We Are Committed to an Inclusive Workplace
At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we actively seek to employ a diverse group of people who embody our organizational values. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups in the museum field, who are inspired by our shared purpose and enjoy working collaboratively with others.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.
How You Will Contribute
The Philadelphia Museum of Art seeks an associate curator or curator with an exceptional record of exhibitions and publications to oversee the museum’s distinguished collection of 120,000 prints. Reporting to the head of the department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs, the successful applicant will join the curatorial team during a period of exciting transformation within the department and the museum. While consideration will be given to those who specialize in printmaking before 1800 or printmaking in the US and Mexico before 1950, the breadth and depth of the collection calls for a curator with a broad-based knowledge of prints who can expand, diversify, and reinterpret existing canons. Along with shaping the next chapter of the print collection’s history, the Curator of Prints plays a vital role in the department’s fellowship program, which has successfully launched the careers of print specialists for more than four decades.
Specifically, you will:
- With the Department Head and the Curator of Photographs, lead a collections assessment and recommend acquisition strategies including recommending works of art for purchase and assessing offered gifts.
- Work closely with the department’s acquisitions committee and supporters, assisting in all aspects of committee meeting preparations and stewardship of supporters.
- Conduct or direct research on the collection or on related topics in accordance with plans developed in consultation with the Department Head, using this research for the development of exhibitions and public programming, the enrichment of the museum’s collections database and interpretive materials in the galleries, and for presentation in collections catalogues, scholarly articles, public lectures, and symposia.
- Organize and/or coordinate collections rotations and special exhibitions, either individually or in collaboration with colleagues from the museum and other institutions.
- This work encompasses every aspect of the development and implementation of exhibitions, from initial project planning and research to participation in budgeting and resource development, the production of catalogues, the creation of installation designs and marketing plans to promote the exhibition, and the development and presentation of interpretive programs.
- Working with the department’s curators, supervise and mentor fellows by delegating curatorial tasks, developing collaborative work assignments, providing professional feedback, and helping fellows develop and implement exhibitions.
- In consultation with collections staff, preparators, paper conservators, and design and installation staff, ensure that works of art are properly documented, conserved, stored in a safe and accessible manner, and effectively displayed in the museum’s galleries.
- With the collections staff and the paper conservators, review and provide recommendations on loan requests.
Collaborate with the Education Division, Digital Resources and Content Strategy Division, and Editorial on the development and production of interpretive materials related to exhibitions and online presentations of prints. - Develop, in consultation with the Department Head, a professional development plan to enable you to keep up to date on scholarship and curatorial developments in the field and address any agreed-upon professional needs (e.g., managerial training, communications skills, etc.).
- Share responsibility for the management of the department study room and respond to queries about the collection.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Department Head.
Your background and experience include:
- A record of research and curatorial achievement, which includes the development of small and large-scale exhibitions, publications and online resources that address a wide range of audiences, and acquisitions of works of art.
- Experience maintaining best practices in conservation, collections management, loan requests, provenance, and museum ethics.
- Experience mentoring colleagues.
Experience working with donors, collectors, and museum patrons.
A track record of collaboration with a sense of accountability to others.
Proficiency in a language related to a geographical area of expertise in prints.
Organizational acumen and excellent oral communication and writing skills.
PhD preferred with requisite experience at the associate or full curatorial level.
Position and Compensation Details
The minimum salary for Associate Curator is $65,000
The minimum salary for Curator is $85,000.
This position is full-time, exempt and thirty-five (35) hours per week.
Application Timeline
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting on September 7, 2021. We encourage candidates to apply early as the position will close once we have a robust applicant pool or a candidate has been selected.
What We Offer
Our employees are at the center of the museum. As an employee, you will have access to numerous museum perks including, but not limited to:
- Free general admission to the museum for you and your immediate family
- Discounted guest tickets for admission
- Discounts on gift memberships
- Special staff tours and presentations from our curatorial and conservation teams
- Discounts at the museum restaurant, museum cafés, and museum retail and online stores
We offer a comprehensive benefits package for employees* including:
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits
- Fully paid short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, and life insurance
- Health savings or flexible spending account program
- Retirement savings program with museum match
- Paid vacation, personal days, sick days, and holidays
*Eligibility for certain benefits is based on a variety of factors including the employee’s regular schedule and tenure.
