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