Curator: British Prints and Drawings (1500-1774)

British Museum; London; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious cultural institution in London seeks a knowledgeable curator for its print and drawing collection. This role involves leading exhibitions, enhancing public engagement, improving digital access, and supporting acquisition efforts. Candidates should possess a degree in art history and have curatorial experience, particularly in exhibition organization and public communication. This position offers generous benefits including annual leave, professional development, and flexible working options.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Civil service pension scheme

Free entry to museums and exhibitions

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Sound knowledge of printmaking history.
• Experience curating exhibitions.
• Ability to communicate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Assist with public inquiries regarding the collection.
• Maintain and improve online records of prints and drawings.
• Devising exhibitions from the collection.

Skills

Knowledge of graphic arts techniques

Communication skills

Exhibition organization

Research flair

Project management

Presentation skills

Education

Degree in art history or equivalent

Job description

Overview

About the role: The Museum is seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable curator to lead on its renowned collection of British prints and drawings by artists born between 1500 and 1775. This remarkable group includes works by John White, William Hogarth, Mary Delany, Thomas Gainsborough, and James Gillray.

The successful postholder will be responsible for deepening public and scholarly understanding of the collection through innovative research, exhibitions, and publications, while also advancing its digital accessibility through improved records and imaging. You’ll respond to enquiries, support acquisition efforts, and share your expertise with a wide range of audiences, such as researchers and students to patrons and the public.

Alongside curatorial responsibilities for this period’s collection, the role involves participating in departmental operations, supporting fundraising efforts, and contributing to the Museum’s broader strategic goals, including its ambitious Masterplan.

This is an exciting opportunity to care for and interpret a major historic collection, and to bring fresh insight and visibility to the art and ideas of Britain’s early modern centuries.

Responsibilities

• To assist with public and scholarly enquiries relating to the collection.
• To share specialist knowledge in an enthusiastic, engaging and inspiring fashion to broad audiences as and when is necessary (for the public, patrons, school or university groups, and colleagues from other institutions).
• To maintain, update and improve the online records of around 60,000 prints and 10,000 drawings including some of the Museum’s most important British holdings by artists such as John White, William Hogarth, Mary Delany, Thomas Gainsborough and James Gillray.
• To devise exhibitions wholly or in part derived from the British collection under their curatorial care.
• Be involved in fundraising and provide curatorial support to the Museum’s corporate and private patrons and supporters.
• To play a full part in everyday Departmental administration and participate in museum-wide projects and activities.
• Recommending suitable items to add to the collection and guiding them through the acquisition process.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Sound knowledge of the techniques and history of graphic arts, particularly all aspects of print making.
• Relevant experience of being involved as a curator in organising an exhibition or a permanent gallery display that has involved liaising with a variety of different parties.
• A degree in art history, history or equivalent
• Ability to work successfully as part of a team and to be an excellent communicator.
• Museum curatorial experience that has demonstrated a flair for research, including some publication history in a relevant field.
• An ability to manage museum projects (exhibition, new gallery display etc).
• Experience of presentations in seminars, lectures, gallery talks etc.

About the British Museum

Founded in 1753, the British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history and culture. The Museum is one of the leading visitor attractions and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures, Egyptian mummies, the Admonitions Scroll, and the Amaravati sculptures.

Benefits

• Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service) plus 2.5 privilege days and plus bank holidays
• Membership of the civil service defined benefit pension scheme
• Free entry to a wide range of museums and exhibitions
• Participation in private and public Museum activities, including talks by leading curators from around the world and behind-the-scenes opportunities to learn how museums care for and manage their extraordinary collections
• Interest-free travel, bicycle and rental deposit loans
• Professional and personal development opportunities
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts on food and gift shop purchases

Additional details

For more information about this role, please see the job description.

The interviews are expected to take place on Wednesday 19th November or Thursday 20th November.

If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of in order to support you with your application, please provide details to [e-mail].

The British Museum is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from unlawful discrimination or harassment. We value the benefits that a diverse workforce brings to a Museum which represents world culture. The Museum is committed to ensuring that no job applicant suffers unlawful discrimination because of any protected characteristics. Our recruitment procedures aim to ensure that individuals are treated because of their relevant knowledge, skills and experience.

We offer a flexible way of working scheme that allows our employees to work remotely in a way that suits them and the organisation. We welcome questions and conversations at interview stage about how flexible working could work for you. We would typically see this role as working on site about four days a week.

The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.

National Museum Directors' Council, Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG.