Museum Curator - Higher Ed. jobs in Massachusetts

Position Summary: 

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston seeks a dynamic and highly-motivated individual to lead the care and programming of its global collection of musical instruments. The MFA is deeply committed to exploring the changing nature of art museums today and their relationship to the public. Inclusion, community, and relevance are key to those goals, all promises of the Museum’s strategic plan, MFA 2020. Because of music’s universal appeal, the Pappalardo Curator of Musical Instruments will play an important role in realizing a museum welcoming to all through the creation of exhibitions, gallery displays, and public programs that boldly combine objects with ideas that excite our current audiences and bring in new ones. 

The Museum is home to a world-class collection of over 1,300 instruments, including examples from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America. Museum visitors can enjoy and learn about the instrument collection through exhibitions and gallery displays, as well as by live demonstrations, concerts, videos and audio samples, lectures, and publications. Musical instruments can be found not only in their dedicated gallery, but integrated throughout the Museum, inviting audiences to consider them in many contexts.

Reporting to the Chair, Art of Europe, the Pappalardo Curator will lead in shaping the vision for the musical instruments collection and program. The Pappalardo Curator will develop an engaging portfolio of exhibitions, publications, programs and initiatives in collaboration with Public Programs colleagues to bring the collection to life. The Curator will embrace and champion the Museum’s core values, namely that the experience of our visitor is paramount to our mission, strategies, and achievements.  

Essential Functions:

•   Develop an overall vision for the Musical Instruments collection in collaboration with curatorial colleagues.

•  Propose exhibition ideas and execute approved exhibitions. Direct and oversee related activities, including presentation in galleries, publications, brochures, labels, text, and other interpretive materials.

•   Work closely with Conservation and Collections Management, Exhibitions Strategy and Gallery Displays, Facilities, Protective Services, contractors and others partaking in art installations, to ensure proper conditions and protocols are maintained, for objects on view and in storage.

•   Actively seek out opportunities to engage with Boston’s community and beyond with the goal to deliver on the Strategic Plan’s promise to be a meeting place of world cultures and to welcome and engage a diverse range of audiences.

• In consultation with the Chair, Art of Europe, create innovative and thoughtful programming and travel opportunities that appeal to members and draw new musical instruments supporters. 

•   Collaborate with the Development department to cultivate and steward relationships with important collectors and donors and to seek and act upon opportunities that connect new and existing donors with the Museum.

•   In collaboration with curatorial colleagues, the Head of Collections, and the Director, seek, research, recommend and present objects for acquisition, both gifts and purchases. Refine the collection through thoughtful de-accessioning.

•   Collaborate with colleagues to research and document the collection in the Museum’s collections database “The Museum System” (TMS). Evaluate and arrange for loans of objects to and from the collection.

•   Identify objects and consult with Provenance Curator, conservation and scientific staff to establish the history and authenticity of art objects.

•   Deliver talks and perform on instruments in the permanent collection and as part of special projects or exhibitions. 

•   Work with Communications staff in marketing and public relations on endeavors that support exhibition projects or initiatives.

•   Share expertise, and maintain extensive contacts with colleagues, makers, musicians, scholars, collectors, dealers, consultants, as appropriate.

•  Travel and serve as an art courier, attend conferences, seminars; visit other Museums, maintain professional affiliations in appropriate organizations. 

Candidate Profile:

• Intellectual rigor, demonstrated by a portfolio of exhibitions, collection installations, public engagements, and publications that have advanced scholarship and connected visitors to musical instruments 
• An inspirational and experienced leader, with the dynamic communication skills that engage staff, donors, and diverse audiences
• Clear commitment to IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, access), through projects, collaborations, and hiring and management that fosters a culturally inclusive and welcoming environment
• A passionate MFA ambassador to seek out opportunities to engage with Boston’s communities and beyond, with the goal to deliver on the Strategic Plan’s promise to be a meeting place of world cultures 
• Generosity of spirit, experienced in becoming personally and professionally committed to the MFA’s communities locally, nationally, and globally 
• Committed to collaboration with others inside and outside the MFA to achieve the best outcome
• Desire and ability to cultivate new relationships and explore new opportunities to enhance the MFA’s musical instrument collection and program 
• Advanced degree in Musical Instrument Studies, Musicology, Music History, Ethnomusicology, or Arts Administration, or extensive equivalent related knowledge in museum exhibition and program planning and production
• A minimum of 5 to 7 years of experience in the area of Musical Instruments, with established contacts with national and international artists, collectors, dealers, curators and other museum professionals
• Proficiency in performance on one or more instruments

SALARY RANGE:

Full-time Salary, 35 hours per week

Starting Salary: $88,026

This position is affiliated with the UAW union.

The MFA is an equal opportunity employer. The community and audience we serve is diverse, and we wish to foster that diversity in our workplace. Toward that end, the MFA does not discriminate against individuals in hiring, employment or promotion on the basis of race, religion, color, sex/gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship, handicap or disability, veteran or military status, political belief, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.