Chief Curator

Chief Curator – Queens Museum

Institution: Queens Museum, New York
Location: Corona, NY, USA (Fully Onsite)
Contract: Full-time, salary
Salary: USD $100,000–$130,000 annually

The Queens Museum seeks a Chief Curator to lead and shape the creative and curatorial vision of the institution. The role oversees all curatorial programming, including exhibitions, commissions, artists’ fellowships, and publications. The Chief Curator provides strategic leadership across the Exhibitions and Collections team, supervises staff and external collaborators, manages budgets, develops fundraising strategies, and represents the museum nationally and internationally. The position requires active engagement with artists, scholars, donors, and the broader public.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Exhibitions and Collections team, including Assistant Curators, Assistant Director Archives & Collections, Production Manager, and external collaborators.
• Develop and oversee in-house and traveling exhibitions, curatorial priorities, and project implementation.
• Supervise acquisitions, collections management, registration, and digitization of records.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Chief Learning Officer to integrate programs, including the Suna Children’s Museum.
• Serve as spokesperson and advocate for the museum, attending conferences, lectures, and professional events.
• Manage departmental budgets and collaborate with Development to secure fundraising and donor support.
• Lead interdepartmental meetings, supervise fellows and interns, and ensure efficient communication and accountability within the team.

Person Specification

• Education: Master’s degree in Art History, Curatorial Studies, or related field (advanced degree preferred).
• Experience: Extensive senior-level experience in museum management, curating, exhibitions, public programs, and acquisitions.
• Skills: Strong leadership, interpersonal, planning, and organizational skills; public speaking; negotiation; problem solving; project and budget management.
• Deep knowledge of contemporary art practices, histories, and global discourses.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external partners.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (IDEA) in arts programming.
• Language skills beyond English desirable: ASL, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic.