Manager of Museum Experiences & Learning

Bronx-Children's-Museum-; New York (NY); On-site; USD 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Bronx Children’s Museum seeks a dedicated leader to manage museum experiences and learning across all visitor-facing spaces, ensuring a child-led, play-based approach.

You will lead a team of educators and facilitators, coach staff, and collaborate with departments to deliver inclusive, high-quality programs that reflect the Museum’s mission and community values.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Education-related field required; Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years in museum or education sectors with play-based learning.
• State Teaching Certification a plus (New York or other state).
• Experience supervising educators and frontline staff.
• Strong understanding of child development and inclusive learning.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day play-based educational approach across learning spaces.
• Supervise Educators, Play Facilitators, interns, and staff; manage staffing coverage.
• Coordinate programs and visiting educators on-site; ensure spaces prepared.
• Develop tools and coaching to support educational practices.
• Collaborate with departments to ensure consistent educational experiences.

Skills

Staff leadership

Play-based learning

Curriculum design

Communication

Organization

Education

Bachelor's degree in Education-related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Description

Department

Education & Programs

Reports To

Director of Education & Programs

Employment Type

Full-Time, Exempt

Supervises

Museum Experiences Associate, Museum Educators, Play Facilitators, interns, and other assigned program staff

Salary

$65,000 annually

About Us:

Bronx Children’s Museum began with a bold idea: Bronx children and families deserved a children’s museum of their own. Founded in 2005, the Museum first brought hands-on learning directly into Bronx neighborhoods, schools, and community spaces. In 2010, we launched our beloved Mobile Museum, a big purple bus that traveled throughout the borough, transforming streets and gathering places into joyful spaces for discovery.

In December 2022, Bronx Children’s Museum opened the doors to its first permanent home in Mill Pond Park, creating a vibrant cultural and learning destination designed especially for young children and families. Today, the Museum brings together art, culture, science, nature, technology, and imaginative play through immersive exhibits and experiences that reflect the richness, creativity, and diversity of the Bronx.

As we continue to grow, we are building a Museum that evolves alongside the children and communities we serve. Our exhibits and experiences spark curiosity, invite exploration, celebrate culture, and help every child see possibility in themselves and the world around them.

The Opportunity

Passionate about bringing play-based learning to life and helping every child discover something new through exploration? Excited by the idea of joining a start-up-style environment where you'll navigate some ambiguity, help build systems and processes, adapt as the Museum grows, and have a meaningful impact on the community along the way? We'd love to hear from you.

Position Summary

The Manager of Museum Experiences & Learning leads the daily educational experience within Bronx Children's Museum and translates the Museum's educational vision into consistent practice across exhibits and learning spaces. This role sits at the center of the visitor-facing learning environment, ensuring that every interaction whether in Wonder Room, The Nest, Loft, Waterways, The Block/Casita, Woods, or elsewhere, reflects a thoughtful, child-led approach to exploration and discovery. The Manager builds and develops the team of Educators and Play Facilitators who bring that vision to life each day, coaching them toward consistent, high-quality, inclusive facilitation. Working closely with the Director of Education & Programs and colleagues across Operations, Visitor Experience, and Marketing, this role helps ensure that the Museum's educational mission is felt in every corner of the visitor experience.

The Manager of Museum Experiences & Learning is responsible for the day-to-day implementation, quality, and consistency of the Museum's educational approach across visitor-facing learning environments. The Director of Education & Programs retains responsibility for educational strategy, curriculum direction, development and approval of new programs, and major changes to educational practice.

The Manager may develop tools, activities, coaching approaches, and recommendations that support established educational practices. Significant changes to curriculum, educational standards, staffing structure, or program scope should be reviewed with the Director of Education & Programs.

Key Responsibilities

Museum Experiences & Learning

• Lead day-to-day implementation of the Museum's play-based educational approach across exhibits and learning spaces.
• Ensure consistent, high-quality facilitation in Wonder Room, The Nest, Loft, Waterways, The Block/Casita, Woods, and other learning environments.
• Develop strategies, prompts,facilitation tools, and resources that support the Museum's established play-based learning approach while preserving child-led exploration.
• Ensure experiences are developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, inclusive, and accessible.

Staff Leadership & Development

• Directly supervise the Museum Experiences & Learning Associate, Museum Educators, Play Facilitators, interns, and other assigned program staff.
• Assign daily floor coverage and educational responsibilities to ensure appropriate staffing across learning environments.
• Observe staff and provide coaching, feedback, onboarding, and professional development.
• Lead onboarding and ongoing training in play facilitation, inquiry-based engagement, child development, exhibit interpretation, caregiver engagement, accessibility, and positive redirection.
• Identify staff development needs and facilitate professional development and staff training in collaboration with the Director of Education & Programs.

Programs & Visiting Educators

• Coordinate implementation of programs developed by the Director of Education & Programs.
• Support visiting artists, authors, teaching artists, educators, performers, and other program partners with on-site coordination, including schedules, space, materials, and Museum procedures.
• Prepare staffing, schedules, materials, learning spaces, and other resources required for scheduled programs.
• Provide feedback to the Head of Education & Programs on program effectiveness.

Educational Quality & Evaluation

• Observe children's and families' engagement throughout the Museum.
• Develop practical tools for evaluating play facilitation and educational experiences.
• Track participation and gather feedback from educators, Guides, families, and other staff.
• Identify trends and recommend improvements
• Share relevant observations and evaluation findings with the Director of Education & Programs

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Coordinate with Visitor Experience regarding visitor flow, group arrivals, accessibility needs, and the family experience.
• Partner with Operations & Exhibits regarding exhibit functionality, materials, maintenance needs, and safety concerns.
• Collaborate with Digital Arts & Marketing on approved educational content, program information, and visitor-facing communications.
• Coordinate with the Manager of Outreach Programs to promote consistency in educational practices, staff development, and program standards across on-site and off-site programming.

Requirements

Qualifications & Competencies

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Child Development, Museum Education, Arts Education, Education, or a closely related field required. Master's degree preferred.
• 10 years + experience in museum education, early childhood education, elementary education, play-based learning, or arts education.
• State Teaching Certification a plus (New York or other state)
• Demonstrated experience working directly with children and families.
• Experience supervising, coaching, or training educators or frontline educational staff.
• Strong understanding of child development and play-based learning.
• Strong organizational, communication, and people-management skills.
• Commitment to culturally responsive, inclusive, accessible learning.
• Experience designing play-based, inquiry-led curriculum (or similar)

Success Measures

• Consistent, high-quality play facilitation across all learning environments.
• Strong development and coaching outcomes for Educators and Guides.
• Reliable educational floor coverage and staffing.
• Effective, well-supported implementation of scheduled programs and visiting educator experiences.
• Welcoming, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate learning environments.
• Regular use of observation and feedback data to drive educational improvements.
• Effective collaboration with Visitor Experience, Operations, Exhibits, Marketing, and Education colleagues.