Museum Directors and Curators

A museum director is equivalent to the chief executive officer of a corporation. The museum director is responsible for the daily operations of the museum, for long-term planning, policies, any research conducted within the museum, and for the museum's fiscal health. Directors must also represent the museum at meetings with other museums, business and civic communities, and the museum's governing body. Finally, directors ensure that museums adhere to state and federal guidelines for safety in the workplace and hiring practices, as well as industry recommendations concerning the acquisitions and care of objects within the museum.

Museum curators care for objects in a museum's collection. The primary curatorial activities are maintenance, preservation, archiving, cataloging, study, and display of collection components. Curators must fund-raise to support staff in the physical care and study of collections. They also add to or alter a museum's collection by trading objects with other museums or purchasing new pieces. They educate others through scholarly articles and public programs that showcase the items.

Salary Range

$25,000 to $100,000+

Minimum Education Level

Bachelor's Degree

Certification/License

None

Outlook

Faster than the Average

Personality Traits

Conventional

Organized

Problem-Solving

Career Ladder

Museum Director

Senior Curator

Museum Curator

Collections Manager or Assistant Curator

Entry-Level Museum Positions