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Temporary Museum Curator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Museum Specialist

Washington, DC · On-site +1

$85K - $111K/yr

This position is located in Curatorial Office, Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM ... Develop and maintain checklists for special projects and temporary exhibitions. * Coordinate across ...

$54K - $78K/yr

... temporary exhibitions. This position also implements and manages projects in collaboration with scientists, researchers, and facilities coordinators. Key Responsibilities * Direct the design ...

Museum Educator

Bridgeport, CT · On-site

$52.35/hr

Temporary position, non-tenure track position Hours: Part-time up to 17 hours per week Anticipated ... Minimum Qualifications Master's degree or higher in art, art history, museum studies, curatorial ...

Collaborate with curatorial and editorial staff to ensure accuracy of all electronic and print ... Supports other priority departmental projects as assigned (e.g., temporary exhibition management)

Art Preparator I

Norfolk, VA · On-site

$21 - $24.04/hr

Art Preparator I The Chrysler Museum of Art, located at 1 Memorial Place in Norfolk, VA, is ... Art Preparator I will collaborate with Registration, Exhibitions, and Curatorial teams to install ...

Job Title Curatorial Assistant/Fellow Department Art Museum Worker Type Temporary (Fixed Term) Pay Type Period Activity Pay Benefit Eligible Yes Summary The Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum (RCCAM ...

Museum Specialist

Washington, DC · On-site +1

$121K - $158K/yr

... Curatorial Affairs (OCA), National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Learn ... Manage incoming loans for inaugural and temporary exhibitions. Negotiates terms of agreements and ...

... museum studies); Master's degree strongly preferred 3-5 years' experience with history exhibition ... This is a temporary (2026-2029) full-time, benefits-eligible, non-union position. The salary range ...

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Temporary Museum Curator information

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$28K

$76.3K

$135.5K

How much do temporary museum curator jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for temporary museum curator in the United States is $76,262.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $59,500.00 and $84,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a temporary museum curator?

To thrive as a Temporary Museum Curator, you need a solid background in art history or museum studies, experience with collection management, and often a relevant degree. Familiarity with collection databases, exhibit design software, and digital archiving tools is typically required. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences are essential soft skills. These competencies ensure that exhibitions are curated professionally, collections are preserved accurately, and museum visitors have engaging and educational experiences.

What are some common challenges faced by a temporary museum curator, and how can I prepare for them?

As a Temporary Museum Curator, you may encounter challenges such as quickly adapting to new collections, learning institutional procedures, and building relationships with permanent staff in a short timeframe. To prepare, familiarize yourself with the museum's current exhibitions and cataloging systems ahead of your start date, and be proactive in communicating with your new team. Flexibility, strong organizational skills, and the ability to prioritize tasks will help you make a positive impact during your temporary tenure.

What is a temporary museum curator?

Temporary museum curators are professionals hired for a limited period to manage exhibitions, collections, or specific projects within a museum. They may be brought in to cover staff absences, assist with special events, or lend expertise to a new exhibit. Their responsibilities often include researching artifacts, designing displays, and coordinating with other museum staff. Temporary curators need strong organizational and communication skills to ensure the museum's standards are maintained during their tenure.
What cities are hiring for Temporary Museum Curator jobs? Cities with the most Temporary 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 Temporary Museum Curator jobs? States with the most job openings for Temporary Museum Curator jobs include:
Infographic showing various Temporary Museum Curator job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 21% Locum Tenens, 10% As Needed, 45% Full Time, 22% Part Time, 1% Nights, and 1% Summer. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $76,262 per year, or $36.7 per hour.

Museum Specialist

Smithsonian Institution

Washington, DC • On-site, Remote

$85K - $111K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 11 days ago


Smithsonian Institution rating

8.6

Company rating: 8.6 out of 10

Based on 25 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

2nd of 29 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 Curatorial Office, Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), Undersecretary for Museums and Culture. SAAM shares the stories of our nation through American art and craft to inspire reflection, spark dialogue, and build connections.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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The Museum Specialist (Art) will administer the museum's acquisitions program and contribute to the stewardship, interpretation, display, and curatorial development of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's permanent collection.
In this position, you will:
  • Manage and execute arrangements for proposed acquisition including liaising with curators, donors, vendors, and colleagues across SAAM.
  • Perform a wide variety of collections related functions that include serving as the primary curatorial representative for permanent collection installations, gallery rotations, and special projects.
  • Develop and maintain checklists for special projects and temporary exhibitions.
  • Coordinate across departments about installation requirements, exhibition design, interpretive elements, and related programmatic elements.
  • Collaborate with lead curator on research needs and opportunities for contribution.
  • Conduct in-depth research that contributes to the exhibition or installation and any accompanying publication.

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.

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:
Experience related to the operation or management of a museum or similar collection of valuable objects. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include collections management, registration, cataloging, research, preservation, restoration, or conservation of collections of museum material, or other experience related to the position to be filled. Most positions require a particular subject-matter specialization, e.g., aeronautics, anthropology, art, geology, history, natural science, technology, biology, or zoology.
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-09 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as managing and executing arrangements for proposed acquisitions; applying collection management processes; and coordinating and developing exhibits.
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.
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).
Additional information
This position is 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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