Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Handling and Moving Objects Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Performing General Physical Activities Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

The Work

Museum/art gallery curators, sometimes known as keepers, are in charge of a collection of exhibits in a museum or art gallery. 

The job of the curator is to build up museum collections, often in specialist areas. Curators document collections and develop ways in which objects, archives and artworks can be interpreted, through exhibitions, publications, events and audio-visual presentations. All these tasks require curators to work with other colleagues, in conservation, education, design and marketing departments, for example.

In large museums, they manage specialist departments. They may co-ordinate and supervise the work of other teams including junior curators, conservators and attendants.

In a small museum, the curator may supervise the whole collection and lead a small team. Curators know how to clean and handle exhibits. They must also be sufficiently versed in the ethics of conservation to be able to supervise the work of conservation and restoration staff.

Curators have to maintain their existing permanent collection. This involves identifying, registering and cataloguing objects. Curators look after the budget for their department and buy new exhibits. They also organise staff training.

In many museums and art galleries, especially small ones, curators deal with the public. They liaise with local interest groups, organise lectures, and publicise events.

To arrange an exhibition, curators choose which objects to display and organise the loan of exhibits from other collections if they need to. They also organise the transportation, insurance and storage of objects. Curators make sure that objects are displayed in a clear and attractive way. They also co-ordinate, and in many cases, write and compile exhibition catalogues and the texts that accompany exhibits. Large museums or galleries often employ education officers to involve schools or promote tourism. Curators may liaise with them to produce slides, work sheets and demonstrations.

Many curators carry out research. Their research usually depends on their specialist interests and their collection. Many curators publish the results of their research.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Install, arrange, assemble, and prepare artifacts for exhibition, ensuring the artifacts' safety, reporting their status and condition, and identifying and correcting any problems with the set up.
• Repair, restore, and reassemble artifacts, designing and fabricating missing or broken parts, to restore them to their original appearance and prevent deterioration.
• Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes.
• Photograph objects for documentation.
• Determine whether objects need repair and choose the safest and most effective method of repair.
• Prepare artifacts for storage and shipping.
• Enter information about museum collections into computer databases.
• Recommend preservation procedures, such as control of temperature and humidity, to curatorial and building staff.
• Notify superior when restoration of artifacts requires outside experts.
• Supervise and work with volunteers.

Further Information

• Curator - Museum / Art Gallery - from: N.C.S. [UK]
• Curator - Museum / Art Gallery - from: GradIreland
• Curator - Museum / Art Gallery - from: GradIreland
• Curator - Museum / Art Gallery - from: N.C.S. [UK]
• Curator - Museum / Art Gallery - from: N.C.S. [UK]
• Curator - Museum / Art Gallery - from: GradIreland

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Realist

Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

Recruitment to curatorial positions in museums is nearly always at graduate level, and an honours degree and postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject is usually required.

Degree areas that relate to museum collections are a good starting points from which to build a museum career.

Subjects such as history, art history, archaeology, natural sciences and anthropology are typical of many employees working in museums. Universities and higher education colleges countrywide offer numerous courses and some provide distance-learning.

Check the Services Directory section of the IMA website and search for 'Training' for a full list of opportunities.

Placements, Internships, Volunteering

Some schools and colleges make arrangements with museums, galleries and other venues, for undergraduate/graduate students to go on placements and gain work experience. This is an invaluable way to find out the type of work that takes place in museums and whether you might like a job in this area. 

Qualified school leavers can find work in museums as gallery attendants or shop staff. But for any type of specialist work, it is necessary to have a degree, or a museum/heritage diploma, and potentially, post-graduate qualifications.

The museum sector is becoming increasingly professionalised and there are graduate and post graduate programmes available both in Ireland and abroad, combining both campus based and distance learning options.

Some museums and galleries in Ireland and overseas offer graduate internship programmes of between three months and a year. Most of these training programmes are unpaid and cover many different roles within the museum. In general, interested applicants must make an application in writing to the museum, usually followed by an interview. Individual museum websites carry details of their internships and application procedures. Volunteering: an excellent way to gain experience in the museum environment (and support your local museum!) is to volunteer your time. Some institutions have formal programmes through which you may volunteer as a museum docent, visitor services assistant, or other roles. Others accept informal enquiries as to volunteer opportunities.

Higher Education CAO Entry: Heritage Studies, History & Modern Language, Tourism Management at NFQ Levels 6-8 Search CAO courses

Graduate opportunities

The museum sector is becoming increasingly professionalised and there are graduate and post graduate programmes available both in Ireland and abroad, combining both campus based and distance learning options.

Post Graduate options specialising in museum studies include: Cultural Policy & Arts Management, Arts & Heritage Management at NFQ level 9

IMA Irish Museums Association

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €36k - €72k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, relevant salary scale, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
IMMA/ Irish Museums assoc/ Payscale

Last Updated: August, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment grew strongly between 2021 and 2022, with an additional 7,300 persons employed. As illustrated in the CSO Census data below, employment is spread across a number of roles; since 2016, the strongest growth, in absolute terms, was for graphic designers and authors, writers and translators.

New employment permits issued for this occupation in 2022 were primarily for film/TV and animation/visual effects (VFX) roles but also for linguistics experts in the ICT sector. There was also a high volume of recent job hires in line with the recent employment increase. The data does not point to overall issues with recruitment for these roles.

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• The Arts Council of Ireland

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