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Museum Curator
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in consulting to recommend the acquisition of paintings, photographs, sculptures, documents and other museum and art gallery artifacts; and in supervising curatorial assistants and other museum technicians
Interest in overseeing the conservation, display and circulation of collections
Interest in co-ordinating information to develop story lines and themes, and in organizing displays and exhibitions
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Duties and responsibilities vary considerably from one position to another but, in general, curators:
In smaller facilities, curators also may:
In larger institutions, curators usually are responsible for specific collections or represent particular academic disciplines.
Some curators may specialize in arts and crafts, coordinating exhibitions, or producing publications, online content and other related activities. Others specialize in sciences such as paleontology or ethnography, but do not engage in the acquisition process.
Curators work in offices, storage areas and exhibition galleries, in the community at large, in labs and in the field (for example, at archaeological sites). Their hours of work vary and often include evenings and weekends.
When conducting fieldwork, curators may live in tents or in local housing in remote locations, working long hours (sometimes alone) for extended periods of time. Fieldwork often is seasonal and some of the work can be physically demanding. Travel to other countries may be required.
When working in labs, curators may use materials containing toxic chemicals. They must follow safety precautions to avoid injury or illness. Curators may work with firearms in collections. They may also work on ladders or scaffolding and may be required to lift items that weigh up to 20 kilograms.
Curators need:
They should enjoy:
They should be able to listen non-judgmentally and deal with sensitive situations or issues that require high standards of integrity. Those who work in smaller facilities should enjoy variety and multitasking.
There is no standard education requirement for curators in Alberta but most facilities prefer to hire job applicants who have at least a bachelor's degree in a related field of study. Medium and larger institutions generally prefer to hire applicants who have a master's or doctoral degree in a field such as museum studies, history, archeology, fine arts, art history, anthropology, botany, zoology or geology. Since this field is small and competitive, graduate work at the doctoral level is often required for employment in senior positions in large museums or universities.
Prospective curators are strongly advised to discuss their education options with practising curators before enrolling in an education program.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your search for programs related to this occupation, visit Post-Secondary Programs.
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Outside of Alberta, the following schools offer programs specifically related to curatorship:
There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.
Curators work in public and private museums, historic sites, universities, art galleries, zoos, botanical gardens and other related facilities. They may be employees or work as private contractors.
There are over 250 museums, historic sites, art galleries and zoos in Alberta. Some are seasonal; others are open year round. In medium and large facilities, curators usually start in junior positions and advance to more senior positions. When applying for a junior position, related volunteer or paid work experience and courses in museum studies are definite assets.
Curators are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 5112: Conservators and Curators. In Alberta, 77% of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:
The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, the 5112: Conservators and curators occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 0% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 0 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.
Source: Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Salaries vary depending on the nature of the organization (for example, government or not-for-profit society), the size of the facility, the responsibilities of the position and the qualifications of the curator.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Lower Reliability, represents a CV of between 15.01% and 33.00% and/or if fewer than 20 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 33% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $21.00 | $41.29 | $35.84 | $38.67 |
| Overall | $22.26 | $54.40 | $45.40 | $47.48 |
| Top | $23.38 | $54.40 | $46.30 | $50.69 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| Public Administration | $88,998 |
|---|---|
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $81,979 |
| Information, Culture, Recreation | $44,989 |
Alberta Museums Association website: museums.ab.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 02, 2021. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.