Description

The Curator of Exhibitions is part of an innovative team of professionals dedicated to telling the story of the American West. As part of the Curatorial Department at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, this position will focus on the development, maintenance and enhancement of the guest experience related to exhibitions in the main galleries and temporary galleries. The curator will work collaboratively with senior curators, exhibit team, as well as with teams across the institution, and have a key role in raising the bar for interpretation in the exhibits. This will be accomplished through the development of exhibition content and creative physical design including but not limited to original research, exhibit script writing, audio-visual presentation development, digital technology presentations, physical interactives, and graphic treatments. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Exhibits: Works collaboratively with senior curators, exhibition department staff, and collections staff to help develop and execute exhibition projects while ensuring consistency of interpretive message and cohesive gallery experiences. Assists Exhibition Manager and team with gallery installations and repairs, as assigned. Collaboratively creates interpretive plans and creative physical designs for individual exhibition projects with senior curators.  Assist senior curators and Exhibition Manager with the acquisition of supplies and materials for exhibition projects. 

Communication: Conducts original research and drafts exhibition narrative in collaboration with senior curators for exhibition and program projects as assigned. May lead tour if a senior curator is not available. This position will work to ensure museum best practice, cohesive messaging, community involvement and creative design for all exhibition projects and their related programs.  

Project Management: Helps team develop, track and meet project deadlines, milestones, and reports on design and development progress for all exhibition projects. This requires collaboration with cross-function teams. Must be able to let others working on the project know the deadlines and when they are approaching to help projects on schedule. Must be deadline driven and have the ability to prioritize competing tasks, while maintaining efficiency.

Collections: Assists senior curators and collections staff in museum collection and acquisition strategies. Provides basic collections management assistance including cataloging and inventorying of collections. Prepared and delivers presentation to staff, Board of Director, or key stakeholder, exhibit design, historical content, or project progress, as assigned.

Programming: In collaboration with Education/Guest Engagement, Imagineering/IT teams, help create and implement creative interactive, innovative programs and elements geared toward both targeted and a broad audience for new and existing exhibits or gallery spaces. Must be willing to be innovate and experiment with new modes of guest engagement.

 Development and Community Relations: Curators participate in special events, all exhibit openings, programs, and receptions.  Keeps abreast of industry best practices and conducts new research in all areas related to museum interpretation and public history.

 Collaboration: Contributes to a welcoming, respectful, and positive museum environment, working collaboratively within and across departments. Build strong relationships across the institution by communicating proactively and maintain a professional demeanor and positive attitude.

Attendance: Maintains prompt and reliable attendance to successfully perform the duties of the job, including weeks and evening hours for events and programs as needed.

 Performs other duties as assigned. 

Requirements

Education and Experience Required: 

• Master’s degree required in a relevant discipline (History, Public History, Art History, Anthropology, or Museum Studies). Preferred focus in art, history, and culture of the American West with a minimum 2 years professional experience in museum exhibition development, public history, or related field.
• A bachelor’s degree in the relevant disciple with 5+ years of experience in museum exhibition development, public history, or related field, will be considered.

 Knowledge/Skills/Abilities Required to be successful in the position:

•         Ability to do advanced research and have advanced writing skills.
•         Ability to speak publicly and create presentations
•         Knowledgeable of AAM standards and best practices for museum interpretation, guest accessibility, and exhibition of collections.
•         Knowledge of emerging trends in the museum field related to museum interpretation, exhibition design, accessibility, and collections best practice.
•         Ability to collaborate with cross-departmental teams effectively and efficiently for complex exhibition projects. 
•         Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
•         Critical thinking skills and excellent oral and written communication skills.
•         Ability to work well with others and maintain a professional manner using tact, initiative, good judgment, and confidentiality.
•         Advanced computer skills with proficiency in spatial design presentation and graphic production, preferred
•         General knowledge of audio and video production processes, preferred
•         Experience with museum collections handling and artifact mount making, preferred.