Michaela Feurstein-Prasser
Curriculum vitae
Born: 7 August 1969 in Innsbruck
Nationality: Austrian
Marital status: Married, two children (born 2001 and 2003)
Education
Since October 2024 Italian language course, Vienna Adult Education Centre (Wiener Volkshochschule)
Since October 2023 Master’s programme in Visual Studies, specialisation in Photography, University for Continuing Education Krems
March 2022–October 2023 University certificate programme: Digital Cultural Mediation in Museums and Collection Institutions, University for Continuing Education Krems
November 2021–October 2022 University certificate programme: Digital Curating in Museums and Collection Institutions, University for Continuing Education Krems
April–May 2020 Online course: Learning, Teaching and Curating: Situated Digital Experience in Museums, The MOFET Institute, Talila Yehiel
September 2020 Two-week intensive Spanish course, Valencia, Spain
October–December 2017 Seminar: The Power of the Voice, Freiraum Kommunikation Vienna
July 2017 Intensive Spanish course, Tandem Language School, San Sebastián, Spain
Since winter semester 2015 Spanish course, Instituto Cervantes, Vienna
Winter semester 2013/2014 Cambridge Institute, Vienna – Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE)
June 2009 Microsoft Office 2007 updated
November 2008–February 2009 European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)
November 2002 Doctorate completed (From Occupation Policy to Cultural Mission – French Educational Policy in Austria 1945–1955)
Since February 2001 Hebrew language course, Jewish Institute for Adult Education, Vienna (with interruptions until June 2010)
June–August 1996 Scholarship from the Ministry of Science for archival research in France (Dissertation topic: From Occupation Policy to Cultural Mission. French Educational Policy in Austria 1945–1955)
March 1996 Enrolment in doctoral programme
January 1996 Second diploma examination, degree completed with distinction
September–December 1994 Scholarship from the Ministry of Science for archival research in France (Master’s thesis topic: French Educational Policy in Austria 1945–1950)
February 1994 Intensive Italian course, DILIT, International House, Rome
September 1993 Rhetoric course, Vogelsang Institute, Vienna
July 1993 Intensive Italian course, Istituto Dante Alighieri, Livorno
Spring 1993 Rhetoric courses I and II, Department of Romance Studies, University of Vienna
1992 Continuation of studies, University of Vienna
1991–1992 Studies at Université Paris IV (Sorbonne), Lettres Modernes, third year of study
1989–1991 Studies at the University of Vienna, teacher training in French and History; first diploma examination in both subjects
1988–1989 Au pair in Sèvres, Paris; language course at Alliance Française Versailles; courses in cultural studies at Institut Catholique, Paris
1980–1988 Federal Grammar School Blumenstraße, Bregenz
1976–1980 Primary school Augasse, Bregenz
Professional Experience
October–December 2025 Concept for the revision of the website of cp architektur
September–November 2025 Concept, production coordination and installation of a photographic exhibition across four floors featuring photographs by Egon Zimmermann at Hotel Kristberg, Lech am Arlberg
July–December 2025 Research and concept development for the exhibition catalogue “Blende auf! The Arlberg in Photography”, Lech Museum, Huber Hus, Lech am Arlberg
July–November 2025 Research, concept and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour: Museum of Change – Günter Taucher: The Sock Maker – Between Craft and Vision (opening 13 November 2025)
June–November 2025 Resumption of work on the platform “Lost&Found Judaica Objects” in collaboration with the software company “Typohead”: analysis of previous results, development of a roadmap for the next steps, and reporting to the Claims Conference as the project’s funding body (together with F. Heimann-Jelinek and J-M. Cohen)
April–June 2025 Research, concept and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour: Museum of Change – Bank History(ies): Ruth Laner between Schilling, Euro and Naira (opening 2 July 2025)
December 2024–February 2025 Research, concept and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour: Museum of Change – Hans Reichart: Tracing the Life of a Committed Individual (opening 20 February 2025)
September–November 2024 Research, concept and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour: Museum of Change – Teaching with Heart: Primary School Teacher Iris Mähr (opening 14 November 2024)
May 2024–July 2025 Research, concept and realisation of an exhibition for the Lech Museum at Huber Hus, Lech am Arlberg: “Blende auf! The Arlberg in Photography” (opening 5 July 2025)
April–June 2024 Research, concept and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour: Museum of Change – Emmerich Auer: A Locomotive Driver by Passion (opening 13 June 2024)
January–March 2024 Research, concept and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour: Museum of Change – Master Brewer Erwin Hammerer: From Malt, Mash and Perfection (opening 7 March 2024)
January–June 2024 Development of a prototype for the platform “Lost&Found Judaica Objects”
July 2024 Presentation of the platform “Lost&Found Judaica Objects” at the annual conference of the Association of European Jewish Museums in Amsterdam
January–August 2024 Research, concept and initial discussions for an installation for the Women’s Museum Hittisau on the topic “Women on the Run” (in collaboration with A. Reichart)
January–August 2024 Research, concept development and initial discussions for an installation for the Women’s Museum Hittisau on the topic “Women on the Run” (together with A. Reichart)
January/February 2024 Organisation, planning and implementation of an online Curatorial Education Programme scheduled for February/March 2025 (together with F. Heimann-Jelinek)
January–June 2024 Development of a prototype for the platform “Lost&Found Judaica Objects”
July 2024 Presentation of the platform “Lost&Found Judaica Objects” at the annual conference of the Association of European Jewish Museums in Amsterdam
August–November 2023 Research, concept development and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour: Museum of Change – Rainer Schedler: Achieving Perfection with Needle and Thread (opening 1 December 2023)
March–May 2023 Research, concept development and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour: Museum of Change – Josef Köss: A Lifetime Carpenter (opening 25 May 2023)
January/February 2023 Revision of research results on the history of digitisation at the Wien Museum within the framework of LIVIA AI: article in “Neues Museum” and blog contribution for the LIVIA AI website
December 2022–March 2023 Research, concept development and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour: Museum of Change – Printer Ferdinand Hagspiel: An Industry under Pressure (opening 9 March 2023)
August–November 2022 Research, concept development and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour: Museum of Change – Nurse Anni Raid: A Life Dedicated to Heart Health (opening 10 November 2022)
March–July 2022 Research activities on the history of digitisation at the Wien Museum, including the review and evaluation of metadata, within the research project “LIVIA-AI – Artificial Intelligence for Art Collections” conducted by the University for Continuing Education Krems, the University of Vienna and the Austrian Institute of Technology
January–November 2022 Curatorial supervision and expansion of the exhibition “The Last Europeans – Jewish Perspectives on the Crises of an Idea” at the Jewish Museum Munich, together with F. Heimann-Jelinek (opening 22 November 2022)
January–March 2022 Research, concept development and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour: Museum of Change – Midwife Agnes Meyer Werner: From the Life of a Companion (opening 24 March 2022)
January 2022–August 2023 Preparation, research, editorship and copy-editing of the exhibition catalogue “Memories of Memories. The Oradour Camp”, published as part of the project “Memories of Memories”, November 2023
February 2022–November 2023 Research, concept development and realisation of the exhibition “Oradour – Gisinger – Ljubanovic” for the Rabalderhaus in Schwaz as part of the project “Memories of Memories” (opening 7 September 2023)
November 2021–January 2022 Curatorial supervision and adaptation of the exhibition “The Last Europeans – Jewish Perspectives on the Crises of an Idea” at the Volkskundemuseum Vienna, together with F. Heimann-Jelinek (opening 20 January 2023)
April–August 2021 Research, concept development and realisation of an exhibition for the Vorarlberg Chamber of Labour Feldkirch: Museum of Change – Werner Albrecht: A Pioneer of the Modern Ski Boot (opening 9 September 2021)
April–August 2021 Concept development and detailed planning of the Curatorial Education Programme of the Association of European Jewish Museums, planned as a webinar due to the COVID-19 pandemic (11–15 October 2021), together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
May–December 2021 Concept development, research and programming of a web app on the history of Jews in Vienna’s Leopoldstadt district, with technical consultancy by Shani Ziv, Tel Aviv
January–June 2021 Needs analysis, concept development, research and coordination for a “Lost&Found” database for Judaica for the Claims Conference and the Association of European Jewish Museums, together with F. Heimann-Jelinek and J.-M. Cohen
January/February 2021 Research on potential authors for the publication “The Last Europeans” and initial contact with contributors, together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
July–September 2020 Concept development, detailed planning and implementation of the Curatorial Education Programme of the Association of European Jewish Museums, conducted as an online webinar due to the COVID-19 pandemic (12–16 October 2020), together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
February 2020–October 2023 Concept development and research for an exhibition on cultures of remembrance in Schwaz for the Tyrolean State Museum Ferdinandeum in Innsbruck (working title: Oradour), together with Arno Gisinger (photography), Horst Schreiber (academic advisor) and Thomas Larcher (project initiator); opening 7 September 2023, Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck
January–March 2020 Concept development and detailed planning of the Curatorial Education Programme of the Association of European Jewish Museums in Hamburg (scheduled for April 2020, cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic), together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
June 2019–September 2020 Concept development and object research for the exhibition “The Last Europeans. Jewish Perspectives on the Crises of an Idea. The Brunner Family. An Estate”, 4 October 2020–3 October 2021, together with F. Heimann-Jelinek and H. Sulzenbacher
October 2018–October 2020 Expansion of the exhibition “The Female Side of God” for the Jewish Museum Frankfurt, together with F. Heimann-Jelinek (opening 23 October 2020)
June–October 2018 Concept development, detailed planning and implementation of the Curatorial Education Programme of the Association of European Jewish Museums at the Israel Museum (7–11 October 2018), together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
May–November 2018 Maternity leave replacement for Eva Koppen, Managing Director of the AEJM, responsible for the Curatorial Education Programme and the admission of new members to the AEJM
January–April 2018 Concept development, detailed planning and implementation of the Curatorial Education Programme of the Association of European Jewish Museums at the Jewish Museum Frankfurt (15–19 April 2018), together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
June–November 2017 Copy-editing of the exhibition catalogue “Seven Crates of Jewish Material. Looting and Rediscovery 1938–Today”, Jewish Museum Munich
May–December 2017 Concept development for a company museum for Engel Spritzgusstechnik (not realised)
June–October 2017 Concept development, detailed planning and implementation of the Curatorial Education Programme of the Association of European Jewish Museums at the Jewish Museum Venice (15–19 October 2017), together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
January–April 2017 Concept development, detailed planning and implementation of the Advanced Curatorial Education Programme for the Association of European Jewish Museums in the Jewish community of Izmir / The Izmir Project (19–23 April 2017), together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
2016/2017 Concept development, object research and catalogue for the exhibition “The Female Side of God”, Jewish Museum Hohenems, together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
December 2016–March 2017 Editorial work and copy-editing of the publication: Lis Malina (ed.), “Dear Papa, how is you? The Life of Erich Wolfgang Korngold in Letters”, Vienna 2017
January–April 2016 Concept development, detailed planning and implementation of the Curatorial Education Programme of the Association of European Jewish Museums in southern Germany (Memmelsdorf, Binswangen, Kriegshaber, Augsburg, Munich, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Ulm, Baisingen, Jewish Museum Franconia in Fürth, Schwabach and Schnaittach) as well as Hohenems/Vorarlberg; theme “Built Heritage” (17–21 April 2016), together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
January–April 2016 Concept and detailed planning of “Großer Ratschlag – 25 Years of the Jewish Museum Hohenems” (8–9 April 2016), together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
2015/2016 Concept development, object research and catalogue for the exhibition “Tafelkratzer, Tintenpatzer. School Stories from Vienna”, Vienna City Library at City Hall, Vienna 2016, together with Reinhard Buchberger, Felicitas Heimann-Jelinek and Nina Linke
2015/2016 Concept development, object research and catalogue for the exhibition “Chapeau! A Social History of Covered Heads”, Wien Museum, Vienna, together with Barbara Staudinger
June–September 2016 Concept development, detailed planning and implementation of the Curatorial Education Programme of the Association of European Jewish Museums in St. Petersburg (18–22 September 2016), together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
May–September 2015 Concept development, detailed planning and implementation of the Curatorial Education Programme of the Association of European Jewish Museums at the Jewish Museum Budapest (30 August–3 September 2015), together with F. Heimann-Jelinek
September 2014 Second Advanced Curatorial Education Programme (A-CEP), organised by the Association of European Jewish Museums and the Jewish Museum Berlin, held at the Jewish Museum Berlin; concept development, organisation and implementation together with F. Heimann-Jelinek (Programme Director of A-CEP)
May–October 2014 Editorial work and copy-editing for “Jukebox, Jewkbox – A Jewish Century on Shellac and Vinyl”, Jewish Museum Hohenems and Jewish Museum Munich (exhibition texts and catalogue, German and English)
February 2014 First Advanced Curatorial Education Programme (A-CEP), organised by the Association of European Jewish Museums and the Jewish Museum Berlin, held at the Jewish Historical Museum Amsterdam; concept development, organisation and implementation together with F. Heimann-Jelinek (Programme Director of A-CEP)
Since January 2014 Assistant to the programme directors of the Advanced Curatorial Education Programme (A-CEP), organised by the Association of European Jewish Museums and the Jewish Museum Berlin
January 2013–March 2014 Together with F. Heimann-Jelinek: concept development and object research for the exhibition “The First Europeans”, Jewish Museum Hohenems; editor of the exhibition catalogue (German and English)
December 2012–February 2013 Editorial work and copy-editing for “Everything Has Its Time. Rituals Against Forgetting”, Jewish Museum Munich (exhibition texts and catalogue, German and English)
November 2012–January 2013 Development of a concept for an Energy Museum in Baku, Azerbaijan
May–October 2012 Detailed planning and organisation of the excursion “Israel. Contemporary History in the Museum”, together with F. Heimann-Jelinek (concept), 20–25 October 2012
January–October 2012 The Keter Programme: Understanding and Caring for Judaica Collections in Ukrainian Museums (four four-day training seminars); assistant to the programme director Felicitas Heimann-Jelinek (programme development, organisation, compilation of materials)
2012 Lecturer within the framework of the Keter Programme (lectures and workshops on Jewish festivals, intangible cultural heritage, mediation programmes in Jewish museums, online photo databases, oral history, etc.)
Since 1 January 2012 Self-employed in the field of cultural management and cultural mediation; working partnership xhibit.at with F. Heimann-Jelinek
1 December 2010–end of March 2011 Curator at the Jewish Museum Vienna; collaboration on the initial concept for the new permanent exhibition (together with F. Heimann-Jelinek)
2010/2011 Organisation of the First Austrian Memorial Sites Seminar at Schloss Hartheim
2010 Organisation, coordination and workshop within the framework of the 1st Curatorial Education Programme of the Association of European Jewish Museums at the Jewish Museum Vienna
Spring 2010 “gemma gucken. gemma klick!” cooperation with SOHO in Ottakring; photography workshop in the Brunnenviertel district for the exhibition “The Turks in Vienna” (in collaboration with the Vienna Children’s Friends)
Since January 2009 Renewed appointment as head of the Department of Communication & Education at the Jewish Museum Vienna (together with Hannah Landsmann)
8–11 September 2009 Participation in the Working Group on Jewish Collections in Rendsburg; lecture on the mediation programme “Kurt and Ilse” at the Jewish Museum Vienna
October 2006–November 2007 Curator (together with Michael Haas) of the exhibition “The Korngolds – Cliché, Criticism and Composition”; editor and managing editor of the exhibition catalogue
January–September 2005 Coordination of the exhibition “Mahleriana – The Making of an Icon”, Jewish Museum Vienna
October 2004 Editor, managing editor and coordinator of the new general catalogue of the Jewish Museum Vienna (“The Jewish Museum Vienna from A–Z”)
March 2003 Birth of a daughter
February–May 2002 Editorial work and copy-editing for the exhibition catalogue “Expelled by the Grandfather, Researched by the Grandchild?”, Jewish Museum Vienna
July 2001 Birth of a son
Spring 2001 Symposium “Object versus Computer!? Sense and Nonsense of New Media in the Museum”, Jewish Museum Vienna (concept, organisation, lecture, moderation)
Since January 2001 Full-time position at the Jewish Museum Vienna (parental leave from April 2001 to September 2002)
March–June 1999 Tutor for the lecture “Introduction to the Study of History” with ao. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Botz, University of Vienna
Since January 1999 Establishment of the Department of Communication & Education at the Jewish Museum Vienna, part-time position
January–February 1999 Authoring of texts for the audio guide of the permanent exhibition at the Jewish Museum Vienna
Since October 1998 Numerous texts written for the architecture firm cp-architektur; content supervision of the website
June–August 1998 Development of didactic teaching materials for the Jewish Museum Vienna
Since May 1998 Development of museum education concepts for the temporary exhibitions of the Jewish Museum Vienna
February–April 1998 Stay in New York; freelance collaborator on a research commission for the Jewish Museum Fürth at the Leo Baeck Institute, New York
January 1998 Development of museum education concepts for guided tours of the permanent exhibition of the Jewish Museum Vienna
November 1996–March 1997 Collaboration on the editorial team of the collected volume “Franco-Austrian Cultural Transfers since 1945”, edited by Thomas Angerer and Jacques Le Rider
25 October 1996 Paper presented at the symposium “French Cultural Policy in Tyrol and Its Effects” at the French Cultural Institute Innsbruck
3–4 October 1996 Paper presented at the colloquium “Franco-Austrian Cultural Transfers since 1945” at the French Cultural Institute Vienna
October 1996–January 1997 Tutor for the lecture “Introduction to the Study of History” with ao. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Haas, University of Vienna
August 1996 Internship at the German-language Jewish newspaper “Aufbau” in New York
March 1996 Continuation of guiding activities at the Jewish Museum Vienna
February–May 1996 Research assistant for the exhibition “Visions Privées. The French Presence in Tyrol after 1945. Images of Mutual Perception”, French Cultural Institute Innsbruck
November 1995–October 1996 Research commission and project coordination for the workshop “Franco-Austrian Cultural Transfers since 1945” (Department of History, University of Vienna; French Cultural Institute Vienna; Ministry of Science; programme “Grenzenloses Österreich”)
October 1995 Research assistant for the exhibition “Beautiful Austria. Homeland Protection between Aesthetics and Ideology”, Austrian Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art
Since November 1993 Guided tours at the Jewish Museum of the City of Vienna
1991–1992 German language assistant; independent teaching of conversation and cultural studies classes at two lycées in the Paris suburbs of Noisiel and Torcy
Spring 1991 Collaboration on the project “New Paths in University Didactics”, Centre for School Practice, Vienna
Languages
French – excellent spoken and written
English – very good spoken and written
Spanish – very good spoken and written
Italian – good spoken and written
Latin – Latinum (advanced level)
Hebrew – beginner level