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Costume Curator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Associate Registrar

New York, NY ยท On-site

$80K - $85K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Collaborate with Costume Institute Curatorial and Conservation staff to coordinate and oversee the unpacking/packing, installation schedules and courier arrangements * Review and negotiate loan ...

Associate Registrar

New York, NY ยท On-site

$80K - $85K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Collaborate with Costume Institute Curatorial and Conservation staff to coordinate and oversee the unpacking/packing, installation schedules and courier arrangements * Review and negotiate loan ...

Museum-Domestic Farm Interpreter

Conway, SC ยท On-site

$39K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... Curator when repairs are needed. * Reads and understands historical and agricultural source ... Dresses in period costuming when interpreting to the public. * Maintains approved food and ...

Showing results 21-40

Costume Curator information

See salary details

$25.5K

$72.6K

$119.5K

How much do costume curator jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for costume curator in the United States is $72,627.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $50,000.00 and $94,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a costume curator do?

A Costume Curator is responsible for acquiring, preserving, researching, and displaying historical or culturally significant clothing and accessories in museums, galleries, or archives. They work to ensure proper storage and conservation of delicate textiles while also organizing exhibitions and educational programs. Additionally, they may collaborate with researchers, designers, and historians to provide insights into fashion history and material culture.

What skills and qualifications are needed to be a costume curator?

A Costume Curator typically needs expertise in historical fashion, textile conservation, collection management, and a relevant degree in museum studies, fashion history, or a related field. Familiarity with cataloging software, conservation tools, and database management systems is also important. Strong organizational abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help a Costume Curator excel when working with teams and the public. These competencies ensure artifacts are properly preserved, exhibited, and accessible to both scholarly and general audiences.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a costume curator?

Costume Curators spend their days researching, documenting, and caring for historical or significant garments and accessories within a museum or collection. They manage inventory using specialized databases, design and install costume displays, and collaborate with conservators to ensure preservation standards are met. Additionally, they work closely with educators to develop interpretive materials and may assist in organizing exhibitions or events. This varied role often involves public engagement, such as giving tours or lectures, making each day dynamic and rewarding.

Do costume curators make a lot of money?

Costume curators typically earn a median salary that varies by location and experience, with many earning between $40,000 and $70,000 annually. Salaries can increase with specialized skills, advanced education, and working at larger institutions or high-profile projects.
More about Costume Curator jobs

What are the most commonly searched types of Costume Curator jobs?

The most popular types of Costume Curator jobs are:

What states have the most Costume Curator jobs?

States with the most job openings for Costume Curator jobs include:

Infographic showing various Costume Curator job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 55% Full Time, 37% Part Time, 7% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $72,627 per year, or $34.9 per hour.

Associate Registrar

Metmuseum

New York, NY โ€ข On-site

$80K - $85K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 8 days ago


Job description

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City-The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member - from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond - lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity.

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise-and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

As the Associate Registrar, your primary responsibility will be to organize the packing, shipping, customs documentation, and fine arts insurance for The Met's Costume Institute special exhibitions, long term loans, and acquisitions including gifts and purchases. You will coordinate with lenders, shippers and in-house museum staff to ensure artwork is properly tracked, documented and accounted for. You will act as liaison between lenders, donors, shippers, art handlers and receiving staff, and will be available to receive and release shipments outside standard operating hours to meet international and domestic shipping requirements.

Some domestic & international travel may be required. Some work on weekends and early mornings or evenings may be required based on shipping schedules.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

  • Report directly to the Exhibitions Registrar and Senior Associate Registrar for Exams
  • Supervise and coordinate the transfer of artwork to/from the museum including transportation, couriers, security, customs compliance, insurance, packing, unpacking, storage, and related documentation for both temporary exhibition and acquisition
  • Prepare budgets and pay invoices for the packing, shipping and insurance of loans to special exhibitions, and packing, shipping, and artworks for acquisitions
  • Utilize TMS to accurately document incoming and outgoing artworks, create documentation and reports
  • Collaborate with Costume Institute Curatorial and Conservation staff to coordinate and oversee the unpacking/packing, installation schedules and courier arrangements
  • Review and negotiate loan agreements, liaising with Counsel's Office as necessary
  • Coordinate projects with Storeroom One personnel and museum packers
  • Archive all records and files for assigned special exhibition loans and acquisitions
  • Candidate must complete Security Threat Assessment application
  • Some domestic & international travel may be required. Some work on weekends and early mornings or evenings may be required based on shipping schedules.
  • Other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

  • BA degree or museum studies program
  • 5 years related registrar experience at a major art museum
  • Knowledge of costume history and the contemporary fashion industry
  • You are detail-oriented and a successful multi-tasker. You possess excellent interpersonal skills and consistently meet deadlines.
  • Previous museum registrar experience with costume and textiles preferred
  • Working knowledge of art law (i.e. Immunity from Seizure, CITES, customs restrictions, antiquities legislation)
  • Collections Management database experience in TMS
  • Organizational, written and verbal skills
  • Strong interpersonal skills
  • Detailed-oriented and the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
  • Computer proficient - MS Office Suite and Adobe Acrobat

COMPENSATION RANGE:

  • Pay Range: $80,000.00 - $85,000.00 / Annually

The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate's experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Visa Sponsorship

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Location Requirements

At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. "Commuting distance" means that they are located in one of following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the "Tri-state and PA" areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Benefits Offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees.Note:Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

  • Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
  • 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
  • Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
  • Long-term disability coverage
  • Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
  • Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
  • Free financial-planning services
  • Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
  • 25% discount for staff in Museum shops
  • A subsidized staff cafeteria
  • Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the desired attributes for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.

The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact benefits@metmuseum.org.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.