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Photography Curator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Museum Curator

Gillette, WY ยท On-site

$33.87/hr

The Curator manages the development and implementation of an engaging and educational exhibition ... Assists public with research and associated requests for information and photographs. Creates ...

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Photography Curator information

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$25.5K

$72.6K

$119.5K

How much do photography curator jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for photography 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 photography curator do?

A Photography Curator is responsible for selecting, organizing, and presenting photographic works in galleries, museums, or exhibitions. They research artists, develop thematic collections, and oversee the display and preservation of photographs. Curators also collaborate with photographers, historians, and institutions to create meaningful visual narratives. Their role often includes writing exhibition texts, securing funding, and engaging with the public through events and educational programs.

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

To thrive as a Photography Curator, you need a strong background in art history or photography, expertise in collection management, and experience with exhibition planning. Familiarity with digital cataloguing systems, image databases, and sometimes photo editing or restoration tools is also valuable. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and effective communication are essential soft skills for collaborating with artists, galleries, and museum staff. These abilities ensure that photographic collections are preserved, presented, and interpreted effectively for diverse audiences.

What are common challenges a photography curator faces in their daily work?

Photography Curators often encounter challenges such as managing large and diverse collections, ensuring the proper preservation of both physical and digital images, and balancing the need for artistic vision with institutional goals. Tight timelines and limited budgets can require creative problem-solving, especially when organizing exhibitions or educational programs. Additionally, staying current with technological advancements and ethical considerations in the photography field is essential. Collaboration with other curators, conservators, and public engagement teams is a key aspect, making strong communication skills crucial to success in this role.

Do photography curators make a lot of money?

Photography curators typically earn a median salary that varies by experience, location, and institution, with salaries ranging from around $40,000 to over $80,000 annually. Advanced skills in art history, curation, and photography, along with experience managing exhibitions, can influence earning potential.
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What cities are hiring for Photography Curator jobs?

Cities with the most Photography Curator job openings:

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

The most popular types of Photography Curator jobs are:

What states have the most Photography Curator jobs?

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

Infographic showing various Photography Curator job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 70% Full Time, 24% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $72,627 per year, or $34.9 per hour.

Senior Curator of Photography

Opportunities at the National Gallery of Art

Washington, DC โ€ข On-site

$151K/yr

Full-time

Posted 2 days ago

New


Job description

The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Millions of people come through our doors each year, with even more online, making us one of the most visited art museums in the world. Our renowned collection includes over 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. Admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย 

Qualifications:

Specialized Experience Statement: To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, candidates must possess a minimum of one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to grade level GS-15 in the public, private, or non-profit sectors . Specialized experience is defined as: Serving as a senior curator, responsible for the overall management, safekeeping, and integrity of photography, with a record of achievement in art museum management, art acquisitions, collection care and development, research, publications, exhibitions, interpretation, and programs, together with the breadth of curatorial experience to create dialogues with other media and the curiosity to forge connections across collections areas who specializes in 19th-century to contemporary photography, for a major organization or institution.ย 

OPM Qualifications Standard:

Individual Occupational Requirements: Museum Curator Series 1015

Associated Group standard: ย Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Professional and Scientific Positions

Basic Qualification Requirements for 1015 (Museum Curator series):
A) Degree: 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.
MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONS:

Applicants must address the following mandatory qualificationsย separate from their resumes. Statements must provide specific examples that address relevant experience, accomplishments and evidence that you possess demonstrated superior technical qualifications.ย You will not be considered for this position if you fail to submit qualification statements specifically addressing each mandatory technical qualification requirement.

Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs): Maximum of two pages per MTQ.

  • Demonstrated experience and knowledge of art historical scholarly research methods.
  • Expert knowledge and experience in building and managing an art collection.
  • Demonstrated knowledge and experience with the curation of art, experience in budget and staff management, strategic planning, and project management of collaborative and complex curatorial projects andinitiatives.
  • Demonstrated knowledge and experience collaborating with non-curatorial staff in exhibit design which may include visual information specialists, educators, interpreters, exhibit technicians, or exhibit specialists; managing a museum program that includes historic artifacts, textiles, documents, photographs, or historic objects; overseeing development and installation of exhibits, strategic planning and prioritizing of content and creation.
  • Demonstrated experience and the ability to provide accurate and informative responses to inquiries from outside scholars, colleagues, and the public concerning works in the collection or requests for expert opinions.

In addition to a resume, each applicant is required to submit a comprehensive narrative statement addressing each MTQ individually. The narrative must demonstrate the necessary level of skills, characteristics, qualities, specialized knowledge, and technical competence that would indicate successful performance in this Senior Level position. This evidence must include clear and concise examples that emphasize the applicant's level of responsibilities, scope, and complexity of assignments, program accomplishments, policy initiatives, and level of contacts. Applicants who fail to provide this narrative statement in the format requested will not be considered.
EACH MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION (MTQ) MUST BE ADDRESSED AND TITLED SEPARATELY AND MUST NOT EXCEED TWO PAGES PER STATEMENT

Do not enter "Refer to Resume" to explain your answer. Applications directing the reader to search within the application or to "See Resume" are considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Other Relevant Eligibility Criteria:

Must maintain availability for executive incident response and occasional work outside normal business hours

Requires availability for domestic and international travel up to 10%.

May be required to carry a Gallery-issued phone during non-work hours.

Your responses to the MTQs will be evaluated based on how clearly and concisely you emphasize your level of responsibilities,ย particularly,ย the scope and complexity of the programs, activities, or services managed; program accomplishments; policy initiatives undertaken; level of contacts; the sensitivity and criticality of the issues addressed; and the results of actions taken.
You are required to submit separate narrative statements for each MTQ to receive consideration for this position. Please see theย REQUIRED DOCUMENTSย section for complete details regarding the page limitation and formatting requirement.
Applicants must carefully review the information in theย "How You Will Be Evaluated" section for important information and instructions pertaining to the multi-hurdle assessment process for this position.

While not required by regulation, agencies may require that at least 1 year of the specialized experience must be at least equivalent to experience at GS-15ย (5 CFR 319.301(c)(2)).
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

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.

Education:

This position has an education requirement.ย 

Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.ย Foreign educationย must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see theย Department of Education website.

You must provide documentation supporting your education claims.

Employment Type: OTHER