Curator of Collections

American Association for State and Local History; Largo (FL); On-site; USD 40,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Heritage Village is seeking a Curator of Collections to professionally manage, document, preserve, and steward historical and archival holdings. The role oversees acquisitions, cataloging, inventories, loans, and related legal documentation, aligning with museum standards and institutional policies.

You will coordinate volunteers and interns, support research and public access, and contribute to exhibition development through artifact selection and conservation guidance.

Responsibilities

• Oversee acquisitions, accessioning, cataloging, inventories, deaccessioning, and collections records.
• Maintain the collections management database, ensuring accurate documentation, object tracking, and accessibility.
• Manage donor records, deeds of gift, temporary custody documentation, and loan agreements.
• Coordinate collections review and prepare recommendations for museum management and the Collections Committee.
• Develop and maintain standardized collections procedures, forms, and workflows.
• Oversee the proper handling, storage, preservation, and security of museum collections.
• Conduct condition assessments, monitor environmental conditions, and coordinate integrated pest management.
• Support collections emergency preparedness, disaster response, and recovery.
• Establish appropriate standards for collections storage, movement, and exhibition.
• Maintain and recommend updates to the Collections Management Policy and related procedures.
• Ensure collections activities follow professional standards, ethical practices, and applicable legal requirements.
• Coordinate incoming and outgoing loans, including documentation and condition reporting.
• Prepare collections reports, inventories, and institutional records.
• Conduct historical and object-based research relevant to the museum's mission.
• Facilitate collections access for researchers, educational programs, and approved public inquiries.
• Support digitization, photography, and online accessibility of collections.
• Provide collections-related research and technical assistance to museum staff.
• Train, coordinate, and supervise volunteers and interns working with museum collections.
• Assign and oversee cataloging, inventory, photography, digitization, and research projects.
• Ensure adherence to collections handling and documentation standards.
• Participate in exhibition planning and development as part of the museum's interdisciplinary staff team.
• Provide expertise in artifact selection, historical research, collections documentation, conservation, and appropriate display.
• Assist with interpretive content, exhibition installation, and artifact rotation as assigned.
• Collaborate with staff responsible for education, interpretation, preservation, and visitor engagement.
• Maintain relationships with museum professionals, historical organizations, and institutional partners.
• Contribute to special projects, public programs, and institutional planning as assigned.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the position's classification.

Job description

Curator of Collections is responsible for the professional management, documentation, preservation, and stewardship of Heritage Village's historical and archival collections. This position oversees acquisitions, cataloging, inventories, collections care, database administration, loans, and associated legal and institutional documentation.

The curator ensures that collections are managed in accordance with professional museum standards, institutional policies, and applicable legal requirements. The position also coordinates collections volunteers and interns and supports research, education, and public access to the collections.

Exhibition development is a collaborative responsibility shared among Heritage Village staff. The Curator of Collections contributes specialized collections expertise, historical research, artifact selection, and collections care guidance to exhibition projects.

Collections Management and Documentation

• Oversee acquisitions, accessioning, cataloging, inventories, deaccessioning, and collections records.


• Maintain the collections management database, ensuring accurate documentation, object tracking, and accessibility.


• Manage donor records, deeds of gift, temporary custody documentation, and loan agreements.


• Coordinate collections review and prepare recommendations for museum management and the Collections Committee.


• Develop and maintain standardized collections procedures, forms, and workflows.

Collections Preservation and Care

• Oversee the proper handling, storage, preservation, and security of museum collections.


• Conduct condition assessments, monitor environmental conditions, and coordinate integrated pest management.


• Support collections emergency preparedness, disaster response, and recovery.


• Establish appropriate standards for collections storage, movement, and exhibition.

Collections Policy and Compliance

• Maintain and recommend updates to the Collections Management Policy and related procedures.


• Ensure collections activities follow professional standards, ethical practices, and applicable legal requirements.


• Coordinate incoming and outgoing loans, including documentation and condition reporting.


• Prepare collections reports, inventories, and institutional records.

Research and Collections Access

• Conduct historical and object-based research relevant to the museum's mission.


• Facilitate collections access for researchers, educational programs, and approved public inquiries.


• Support digitization, photography, and online accessibility of collections.


• Provide collections-related research and technical assistance to museum staff.

Volunteer and Intern Coordination

• Train, coordinate, and supervise volunteers and interns working with museum collections.


• Assign and oversee cataloging, inventory, photography, digitization, and research projects.


• Ensure adherence to collections handling and documentation standards.

Collaborative Exhibition Development

• Participate in exhibition planning and development as part of the museum's interdisciplinary staff team.


• Provide expertise in artifact selection, historical research, collections documentation, conservation, and appropriate display.


• Assist with interpretive content, exhibition installation, and artifact rotation as assigned.


• Collaborate with staff responsible for education, interpretation, preservation, and visitor engagement.

Institutional and Professional Support

• Maintain relationships with museum professionals, historical organizations, and institutional partners.


• Contribute to special projects, public programs, and institutional planning as assigned.


• Perform other related duties consistent with the position's classification.