Museum Technicians and Conservators
What they do
Restore, maintain, or prepare objects in museum collections for storage, research, or exhibit. May work with specimens such as fossils, skeletal parts, or botanicals; or artifacts, textiles, or art. May identify and record objects or install and arrange them in exhibits. Includes book or document conservators.
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
About museum technicians and conservators
Other titles
Art Preparator, Conservation Technician, Conservator, Exhibit Technician, Museum Registrar, Museum Technician, Objects Conservator, Paintings Conservator, Paper Conservator, Preparator
Tasks they perform
- Install, arrange, assemble, and prepare artifacts for exhibition, ensuring the artifacts' safety, reporting their status and condition, and identifying and correcting any problems with the set up.
- Repair, restore, and reassemble artifacts, designing and fabricating missing or broken parts, to restore them to their original appearance and prevent deterioration.
- Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes.
Skills they need
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Licenses and Certifications
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
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Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Forest and Conservation Technicians
Historians
Additional career information and resources
Learn more about museum technicians and conservators with these helpful sites.
- Academy of Certified Archivists (external link opens new tab)
- American Alliance of Museums (external link opens new tab)
- American Association for State and Local History (external link opens new tab)
- American Institute for Conservation (external link opens new tab)
- American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (external link opens new tab)
- Association of Registrars and Collections Specialists (external link opens new tab)
- Association of Science-Technology Centers (external link opens new tab)
- Council of State Archivists (external link opens new tab)
- International Council of Museums (external link opens new tab)
- International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (external link opens new tab)