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Associate Museum Curator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Curatorial Associate The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world's preeminent scientific and cultural institutions, and has as its mission to discover, interpret, and disseminate ...

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Associate Museum Curator information

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How much do associate museum curator jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 8, 2026, the average hourly pay for associate museum curator in the United States is $28.71, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $26.20 and $31.49 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Associate Museum Curator vs Museum Curator?

AspectAssociate Museum CuratorMuseum Curator
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's degree in Art History, Museum Studies, or related field; some experienceSimilar educational background; often more experience required
Work EnvironmentAssist with exhibitions, collections, and research under supervisionLead projects, make curatorial decisions, oversee collections
Employer & Industry UsageCommon entry-level or mid-level role in museums and galleriesSenior or lead role in similar institutions
Search & Comparison IntentYes, often compared for career progressionYes, as a more advanced position

The Associate Museum Curator typically supports curatorial activities, assisting with collections and exhibitions, often as an entry or mid-level role. The Museum Curator holds more responsibility, leading projects and making key decisions. Both roles require similar educational backgrounds, but the Museum Curator usually has more experience and authority within the museum setting.

What are some typical responsibilities of an Associate Museum Curator, and how do they collaborate with other museum staff?

An Associate Museum Curator is often responsible for assisting with the development, organization, and interpretation of museum collections and exhibitions. They frequently conduct research, help manage collections, and contribute to exhibition planning and installation. Collaboration is key in this role, as Associate Curators regularly work with educators, registrars, conservators, and marketing staff to ensure exhibitions are well-researched, preserved, and effectively communicated to the public. This teamwork helps create engaging and educational experiences for museum visitors.

What does an Associate Museum Curator do?

An Associate Museum Curator assists in managing and developing museum collections, planning exhibitions, and conducting research on artifacts or artworks. They often work under the supervision of a senior curator and collaborate with other museum staff to ensure the proper care and display of items. Their responsibilities can also include writing catalog descriptions, organizing educational programs, and engaging with the public to promote the museum’s mission. Overall, they play a vital role in shaping the museum's offerings and contributing to scholarly research.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Associate Museum Curator, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Associate Museum Curator, you generally need a background in art history or a related field, research skills, and experience with collections management. Familiarity with museum collection databases, cataloguing systems, and sometimes certifications in museum studies are commonly required. Strong organizational abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating with staff and engaging the public. These competencies ensure the preservation, interpretation, and accessibility of collections, which are essential for the museum's mission and visitor experience.
More about Associate Museum Curator jobs
What cities are hiring for Associate Museum Curator jobs? Cities with the most Associate Museum Curator job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Museum Curator jobs? The most popular types of Museum Curator jobs are:
What states have the most Associate Museum Curator jobs? States with the most job openings for Associate Museum Curator jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Associate Museum Curator jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Associate Museum Curator jobs are:
Infographic showing various Associate Museum Curator job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 3% Full Time, 93% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $59,714 per year, or $28.7 per hour.
Supervisory Museum Curator

Supervisory Museum Curator

Smithsonian Institution

Washington, DC • On-site, Remote

$169K - $197K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 26 days ago


Smithsonian Institution rating

8.6

Company rating: 8.6 out of 10

Based on 23 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

1st of 26 rated museums


Job description

Summary
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in the National Museum of American History, Office of Curatorial Affairs, Division of Work and Industry.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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The Supervisory Museum Curator/Division Chair will direct a division of curators, historians, collections managers, and museum specialists. Division work can include a wide range of short- and long-term projects such as collecting; answering public and scholarly inquiries; giving public presentations; and creating a range of public history products grounded in research and scholarship, such as exhibitions, digital projects, public programs, articles, and books.
In this position, you will:
  • Guide and shape specific short- and long-term projects of the Division of Work & Industry staff, ensuring that their work advances the mission and interpretive goals of the museum.
  • Advance the day-to-day operations of the division and its staff, and work to build a shared sense of goals and purpose among division staff.
  • Advise the Office of Curatorial Affairs Associate Director on long-term plans and intellectual emphases for the museum, the department, and the division.
  • Serve on or lead teams that create exhibitions, public programs, digital outputs, or other public history works; sustain a program of public history research; and shape and steward the division's collections.
  • Play a prominent role in professional circles, advancing national and/or international conversation among other public historians and museum colleagues, nationally and internationally.

Requirements
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Conditions of employment
  • Requires career/career-conditional status or eligibility.
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
  • May be required to serve an 18-month
    probationary period for supervisors.

Conditions of Employment
Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.
For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications (1015 series):
A. Degree: in museum work; or in an applicable subject-matter field.
or
B. Combination of education and experience courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
or
C. Four years of experience that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study as shown in A above.
In addition to the basic qualification requirement above:
Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as 1) Managing and leading staff; 2) Researching, collecting, and exhibiting material culture related to the history of work and industry in the United States; and 3) Overseeing a range of research products such as scholarly articles, teaching, lectures, oral histories, archival holdings, museum collections, exhibitions, and/or public programming.
Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications; For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards.
In an effort to streamline our hiring process, SI employees whose current position of record is in the same job series 1015 and who are in a (Federal competitive or excepted service appointment) as this advertised position, are not required to submit a transcript with your application package. However, if selected, you will be required to provide a copy of your transcript before your start date in the position.
Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying).
Education
See above for Basic Education Requirements.
Additional information
  • This position is not included in the bargaining unit.

Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position. However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.
Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.
Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, vacation and sick leave, holidays, health/life insurance, accident insurance, and excellent retirement program options.
Please see Benefits at https://www.si.edu/OHR/benefits for a complete description.
Flexible Spending Accounts - https://www.fsafeds.com/
Health Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp
Leave - http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.asp
Life Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp
Long Term Care Insurance - http://www.ltcfeds.com
Retirement Program - https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/

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