Career opportunities within museums and galleries are virtually endless. People from a variety of backgrounds and vocations can find their perfect career in a museum, whether they are an historian, an electrician, a designer or a librarian.
Career pathways are not always clear, due to the diverse workforce that supports the sector. It is likely that most graduates will start off their career in a small museum or gallery, perhaps in a regional or suburban location, rather than immediately entering a national institution in Canberra. Starting small has many advantages as it generally allows (sometimes forces) a worker to try out all the different roles within an institution, from curatorial duties, registration and visitor services to creating education programs and designing exhibition.
Here we explore just some of the key positions in our sector.
Curator
Curators and exhibition officers oversee collections by managing the acquisition, preservation and display of objects.
Their jobs are many and varied, from research to installation. A curator is often an expert in charge of one aspect or theme of the collection such as photographs, Asian art, or textiles.
Collections
Registrars and collection management staff ensure collection items are documented, displayed, conserved and stored correctly. They also arrange the loan and transport of items between institutions. Registrars need to be sticklers for detail and documentation, but also get to be hands-on in the collection.
More information coming soon
Conservation
Conservators aim to minimise change to collection material, to protect items from the adverse effects of climate and chemical deterioration, and to safeguard our heritage not only for here and now but for generations to come.
Education and Outreach
Education and outreach officers engage with communities and groups of all ages outside the museum. They organise workshops, lectures, holiday activities and learning events in the museum and the wider community, using their collection the make learning fun for everyone.
More information coming soon
Management
The role of management depends on the size of the museum or gallery. A small community museum may have only one person who is museum director, finance manager, fundraiser and curator all in one. In larger institutions, there will likely be a museum director (or CEO), and department managers in charge of strategic and operational matters and public relations.
More information coming soon
Visitor Services
Visitor services are the front of house jobs that involve meeting and greeting, and making sure visitors have a good time in the museum.
Visitor services staff and volunteers will often be expected to take guided tours of the museum, staff the information desk, answer general inquiries, run the shop and the café.
More information coming soon
Administration and Technical
Administrators and technical staff vary greatly depending on the size of the museum or gallery and can include finance and HR staff, picture framers, photographers, electricians, graphic designers, carpenters, librarians, marketers and security personnel.
