Curator | La Porte, TX

Curator for the San Jacinto Museum and Battlefield Association (SJMBA) 

Overview 

The Museum Curator oversees the management, interpretation and display of all historical and non-historical artifacts for the San Jacinto Museum in coordination with the Library Director. This position requires a highly organized professional who is an effective communicator and can interact with employees and volunteers at all levels and functions of the organization as well as the Texas Historical Commission (THC), SJMBA members, the general public, vendors, and stakeholders.  

Responsibilities and Duties 

• Administer the registration, cataloging, and accounting for the museum's historical items and non-historical artifacts. 

• Develop and maintain collection management plans and policies for the acquisition, display, and management of historical and non-historical property, and artifacts as directed by the San Jacinto Museum Board Collection Committee and the Director of Museum Operations. 

• Direct and monitor procedures for maintenance, preservation, and proper storage of historical property, and artifacts. 

• Conduct research to identify and authenticate provenance of artifacts. 

• Administer loans and leases (both incoming and outgoing) of artifacts and archival materials with other museums, collections, and government agencies. 

• Manage museum programs and events with appropriate artifacts and information. 

• Manage restoration efforts to ensure proper preservation and restoration of artifacts.  

• Monitor temperature and humidity in areas where artifacts are housed, along with developing a plan for safe and effective pest control practices.  

• Serve as a resource and liaison to the local community, other institutions, and the public with regards to the museum collection.  

• Manage the temporary relocation of the museum collection during renovation to the monument.  

• Perform maintenance and refurbishment of existing exhibits. 

• Establish a protection protocol for items for items provided for traveling exhibits. 

• Collaborate with the THC exhibit designer to develop and create new exhibits in the permanent, temporary, and in traveling exhibits.  

• Be able to work and collaborate with other museum departments.  

• Develop related programs, including lectures, symposia, workshops, and other events to support exhibits in consort with other museum departments. 

• Develop plans for exhibiting items from the collection at third-party venues in collaboration with the Director of Development. 

• Serve as a resource and liaison to the local community, other institutions, and the public with regards to the museum collection.  

Strategic Plan and Budget 

• Develop and execute an annual collection’s strategic plan. 

• Prepare and manage an annual collection’s operating budget. 

Internal Coordination 

• Work as part of Senior Management Team to activate on short and long-term strategic issues. 

• Coordinate curatorial activities with Marketing team to ensure timely and effective marketing opportunities. 

• Coordinate with Development Director for grant and underwriting opportunities. 

• Coordinate with the operations and education staff to optimize exhibit and educational focus areas. 

• Ensure all curatorial events are known and tracked on the master events calendar for coordination and support purposes. 

• Provide input for routine newsletters and digital marketing efforts. 

Employee and Volunteer Oversight 

• Directly supervise any curatorial interns and/or collections volunteers. 

• Conduct annual evaluations of all subordinate employees (if any). 

• Perform other duties as directed by the Executive Director or Director of Museum Operations or the SJMH Collections Committee. 

Qualifications 

• A BA in museum studies, history, or a related field is required; an MA is preferred. 

• Five (5) years of progressive museum curatorial or collections management experience. 

• Ability to design and create exhibits and marketing materials utilizing items from the collection. 

• Any combination of experience and education, with a proven track record of success in the museum field will be considered in lieu of meeting exact qualifications.