Assistant Registrar

Seregistrars; West Palm Beach (FL); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision plans

401(k) retirement plan with employer match

Flexible Spending Accounts

401(k) retirement plan with employer match

Considerable paid time off

Flex Work options

Job summary

A leading art institution in West Palm Beach is seeking an Assistant Registrar to manage the collection and support logistics for exhibitions. The ideal candidate will have a BA in Art History, preferably a Master's, with museum experience. Responsibilities include overseeing the care and movement of artworks, assisting with exhibitions, and managing rights and reproduction requests. The position offers full-time hours and comprehensive benefits, requiring strong organizational and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Preferred experience in a museum setting with a clear understanding of registration practices.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally for museum business.
• Ability to lift and handle art objects safely.

Responsibilities

• Manage the movement and documentation of artworks in the museum’s collection.
• Assist in logistics for exhibitions and handle art-related hurricane preparedness.
• Coordinate rights and reproductions for collection images.

Skills

Proficient in TMS (The Museum System)

Knowledge of copyright law

Strong verbal communication skills

Strong written communication skills

Ability to manage projects

Strong attention to detail

Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite

Proficient in Adobe Pro

Education

Bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) in Art History

Master’s degree (MA) in a relevant field

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Norton Museum of Art - West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Position Type: Full Time

Job Shift: Day

About the Norton Museum of Art:

Founded in 1941 by Ralph Hubbard Norton and his wife Elizabeth Calhoun Norton, the Norton Museum of Art is Florida’s largest art museum, renowned for its distinguished collection. The Norton Museum of Art welcomes visitors to experience the transformative power of art through intimate and creative encounters with wide-ranging collections and programs of the highest quality. With holdings spanning Contemporary, Early European, Modern, and Asian Art, as well as Photography, the Norton serves as a cherished institution within its community.

Our Commitments:

To uphold our mission and ensure the Norton’s relevance to our community, we are dedicated to the following principles:

• Art: We celebrate and share excellence in the arts in all its forms.
• Audience: We cultivate meaningful dialogues and relationships with a diverse and inclusive audience.
• Ambassadors: Our employees, Trustees, volunteers, and partners are the vital links connecting Art and Audience.
• Foundations: We are committed to preserving the Norton’s fiscal and physical legacy for future generations.

Position Summary:

The Assistant Registrar is an essential member of the three-person Registration team in the Curatorial Department, reporting directly to the Senior Registrar & Collections Manager (SRCM). This role is crucial for ensuring the stewardship, preservation, and risk management of the Norton Museum’s collection and loans, which encompasses over 10,000 objects. The Assistant Registrar provides critical administrative and operational support across the full spectrum of collections management. They serve as the primary coordinator for all rights and reproductions for both permanent collection works and objects on loan. Additionally, this role supports the SRCM and Registrar in managing logistics for 10‑15 exhibitions (of varying scales) annually and coordinates with the Director of Exhibition Design and Installation (DEDI) and Museum Technicians to ensure the safe handling, packing, and shipping of artworks.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Collections Management Support

• Assists the SRCM and Registrar with all efforts relating to the physical care, receipt, movement, accessioning, documentation, and storage of all art objects in the Museum’s collection and on loan.
• Works in close collaboration with the SRCM, Registrar, DEDI, and Museum Technicians to oversee and aid in the safe movement and installation of art.
• Supports the updating of the Museum’s object database (The Museum System, TMS) to reflect new‑found information or research pertaining to collection artworks including artist biographical information, titles, dates, updated label copy, publication references, and exhibition history.
• Supports the SRCM with logistics to photograph the collection and loaned artworks.
• Assists the SRCM and Registrar with inventories of the collection, including spot inventories and the biannual third‑party audit.
• When applicable, travels with outgoing loans and exhibitions as both a domestic and international courier to conduct condition reports and oversee installations and deinstallations of artworks at partnering institutions.
• Works closely with the SRCM and Registrar to execute art‑related hurricane preparedness and, when necessary, serves as one of the on‑site curatorial stewards during storms or as a back‑up after storms dissipate.
• Aids in the deaccession process which may include pulling TMS reports/checklists, updating electronic and hard‑copy object records, and arranging the packing and shipping of deaccessioned objects to external locations.

Administrative Support for Exhibitions & Loans

• Responsible for monitoring and ordering storage and conservation supplies.
• When needed, fulfills internal and external inquiries about the Norton Collection and archives.
• Produces loan agreements under the supervision of the SRCM and Registrar.
• Ensures compliance with loan conditions under the supervision of the SRCM and Registrar.

Rights and Reproductions

• Collections
  • Manages all licensing requests, both internal and external, for reproductions of images of works in the Norton’s Collection.
  • Reviews and fact‑checks all artwork and copyright information on collection image usages, such as external communications including weekly social media posts, e‑newsletters and other promotional materials.
  • Maintains the Norton’s Rights and Reproductions contract files.
• Exhibitions
  • Works with external copyright holders to secure reproduction rights and permissions for images related to the Museum’s exhibitions, public programs, publications, advertising, and other promotional needs.
  • For each exhibition, creates and maintains the PR Image Captions and Usage Guidelines which include all artwork captions and copyright information as well as the approved usages secured for each image.
  • Reviews and fact‑checks all instances of any exhibition‑related PR images used in external communications and advertisements.
  • If needed, secures high‑resolution images of artworks from copyright owners and maintains digital archive of artwork images.
• Museum Website
  • Works closely with the Curatorial and Communications teams to facilitate the Norton’s efforts to fully digitize their permanent collection.
  • Manages all licensing requests pertaining to illustrating the Collection on the Museum’s website.

Qualifications

• Education and Experience
  • Required: Bachelor’s degree (BA or BS), preferably in Art History, History, Museum Studies, or Arts Administration.
  • Preferred: Master’s degree (MA) in a relevant field.
  • Preferred: Minimum of one (1) year of professional experience in a museum setting with a clear understanding of best curatorial and registration practices.
• The Museum will consider all combinations of education, professional experience, and relevant skills to select the best‑fitting candidate.
• Proficient in TMS (The Museum System) or other Museum databases for collection care.
• Familiarity with copyright law within the visual arts and experience in managing rights and reproductions.
• Requires knowledge of the American Alliance of Museums' (AAM) Code of Ethics, as well as current museum standards and best practices for registration, collections management, and collecting guidelines.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a team setting.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and demonstrated attention to detail.
• Proactive and positive attitude with ability to work well with Museum staff, donors, lenders, volunteers, and the public.
• Willing to work beyond weekday working hours, which can include weekends, and remain accessible when away from the museum.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Pro.

Physical Requirements

• To meet the requirements of this position, the candidate will walk, climb, and lift throughout the workday.
• Able to lift, push, pull, move equipment, and supplies up to 40 pounds.
• Able to adapt to work from various locations within and outside the museum.
• Able to travel domestically and internationally for Museum business as needed.

Hours & Compensation

• Monday – Friday 9 am‑5 pm
• Full‑Time
• Commensurate with experience

Location Requirements

At the time of employment, employees are expected to be located within reasonable commuting distance of the museum. Commuting Distance means they are located in South Florida, and able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Museum Location

1450 South Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach, FL 33413

Benefits Offerings

The museum provides competitive compensation and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits may differ based on employment status.

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Worksite plans & Additional Life Insurance
• Basic Life Insurance and AD&D, employer paid
• Short‑term Disability Insurance, employer paid
• Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts
• 401(k) retirement plan and 2% employer match
• Considerable paid time off, plus 4 additional discretionary days, and 9 recognized holidays
• Flex Work options; hybrid & flexible schedule after an employee’s 90‑day probationary period. NOTE: FlexWork is not suitable for all positions.
• 20% discount for staff in the Museum store
• 10% discount at The Restaurant
• Membership to the ROAM Museum network

Norton Museum of Art is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Norton Museum of Art makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.