Gallery Interpretation Manager [The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston]

The Gallery Interpretation Manager plays a critical leadership role within the Department of Learning and Interpretation and the museum as a whole to enhance visitors’ experiences of learning and enjoyment in the permanent collection galleries and special exhibitions. S/he has the opportunity to develop a new area within the department and to take a leading role on a team of Educators, Curators, Conservators, and other museum staff, working collaboratively to create a broad range of interpretive materials for intergenerational audiences. This position works with staff to design gallery interpretation through text, digital technology (audio and video), and live dialog. As a critical component of the interpretive process, s/he oversees content training on the museum’s collections for the volunteer docent corps, who facilitate dialog about art with visitors in the galleries.

• Works with a collaborative team of curators, educators, conservators, and other museum staff to create a strategy for gallery interpretation at the MFAH, with specific focus on the interpretation of the collections of modern and contemporary art to be installed in the new building, opening in 2019
• Works with staff museum wide (curators, conservators, librarians, archivists, and educators) to identify and create content for in-gallery interpretation, in text and audio/video formats
• Following up on the museum’s IT strategy, this position works with staff museum wide (Website Committee, Marketing and Communications, IT) to make sure interpretive strategies are consonant across plans for mobile interpretation and the museum’s website
• Works with museum staff in Exhibitions, Curatorial, Education, and Design to create an interpretive plan for selected special exhibitions. Manages production of audio tours for selected exhibitions, until such time that the museum develops plans for digital interpretation of the special exhibitions
• Works collaboratively with staff in Learning and Interpretation, and the Docent Committees to develop a fresh approach to volunteer docent training, utilizing the encyclopedic expertise of the museum’s curatorial and learning and interpretation staff
• Brings expertise in an area of the collection to the department; offers lectures and teaching in the galleries as available
• Keeps abreast of best practices and conducts new research in all areas related to museum interpretation and public programming
• Represents MFAH at regional and national conferences, and publishes research when possible

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

• Comprehensive knowledge of the history of art as well as best practices in the field of museum interpretation and current strategies for reaching varied audiences
• Willingness to innovate and experiment with new modes of engaging visitors in the galleries
• Ability to work effectively on cross-departmental teams, supervising staff, and managing budgets
• Proven experience working successfully in collaborative environments
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and teaching skills
• Excellent organizational skills, follow-through, and attention to detail, as well as the ability to develop effective work processes, and coordinate multiple projects simultaneously
• Familiarity with new technologies in mobile interpretation is highly desirable

Education and Experience:

• M.A. in Art History or a related field
• Five years museum experience
• Demonstrated management and administrative experience