What You'll Do

  • Install, arrange, assemble, and prepare artifacts for exhibition, ensuring the artifacts' safety, reporting their status and condition, and identifying and correcting any problems with the set up.
  • Coordinate exhibit installations, assisting with design, constructing displays, dioramas, display cases, and models, and ensuring the availability of necessary materials.
  • Determine whether objects need repair and choose the safest and most effective method of repair.
  • Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes.
  • Prepare artifacts for storage and shipping.
  • Supervise and work with volunteers.
  • Specialize in particular materials or types of object, such as documents and books, paintings, decorative arts, textiles, metals, or architectural materials.
  • Recommend preservation procedures, such as control of temperature and humidity, to curatorial and building staff.
  • Classify and assign registration numbers to artifacts and supervise inventory control.
  • Perform on-site field work which may involve interviewing people, inspecting and identifying artifacts, note-taking, viewing sites and collections, and repainting exhibition spaces.

Essential Skills

Active Listening 3.88/5
Reading Comprehension 3.62/5
Speaking 3.62/5
Writing 3.25/5
Critical Thinking 3.25/5
Monitoring 3.12/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.12/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.12/5
Active Learning 3.0/5
Coordination 3.0/5
Instructing 3.0/5
Learning Strategies 2.88/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Dependability, Integrity, Cooperation, Analytical Thinking

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Expression 3.75/5
Near Vision 3.75/5
Oral Comprehension 3.62/5
Information Ordering 3.62/5
Written Comprehension 3.5/5
Written Expression 3.5/5
Speech Recognition 3.5/5
Speech Clarity 3.5/5

Technologies & Tools

Adobe Acrobat Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Autodesk AutoCAD Gallery Systems EmbARK Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Visual FoxPro Microsoft Word PastPerfect Software PastPerfect Questor Systems ARGUS Questor Systems QScan32 Word processing software

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.92/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.42/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.2/5)
  • Cooperation (High importance: 4.19/5)
  • Analytical Thinking (High importance: 4.16/5)

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How to Become One

Most employers require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Some positions may also require experience through internships, co-ops, or entry-level work to strengthen your candidacy.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Archaeological Technician Armorer Technician Art Conservator Art Handler Art Objects Repairer Art Preparator Artifacts Conservator Ceramic Restorer Conservation Specialist Conservation Technician Conservation Worker Conservator Conservator Technician Document Restorer Ethnographic Materials Conservator Exhibit Preparator Exhibit Technician Exhibition Designer Exhibitions Coordinator Exhibits Coordinator Fine Arts Packer Lace and Textiles Restorer Museum Exhibit Technician Museum Preparator Museum Registrar Museum Technician Objects Conservator Paintings Conservator Paper and Prints Restorer Paper Conservator Preparator Preservation Contactor Preservation Vendor Reconstruction Technician Renovation Technician Renovations Technician Restoration Coordinator Restoration Technician Textile Conservator