Suzanne Andrée Curatorial Fellowship at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Department: Prints, Drawings and Photographs
Contract: Full-time, two-year fixed-term
Hours: 35 hours per week
Salary: $46,561 per year
Fellowship period: 19 October 2026–25 August 2028
Application deadline: Rolling; applications may close once a sufficient applicant pool is reached or a candidate is selected
Reports to: The Brodsky Curator of Photographs and Head of Prints, Drawings and Photographs

The Philadelphia Museum of Art invites applications for the Suzanne Andrée Curatorial Fellowship, a two-year professional development opportunity focused on prints, drawings and other works on paper.

Designed as preparation for an advanced museum career, the fellowship combines professional mentorship with practical curatorial, collections and research experience.

About the Fellowship

The Curatorial Fellow will become a fully integrated member of the Department of Prints, Drawings and Photographs, working alongside departmental curators and Paper Conservation.

The department oversees more than 162,000 works on paper dating from the fifteenth century to the present. The Fellow will contribute to their cataloguing, interpretation, care, display and development while assisting with exhibitions, publications, acquisitions and study-room activities.

They will also have opportunities to organise public programmes connected to their research.

Responsibilities

The Curatorial Fellow will:

• Coordinate access to the Abigail Rebecca Cohen Study Room;
• Maintain the study room’s schedule and conduct visitor outreach;
• Coordinate artwork movements, class visits, individual appointments and presentations;
• Research and catalogue works in the collection;
• Respond to scholarly and public enquiries;
• Assist curators with exhibition and publication planning, management and delivery;
• Work with Paper Conservation to prepare condition reports;
• Conduct preliminary research into potential acquisitions;
• Contribute to collection assessments and other curatorial projects;
• Prepare materials for biannual departmental committee meetings;
• Write justifications for potential acquisitions;
• Create presentations and present assigned works or research topics to the committee;
• Undertake departmental administrative tasks; and
• Develop programmes connected to their research.

Requirements

Applicants must have:

• A master’s degree in Art History;
• A demonstrated commitment to art-historical scholarship and museum work;
• A specialisation in prints and drawings;
• A strong interest in the variety and diversity of works on paper;
• The ability to work collaboratively;
• The ability to manage multiple priorities alongside longer-term assignments; and
• An understanding of professional and ethical standards within museums.

Further postgraduate experience beyond a master’s degree and previous experience within a museum or comparable art institution would be advantageous.

A background check will be required following a conditional offer.

Benefits

The Philadelphia Museum of Art offers:

• Medical, dental and vision insurance;
• Fully paid short- and long-term disability insurance;
• Life insurance;
• Health savings or flexible spending accounts;
• A retirement savings programme with an employer match;
• Paid annual leave, personal days, sick leave and holidays;
• Free museum admission for employees and their immediate families;
• Discounted guest admission and gift memberships;
• Staff tours and presentations led by curatorial and conservation teams; and
• Discounts at the Museum’s restaurants, cafés and shops.

Eligibility for individual benefits depends on factors including working schedule and length of employment.

About the Philadelphia Museum of Art

The Philadelphia Museum of Art collects, preserves, studies and presents art across historical periods, cultures and media.

Its Department of Prints, Drawings and Photographs cares for more than 162,000 works on paper, ranging from the fifteenth century to contemporary practice.

The position forms part of the AFSCME Local 397 bargaining unit. The Museum welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds, particularly people from communities historically marginalised and underrepresented within the museum sector.