians and others just research as a hobby.
I was wondering if any of you work in private collections, or perform museum work; hands-on work with antiques and artifacts. If so, how could one get into that kind of work?
I am currently at an entry-level position in the legal support field, however got my BA in History, and have always been a massive (military) History buff. I would love to make a career out of it, but do not like the idea of being a professor or educator of sorts.
Thanks very much for your input and time!
Try /r/MuseumPros!
There are several different avenues for the type of work you're talking about. Working with museum collections is one way. Another is working with an auction house, which would deal with the private collections that you mentioned, although I don't know much about working with them.
These days, nearly all new people in the museum field have to receive an Masters degree in either Museum Studies, or a closely related field (such as history, art history, and so forth), as well as complete several internships and jobs. It's not an area for the faint of heart to try and break into.
If you'd like to learn more, I'd recommend volunteering at some of your local museums. Indicate your interests, and that may narrow your goals some.
And just as /u/caffarelli said, /r/MuseumPros is an excellent resource.
There are some grad programs in Museum Studies and Public History that could help. That being said, these programs are turning out far more graduates than there are available jobs. You may be better off volunteering at your local museum or Historical Society to gain some experience and see if it is a career path you want to pursue.