Registrar [Senator John Heinz History Center]

Job Posting

The Heinz History Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the largest history museum in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, seeks a Registrar to join our team in managing museum collections and installing exhibitions. We are looking for a Registrar who is detail oriented and who enjoys working independently processing collections but also as a member of a creative team developing and maintaining exhibitions. The Registrar will be responsible for cataloging the collections, conducting material culture research, numbering, data entry, photography, packing, and storage prep.  The Registrar will help to maintain proper storage and exhibit of artifacts by assisting with monitoring and maintenance. During exhibit preparation and take down, the Registrar will assist with the artifacts as necessary. The Registrar will also manage interns and volunteers, contract conservators, and work with other divisions, especially Education, to offer workshops or collections care training. Some collections related travel may be required.

The History Center maintains an aggressive exhibit and collecting schedule (multiple museums, multiple exhibits per year ranging from 1000 to 10000 square feet) and offers the opportunity to work with an award winning museum team of collections staff, curators, designers, and production specialists. Projects range from cultural and natural history to art and sports exhibits.

This is a Full-time position reporting to the Collections Manager.

The ideal candidate will have an M.A. degree in Museum or American Studies, Archeology, Art History or a related field with at least 2-3 years’ experience in museum collections or registration. Familiarity with standard museum registration methods: accessioning, numbering, cataloging, artifact handling is necessary, prior use of the PastPerfect collections database is desirable. A valid driver’s license is required. Candidates should have a proven ability to organize, manage, and track projects and tasks, strong record-keeping skills, knowledge of museum collections’ policies and procedures, artifact handling experience, and strong communication skills as the registrar interacts frequently with other departments and the public. Knowledge of material culture and skill in photography are desirable.