The Ella Sharp Museum, an accredited museum of art, history and science located in the city of Jackson, Michigan, has opened a search for its new director. The “Ella” was founded in 1965 as a public, non-profit institution, and is the principal museum for this south central Michigan community. Its ten-acre primary campus is home to multiple historic buildings built on the site of the former Merriman-Sharp Hillside Farm. In addition to a 40,424 sq. ft. modern exhibition and program facility, the museum owns and operates a free standing planetarium theater. The successful candidate will lead the visionary and innovative management of its museum of art and history, planetarium, and historic house complex dating to 1842, in addition a recently developed, award-winning prison museum, Cell Block 7, operated in collaboration with the Southern Michigan Correctional Facility.

The Ella Sharp Museum houses and exhibits a growing permanent collection of contemporary art and regionally significant historical materials that supports and advances the museum’s educational mission. Its director reports to a board of trustees. The museum is debt free. Its annual budget of $1,267,000 is funded through revenue derived from earned income, proceeds from membership, grants and fundraising activities in addition to investment income from an endowment.

Additional information and procedures for application are posted at http://www.ellasharp.org/ . Applications will be reviewed beginning July 31, 2016 and will continue until the position is filled. The salary and compensation package are competitive and are commensurate with experience.

Timothy Chester, a senior museum consultant with The Museum Group (www.museumgroup.com), is assisting the Ella Sharp Museum with this search. He is attending the Annual Meeting of the American Association for State & Local History to be held in Detroit, Michigan September 14-16, 2016 and is available to meet with applicants to discuss the opportunity and answer questions. Contact him at timothychester@comcast.net.
Requirements for this position are posted at the Ella Sharp Museum’s web site at http://www.ellasharp.org.
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Additional Salary Information: Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.