Careers In Art and Art History
Museum-type Careers for Art Historians and Studio Artists with Art History Background
Museum Work:
- Director
- Curator and Assistant Curator
- Curatorial Assistant
- Registrar
- Grant specialist
- Visual resource curator/archivist
- Exhibition designer
- Installation specialist/preparator
- Director of Education
- Museum educator
- Public relations/development/fund-raising (including web design and maintenance)
- Rights and reproductions specialist
- Conservation (restoration and preservation) of art objects (can require advanced degree
in art conservation) - Retail specialist
Galleries, Academic and Commercial:
- Curator for university/college gallery
- Gallery Director for nonprofit organization
- Commercial gallery owner or art dealer
- Auction house associate
- Corporate or private art collection curator
- Artist’s agent
- Antiquarian book, print, or art dealer
- Art appraiser
- Estate appraiser
Arts Administration and Management (can require degree in business or arts administration)
- Nonprofit or community-based arts organization administrator
- Government-funded arts organization administrator
Museum-type Careers Organized by Minimum Degree or Training Required
Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in Art History or Studio Art with a minor in Art History, plus appropriate internships and/or portfolio:
- Researcher/curatorial assistant
- Exhibition designer/installation specialist/preparator
- Apprentice in conservation department (requires basic chemistry and physics courses)
- Assistant registrar
- Public relations/development/fund-raising (including web design and maintenance)
- Rights and reproductions specialist
- Retail specialist
- Entry-level positions in auction houses
- Art/antiques dealer
- Commercial gallery owner or assistant
- Artist’s agent
- Visual resource curator/archivist
- Corporate or private art consultant/curator
Minimum MA in Art History:
- Museum registrar
- Museum educator
- Arts Administrator
- Museum curator
- Director of university/college gallery
- Curator of university/college gallery
- Gallery director for nonprofit organization
- Museum educator
- Upper-level position in auction house
PhD in Art History Desirable/Necessary:
- Museum director
- Museum director of education
- Chief or high level museum curator
- High-level arts administrator