Museum Technician

Museum technicians, commonly known as registrars, help curators by preparing and taking care of museum items. Registrars also may answer questions from the public and help curators and outside scholars use the collections.

Sample of Reported Job Titles

Museum technician, museum registrar, museum registrar

 

Summary

Museum technicians need to be extremely well organized, and dedicated to keeping deeds of gift, inventories, collection catalogs, and loan forms in order. They also get to work hands‐on with the museum collections, and you often help the curator take care of those collections.

Museum Technicians typically do the following:

• Participate in the handling, mounting, care, and storage of art objects.
• Prepare artifacts for storage and shipping.
• Photograph objects for documentation.
• Attend meetings and civic events to promote the institution
• Assist with special research projects

 

Educational Requirements

Registrars usually need a bachelor's degree related to the museum's specialty, training in museum studies, or previous experience working in museums, particularly in designing exhibits. Relatively few schools grant a bachelor's degree in museum studies; more common are undergraduate minors or tracks of study that are part of an undergraduate degree in a related field, such as science, art history, history, or archaeology.

Students interested in further study might get a master's degree in museum studies, offered in colleges and universities throughout the country. However, many employers feel that, although a degree in museum studies is helpful, a thorough knowledge of the museum's specialty and museum work experience are more important.

 

Salary Information 2022

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary of a Museum Technician in 2022 was $52,820.

 

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• American Alliance of Museums
• List of Museum Related Organizations
• List of Professional Organizations

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• American Institute for Conservation
• Gaining Experience with Museums Insights
• Research & Internship Listings

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• American Alliance of Museums
• American Institute for Conservation
• Job Search Sites Related to Your Major

Information about how to get a job as a curator or museum technician with the federal government is available from the Office of Personnel Management through USAJOBS, the federal government’s official employment information system