Museum scientist

Museum scientists perform and/or manage the curatorial, preparatory and clerical work in general museums, research collection repositories, botanical gardens, art galleries, fine arts related collections, aquariums or similar areas with collections of natural, historical and anthropological material that is educational, scientific or aesthetic in purpose; and perform other related duties as required.

The following job titles also refer to museum scientist:

museum administrator
conservationist scientist
museum researcher

Master’s degree is generally required to work as museum scientist. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Museum scientist is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to museum scientist.

research manager
collection manager
art restorer
archive manager
exhibition registrar

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of museum scientist. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of museum scientist with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of museum scientist.

Art collections: The variety of paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings and other works that form collections in a museum and prospective new collections which are of interest for a museum or art gallery.
Collection management software: Be familiar with specialised collection management software used to document and keep record of the museum collection.
Museum databases: The tools and processes involved in working with museum databases.

These skills are necessary for the role of museum scientist.

Advise on acquisitions: Investigate acquisition options, compare them and give advice.
Prepare exhibition programs: Work on exhibition programs and write concept texts.
Work with cultural venue specialists: Call upon the competence of other professionals and specialists, from within and outside the organisation, to contribute to activities and provide documents to improve public access to collections and exhibitions.
Perform lectures: Present lectures to various groups.
Supervise special visitors: Serve as docents for special visitors and groups.
Use ict recources to solve work related tasks: Ability to choose and use ICT recources in order to solve related tasks
Monitor museum environment: Monitor and document environmental conditions in a museum, in storage as well as exhibition facilities. Make sure an adapted and stable climate is guaranteed.
Maintain catalogue collection: Describe, inventorise and catalogue items in the collection.
Supervise projects for the conservation of heritage buildings: Supervise protection and restoration projects of cultural heritage. Use own expertise to make sure the project runs smoothly.
Document museum collection: Registrars are concerned with documentation and record keeping of museum collections. Documentation includes information about an object’s condition, provenance, materials, and all of its movements within the museum or out on loan.
Report analysis results: Produce research documents or give presentations to report the results of a conducted research and analysis project, indicating the analysis procedures and methods which led to the results, as well as potential interpretations of the results.
Select loan objects: Select specimens for exhibitions loans.
Study a collection: Research and trace the origins and the historical significance of collections and archive content.
Maintain museum records: Keep museum records current and in conformity with museum standards.
Communicate in english in a competent way: Competent use of English; R351refers to level C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of museum scientist. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of museum scientist. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Liaise with cultural partners: Establish and maintain sustainable partnerships with cultural authorities, sponsors and other cultural institutions.
Provide project information on exhibitions: Provide information on the preparation, execution and evaluation of exhibitions and other artistic projects.
Respect cultural differences in the field of exhibition: Respect cultural differences when creating artistic concepts and exhibitions. Collaborate with international artists, curators, museums and sponsors.
Direct an artistic team: Lead and instruct a complete team with the required cultural expertise and experience.
Present exhibition: Present an exhibition and give educational lectures in a comprehensible way that is attractive to the public.
Perform project management: Manage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project’s progress in order to achieve a specific goal within a set time and budget.

2621 – Archivists and curators

References

1. Museum scientist – ESCO