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Museum Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Colby College

Chief Curator

Waterville, ME

They will establish and direct curatorial strategy at a time of institutional transformation, develop and steward the Museum's art collection, and lead an ambitious staff of five while contributing ...

Colby

Chief Curator

Waterville, ME

They will establish and direct curatorial strategy at a time of institutional transformation, develop and steward the Museum's art collection, and lead an ambitious staff of five while contributing ...

Colby College

Chief Curator

Waterville, ME · On-site

They will establish and direct curatorial strategy at a time of institutional transformation, develop and steward the Museum's art collection, and lead an ambitious staff of five while contributing ...

City of Riverside

CURATOR OF HISTORY

Riverside, CA · On-site

$79K - $96K/yr

This position will work with the Curatorial Services Manager, the Museum Director, colleagues, and the community to successfully accomplish these tasks, and to steward the permanent collection of ...

Bishop Museum

Museum Educator

Honolulu, HI · On-site

$42K - $49K/yr

Job Purpose With direction from the Director of Education and in collaboration with educators from the Science and Hawaiian Cultural Education groups, the Museum Educator will be responsible for ...

City of Riverside, CA

CURATOR OF HISTORY

Riverside, CA · On-site

$79K - $96K/yr

This position will work with the Curatorial Services Manager, the Museum Director, colleagues, and the community to successfully accomplish these tasks, and to steward the permanent collection of ...

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Museum Director information

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$11K

$112.5K

$190K

How much do museum director jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for museum director in the United States is $112,479.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $71,500.00 and $168,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Does a Museum Director Do?

A museum director oversees all aspects of a museum’s operation, including defining the concept of the museum and signing off on each collection or exhibit. In this career, you usually work closely with a board of directors when making these decisions. Your duties are to communicate with curators and other members of the museum staff, and deal with the museum’s finances. Because of the different facets of this career, a museum director must have or be willing to develop a diverse set of skills.

What are some of the primary challenges Museum Directors face in balancing curatorial vision with operational responsibilities?

Museum Directors often juggle the creative aspects of shaping exhibitions and collections with the practical demands of managing budgets, staff, and community engagement. Balancing these priorities requires strong leadership and communication skills, as Directors must coordinate with curators, educators, fundraising teams, and external stakeholders. Navigating funding limitations while maintaining high-quality programming and ensuring the museum's mission is upheld can be particularly challenging. Success in this role often depends on the ability to build strategic partnerships and foster a collaborative work environment.

What does a Museum Director do?

A Museum Director is responsible for overseeing all aspects of a museum's operations, including managing staff, developing exhibits, securing funding, and ensuring the preservation of collections. They set the strategic vision for the museum and work closely with the board, donors, and the community to fulfill the museum’s mission. Museum Directors also play a key role in educational programming, public relations, and financial management to ensure the museum’s long-term success.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Museum Director, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Museum Director, you need expertise in museum administration, art or history knowledge, fundraising, and typically a relevant advanced degree. Familiarity with collection management systems, donor databases, and grant-writing tools is crucial. Leadership, strategic vision, and strong interpersonal skills help foster community engagement and effective team management. These competencies are vital for preserving collections, securing funding, and ensuring the museum’s mission is achieved.
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Museum Director jobs near you
Infographic showing various Museum Director job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $112,479 per year, or $54.1 per hour.

Executive Assistant to the Museum Director

Moma

Manhattan, NY

$115K/yr

Other

Posted 7 days ago

Job description

The Museum of Modern Art is currently accepting applications for a highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive Executive Assistant to provide high level administrative support for, and on behalf of, the David Rockefeller Director and the Chief of Staff of The Museum of Modern Art.
This role works directly with the Chief of Staff to support all day-to-day operations of the Office of the Director. The ideal candidate has outstanding communication and interpersonal skills and is able to work independently and collaboratively across internal teams and external stakeholders, including the Museum’s Board of Trustees, artists and art world professionals, in a high-volume environment.
The successful candidate will work in partnership with the Chief of Staff to ensure that the Director’s Office operates efficiently and at a high level, and will be a resource to other Museum colleagues.
Responsibilities:

  • Manages and maintains the Director’s calendar, including scheduling appointments and meetings, anticipating needs and handling any conflicts proactively; when applicable prepares and distributes agendas and minutes and follows up on action items.
  • Coordinates domestic and international travel arrangements for the Director, including flights, accommodations and ground transportation. Creates detailed itineraries and tracks and submits expenses from trips in a timely manner.
  • Develops, reviews and edits a wide range of correspondence, including emails, speaking remarks, presentations and written letters with keen attention to detail and clarity.
  • Provides comprehensive support, in collaboration with other departments, for the planning and execution of internal and external meetings, team retreats, special convenings, events and fundraisers.
  • Maintains and supports effective working relationships between the Office of the Director and other senior leaders at the Museum, Chief Curators, and all Museum colleagues.
  • Builds and maintains relationships with counterparts at other museums and cultural institutions.
  • Acts as a liaison and attends to special requests from external collaborators, including fellow art institutions and museum colleagues, commercial galleries, artists, outside scholars, and Museum donors; coordinate visits to MoMA and other museums for Trustees and VIPs.
  • Fields inquiries to appropriate departments, responds to employee and outside inquiries, and ensures timely responses to urgent issues.
  • Completes timely and thorough expense reports for Director and Chief of Staff, including the reconciliation and uploading of receipts for all corporate credit card expenses.
  • Performs any other duties reasonably related to the functions described above.
Requirements:
  • Bachelor's degree and a minimum of seven or more years of related experience supporting a director or senior-level executive, ideally in a large museum or other non-profit environment.
  • Exceptional organizational and multitasking skills, confident conversationalist. Professional and approachable presence.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of office practices and procedures.
  • Computer proficiency (including Microsoft Office Suite (Word and Excel); Google Suite; PowerPoint).
  • High standard of accountability and confidentiality.
  • Able to quickly establish professional relationships built on respect and confidence.
  • Proven ability to work efficiently and juggle multiple priorities simultaneously with sound judgement in a fast-paced office environment.
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with a proven ability to draft, edit and proofread executive-level correspondence (emails, presentations, letters) with clarity and keen attention to detail.
  • Knowledge of or interest in modern and contemporary art is desirable.
  • Proficiency (written and verbal) in Spanish or Mandarin would be an asset.
  • On-site presence is required Monday through Friday.

Salary range: Minimum of $105,000 to maximum of $115,000 per annum
Application instructions: To apply, please visit MoMA Jobs. Applicants should submit a resume and a statement of interest. Applications without cover letters will not be considered.
Application deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a deadline of June 7, 2026. After which the job posting will be closed.
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement: Equal Employment Opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at the Museum, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital and civil partnership/union status, alienage or citizenship status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, familial status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, caregiver status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, or any other protected category as established by applicable law, including the New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”).
May 2026
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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