Curator of Collections & Exhibits at the Pratt Museum

Job Title: Curator of Collections & Exhibits 

Job Status: Full-time

Location: Homer, AK

Salary: $40,000 – $60,000

Description

The Pratt Museum has developed a reputation for excellence. Nationally recognized by the American Alliance of Museums, Pratt Museum has been an accredited museum since 1997. The Pratt Museum fulfills its mission by facilitating engagement between community members and strengthening understandings of our shared place. Through these activities, the unique relationship between the people and places of Kachemak Bay will be sustained far into the future.

We believe the Museum is for everyone. The Curator of Collections & Exhibitions will be inclusive and accessible to all people of our region. They are a key member of the leadership team, along with leading the growth and development planning, grant writing, and donor relations, and will represent the Museum at the regional and community level. 

Position Overview: The Curator of Collections & Exhibitions is responsible for care, preservation, security, and storage of Museum’s collections. Responsible for creating, organizing, and maintaining all records relating to the permanent collection and records relating to incoming and outgoing artifact loans. Provides overall leadership in planning, creating, and overseeing the development and maintenance of permanent and temporary exhibits.

 

Requirements

Essential Job Functions

Collections Management: Overall responsibility for the care, condition, study, and organization of the artifact and archival collections, ensuring that they are secure and exposed to minimum damage and deterioration and following nationally accepted collection management practices.

  • Updates and implements long-range collection management and acquisition plan
  • Identifies and prioritizes needs for collections and makes recommendations to the Executive Director accordingly
  • Plans and designs proper storage for collections, including those on exhibit
  • Monitors museum environmental conditions
  • Coordinates and monitors conservation treatment of objects
  • Receives and transfers all objects used in temporary and permanent exhibits 
  •  Systematically organizes collection data to ensure efficient recording and retrieval of information
  • Registers, catalogs, labels, and otherwise numbers and maintains inventories of all permanent, loaned and reference collections\
  • Compiles, reviews, and records data about the origin, history, identification, location, conservation, and disposition of the collections on shelving.
  • Sits on the Board’s Collection Committee as a primary staff member. Compiles information about pending acquisitions, dispositions, or other collection actions. Follows up on recommendations and board actions related to the collection.
  • Assists the public and staff in researching the collection
  • Become familiar with Homer and regional history and items/materials in the collections that may help in interpreting this history
  •  Develops and enhances finding aids to facilitate research into Homer history
  •  Maintains knowledge and practices of current techniques and procedures in conservation, record keeping, ethics, and collection issues. Trains and educates staff, board, and volunteers accordingly.

Manages Exhibits Program Oversees planning, design, development of permanent and temporary exhibits, on site and off site

  • Identifies and prioritizes needs for new exhibits and modifications to existing exhibits and makes recommendations to the Executive Director accordingly.
  • Develops and coordinates a schedule of diverse temporary exhibits for the museum. This may include creating or organizing in-house interpretive or art exhibits or arranging for traveling exhibits to visit Valdez. Coordinates shipping & receiving.
  • Communicates with Curator of Education & Public Programs to assure exhibits compliment other Museum programs.
  • Works with other staff to develop guidelines & criteria for temporary and permanent exhibits.
  • Provides information about each exhibit in a timely fashion to the Executive Director for publicity purposes.
  • Seeks opportunities for partnerships with other community organizations.
  • Leads and organizes ad hoc committee meetings (when committees are used) for exhibit development.
  • Writes text labels, corrects existing labels.
  • Troubleshoots exhibits.
  • Mounts temporary and permanent exhibits.
  • Works with Executive Director and Exhibits Manager to develop overall plan of action for exhibits at the Museum and satellite sites in the community.
  • Oversees exhibit  installation, including install artwork, labels, and other exhibit elements about aesthetics, exhibit vision, and safety and comfort for visitors, staff, artwork, and artifacts

Other

  • Communicates about the collections and exhibits through newsletter articles, board reports, staff meetings and public appearances
  • Supervises curatorial assistant, interns and volunteers with respect to the curator department and exhibits
  • Provide preservation knowledge and expertise for facility upgrades.

    Will be an active participant in the overall process of upgrading of the facilities.

  • Grant writing to enhance permanent and temporary exhibits.
  • Encourages volunteerism and helps to develop volunteer programs that will help with the curatorial programs, processes, and exhibits.
  • Periodically assists with museum events and activities
  • Acts as Acting Director in the absence of the Executive Director
  • Other duties as assigned.

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