Senior Director & Curator, Aviation History Exhibits

Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum; Honolulu (HI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum in Honolulu, HI seeks a Senior Director & Curator to lead the curatorial vision, collections strategy, and interpretive programs for on-site exhibits.

You will supervise curatorial and conservation staff, manage budgets and grants, and collaborate with education, operations, and donors to bring aviation history to life.

This leadership role shapes public-facing storytelling across Hangar 37 and Hangar 79, engaging veterans, scholars, and visitors.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of museum curation and exhibitions.
• Experience with collections management and conservation.
• Strong leadership and staff supervision skills.
• Proven ability to develop engaging interpretive programs.
• Master's degree in Museum Studies, History, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Oversee collections management, conservation priorities, and artifact acquisition.
• Develop exhibition concepts and narratives for galleries.
• Coordinate research to support interpretation of aviation and military history.
• Lead curatorial and collections staff; collaborate with education, operations, and development.
• Represent the Museum at conferences, community events, and stakeholder meetings.

Skills

Museum curation

Collections management

Exhibition development

Leadership

Public speaking

Grant writing

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Master's degree in Museum Studies or related field

Job description

Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum in Honolulu, HI seeks a Senior Director & Curator to lead the curatorial vision, collections strategy, and interpretive programs for on-site exhibits.

You will supervise curatorial and conservation staff, manage budgets and grants, and collaborate with education, operations, and donors to bring aviation history to life.

This leadership role shapes public-facing storytelling across Hangar 37 and Hangar 79, engaging veterans, scholars, and visitors.