Professional Resources
AAMD Museums searching for a director Updated February 2013
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What does an art museum director do?
The AAMD Salary Survey defines an art museum director as the person who: "provides conceptual leadership though specialized knowledge of the discipline of the museum; responsible for policy making and funding (with the governing board), planning, organizing, staffing and directing activities through the staff may be responsible for financial management." The director is the officer who has ultimate responsibility for the works of art owned by or lent to the museum, including jurisdiction over their acquisition, exhibition, preservation, study, and interpretation.
How does one become a museum director?
Historically, museum directors have strong curatorial backgrounds before taking on more administrative responsibilities. Most museum directors have studied art history on some level and many have earned doctorate degrees in that field. Along with traditional art history programs more universities are increasingly offering programs which emphasize museum management, arts administration, or museum studies.
What is the average salary for a museum director?
Like most salaries within art museums, the museum director's salary depends on a number of factors including, but not limited to: size of the institution, museum budget, region, size of population museum serves, and number of years of experience. For a range of figures order the AAMD Salary Survey.
Where can I find out more information about management training programs for museum directors?
Getty Leadership Institute
Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies
Where can I find out more information about Art History and Museum Studies Programs?
Canadian Museum Association
Museum Employment Resource Center
How do I get an Internship or Fellowship at a Museum?
Obtaining an internship is a very common beginning to a career in the museum field. Most museum websites will provide internship information. (Hint: use the search section of a museum's website and type "Internship" or "Fellowship".) Below are a links to internship and fellowship information at a few of the largest AAMD member museums.
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- J. Paul Getty Museum
- Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Museum of Fine Arts Boston
- Museum of Fine Arts Houston
- MoMA
- National Gallery of Art
- National Gallery of Canada
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
- Smithsonian Institution