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Museum and art gallery curators manage collections of objects of artistic, scientific, historical and general interest.
You could work: weekends; on a rota
As a museum or gallery curator, you could:
You could work in a museum or at an art gallery.
Your working environment may be physically active.
You can get into this job through:
You can start by doing a degree in a subject like:
You can also study for a postgraduate qualification in museum and gallery studies, or in a particular style or period of art or history. This may give you an advantage when applying for jobs.
Some universities will require a relevant first degree to apply for a postgraduate course. Others may accept most subjects but expect you to have a lot of work experience to back up your application.
You'll usually need:
You may be able to apply for a Curator Level 7 Apprenticeship with a cultural or heritage organisation.
This can take around 3 years to complete and combines on-the-job training with off-site learning.
You may be able to work as a collections assistant, education officer or conservator, before becoming a museum or gallery curator through training and promotion.
Paid or unpaid work experience in a museum, gallery or heritage property is usually essential to apply for courses and jobs.
Digital skills are becoming increasingly important in this career, for example for cataloguing and archival purposes, and producing online and interactive content for wider public engagement. Any skills you can develop through work or volunteering will be helpful.
You can join the Museums Association for professional development and to make industry contacts.
You can learn more about how to become a museum or gallery curator from the Museums Association.
You can work in small independent museums and galleries, and regional or national institutions. You may need to relocate to take up new job opportunities.
There are lots of different opportunities in the sector from museum or gallery management to public engagement and education roles. You will need to plan your continuous professional development and take advantage of the training available to advance your career.
The Museums Association and Creative Choices have more information about this job.