Employment Opportunities

Position: Museum Curator
Pay Rate: $55,000 – $65,000 annually DOQ
Terms of Employment: Full time (40 hours/week)
Date Available: Immediately

The Rosenberg Library in Galveston, Texas seeks a creative and dynamic Museum Curator to lead the Rosenberg Library Museum’s historic art and artifact exhibitions and create a vibrant, visitor-centered, and educational historical and cultural destination. The Museum Curator develops, interprets, exhibits, and curates the Museum’s collections with the goal of inspiring civic engagement and celebrating the diverse history of Galveston and early Texas.

The Rosenberg Library

The historic Rosenberg Library is the oldest public library in Texas in continuous operation. Governed by a board of trustees, the Rosenberg Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides free public library service to all Galvestonians.

The Rosenberg Library Museum maintains and exhibits artifacts that document the history of Galveston and the Republic of Texas, as well as the Library’s fine art collection. The Museum collections include approximately 6,000 artifacts and 1,500 artworks. Items from the Museum collections are permanently displayed throughout the Library along with alternating gallery exhibits. Currently, the main 4^th floor Museum space is closed following recent renovations of the 1904 Rosenberg Wing, which included restoration of the beautiful, historic ceilings, skylight, and arched windows. Plans to reopen the flexible, open-concept exhibition area are in development, and the successful candidate for this position will help lead this effort.

The Museum is a division of the Special Collections Department along with the Galveston and Texas History Center. The Museum Curator will be an integral part of the Special Collections team, working closely with archivists and researchers, and reporting to the Special Collections Manager.

The Rosenberg Library Museum has always been free and open to the public so there are no barriers to access. The Museum serves the culturally diverse residents and visitors of the Galveston Island community and strives to be an open, inclusive, and equitable place where all feel welcome.

More information about the Museum is available at http://rosenberg-library-museum.org/.

Job Description

• Develops, plans, and implements various museum activities such as special displays, exhibits, guided tours and related educational programs for adults and children. Plans and hosts exhibit opening receptions, Museum Book Club, and other programs and events.
• Creates and implements marketing plans for exhibits, traveling programs, special events, and educational programs, including children and adult programs. Prepares press releases, brochures, posters, exhibit labels, program announcements, website and social media content, and presentations to civic and community groups to heighten awareness of the Library’s museum and its collections.
• Researches, accessions, and catalogs museum artifacts. Maintains accurate records of museum holdings and loans.
• Prepares reports and correspondence related to museum operations. Performs routine office and administrative tasks.
• Stays abreast of applicable laws, ethics, regulations, and trends related to museum management and operations.
• Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and works cooperatively and jointly to provide quality customer service.
• Confers with supervisor to formulate and interpret policies and to plan and coordinate overall operations. Provides general consulting and strategic support as requested.
• Works with Special Collections Manager to enhance coordination between museum and archives programming.
• Handles repository agreements and deeds of gift. Recommends items for acquisition and de-accession in compliance with established policies and administers loan agreements.
• Ensures that all museum properties are properly maintained and stored. Regularly inspects museum premises and collections to ensure the preservation and safety of all holdings. Implements methods for preservation and conservation of artifacts in keeping with modern museum practices.
• Responds to reference inquiries and suggestions from the public, staff, and Board of Trustees and works to expeditiously resolve problems and customer complaints. Provides occasional coverage of the archives reference desk in the Galveston and Texas History Center.
• Establishes and maintains partnerships with community and state organizations to promote awareness of the Library’s collections.
• Develops grant proposals and fund raising strategies to support museum programs, facilities, and operations. Assists with Library fund raising efforts and events as needed.
• Supervises the museum volunteer program including the recruitment, scheduling, training, direction and evaluation of volunteers.
• Performs special projects as assigned by Executive Director and Special Collections Manager.

The Museum Curator is a full-time (40/hours per week) position requiring occasional evening and weekend hours. The hiring salary range is $55,000 – 65,000, commensurate with experience, with a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and life insurance, an employer-sponsored 401K, 15 vacation days (increases to 20 days after three years), 10 paid holidays, and 12 sick days per year.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Museum Studies, Public History, or closely related field, plus three (3) years of experience in Museum Administration or in planning/designing exhibits.
• Experience may substitute for education up to two (2) years.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exceptional research and writing skills.
• Knowledge of the curatorial field and best museum practices.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, including ability to work independently and prioritize multiple projects with competing deadlines.
• Working knowledge of PastPerfect, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Office preferred.
• Bilingual skills are a plus.
• Other combinations of education and experience may be considered.

The Rosenberg Library is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from people of color, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ applicants.

About Galveston Island

Imagine riding your bike or walking to work! Short commutes along the seawall and through beautiful historic neighborhoods are just one advantage of life on Galveston Island. A small city of about 50,000 residents, Galveston has all the amenities of a big city without the traffic. Galvestonians enjoy access to world-class healthcare, cultural institutions, education, and outdoor recreation in a historic seaside setting. You won’t have to leave the island, but if you do, Houston is less than an hour’s drive away. Learn more about island life at https://www.galveston.com/.

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