Museum and Art Gallery Technicians

Nature of work

This group includes workers who classify and catalogue museum artifacts and gallery works of art, construct and install exhibits and displays, restore, maintain and store museum and gallery collections, frame artwork, and perform other functions in support of curatorial and conservation activities. They are employed in museums and galleries. Picture framers and taxidermists may also be employed in retail settings or may be self-employed. This group also includes museum and other interpreters who conduct guided tours. They are employed by art galleries, museums, parks, aquariums, zoos, interpretive centres, botanical gardens, cultural centres, nature sanctuaries, historic and heritage sites, and other locations. Technical museum and gallery workers may specialize in a specific type of collection.

Job duties

The following is a summary of main duties for some jobs in this group:

• Conservation and restoration technicians assist in the restoration and conservation of artifacts under the direction of a conservator.
• Curatorial assistants assist in the research, handling and storage of artifacts.
• Museum interpreters conduct tours of museums, gallery exhibitions and historical, heritage and other sites, answer inquiries, and provide information concerning exhibits or sites.
• Museum extension officers assist with the planning and development of travelling exhibitions and special events.
• Museology technicians protect and care for cultural artifacts and collections during exhibitions, while in transit and in storage.
• Museum registrars and cataloguers classify and assign registration numbers to artifacts and supervise inventory control.
• Preparators construct displays and dioramas, build models, install artifacts in displays and prepare artifacts for storage and shipping.
• Picture framers fabricate custom frames, measure and cut mats, mat enhancements and glass, and mount paintings, photographs and other art work.
• Taxidermists prepare and mount skins of birds or animals for preservation, scientific or display purposes.

Sample job titles

• archaeological technician
• art gallery registrar
• conservation and restoration technician
• curatorial assistant
• museum cataloguer
• museum interpreter
• museum registrar
• museum technician
• park interpreter
• taxidermist

Skills

For this type of work, you should be patient and organized, and have good research skills. Both oral and written communication skills are essential. You must be able to work unsupervised with museum users, and cooperate with co-workers. Good computer skills and knowledge about audiovisual equipment are strongly recommended.

Job requirements

• Registrars, cataloguers and interpreters may require a university degree in a field related to museum and gallery work.
• For other jobs in this group, completion of a college program in museum technology or conservation technology or other technical or on-the-job training programs related to the work are required.

Other considerations

Work in these jobs is often seasonal as many people become unemployed in the fall. Museum interpreters may require specific scientific or academic credentials for employment by some museums, nature centres or other sites.

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