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What They Do
About This Career
Administer collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions. May conduct instructional, research, or public service activities of institution.
This career is part of the Education and Training cluster Professional Support Services pathway.
A person in this career:
- Plans and organize the acquisition, storage, and exhibition of collections and related materials, including the selection of exhibition themes and designs, and develops or installs exhibit materials.
- Develops and maintains an institution's registration, cataloging, and basic record-keeping systems, using computer databases.
- Plans and conducts special research projects in area of interest or expertise.
- Provides information from the institution's holdings to other curators and to the public.
- Studies, examines, and tests acquisitions to authenticate their origin, composition, history, and to assess their current value.
- Negotiates and authorizes purchase, sale, exchange, or loan of collections.
- Inspects premises to assess the need for repairs and to ensure that climate and pest control issues are addressed.
- Designs, organizes, or conducts tours, workshops, and instructional or educational sessions to acquaint individuals with an institution's facilities and materials.
- Writes and reviews grant proposals, journal articles, institutional reports, and publicity materials.
- Attends meetings, conventions, and civic events to promote use of institution's services, to seek financing, and to maintain community alliances.
Working Conditions and Physical Demands
People who do this job report that:
- You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
- Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
Working in this career involves (physical activities):
- Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
- Seeing clearly at a distance
- Seeing clearly up close
- Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
- Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
Work Hours and Travel
Specialty and Similar Careers
Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:
- Collections Curator — Administers collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions.
- Collections Manager
- Exhibitions Curator
- Exhibits Curator
- Museum Curator
- Education Curator
- Photography Curator
- Vertebrate Zoology Curator
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts national surveys of wage data by occupation in every state and in all industry divisions. These surveys are conducted through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program.
The statistics collected for one year are published the next fall. For example, 2013 wage information was published in the fall of 2014.
There are over 800 occupations in the surveys, and these occupations cover the entire U.S. labor market. The surveys ask for reports in a scale of ranges for both hourly wages and annual wages.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics for a broad category, be aware that the salary data for a specific career may differ.
For more details about how wage information is collected and calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm.
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts a national survey of over 400,000
employers in every state and in all industry divisions. This survey is conducted
through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program. Every other year the
department publishes outlook information based on these surveys.
Each outlook period covers 10 years. For example, in 2003 the outlook information
was published for 2004-2014. Employers are asked to report the number of employees
in about 770 different occupations that cover the entire U.S. labor market.
From this information, staffing patterns for different industries are established.
Industry growth is projected into the future based on past trends and current economic
conditions. Industry staffing patterns are then applied to the industry projections
to obtain occupational projections.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties
of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational
category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics
for a broad category, be aware that the employment data for a specific field may
differ.
For more details about how employment information is collected and calculated by
the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.
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