About Boston Children’s Museum
Boston Children’s Museum is one of the most influential children’s museums in the world. It was founded in
1913 by the Science Teachers’ Bureau and for over 100 years has been engaging children in joyful discovery experiences that help to instill a lifelong love of learning.
The Museum’s hands-on and experiential exhibits and programs help to show the power of play in supporting informal learning and encourage creativity, curiosity, and imagination. They aid children with skill discovery, early literacy, health and wellness, awareness of the environment, science and math enrichment, and fine motor skill development.
The Museum is an educational institution deeply committed to closing the achievement gap by providing
experiential learning opportunities and adult engagement resources. Adult engagement and providing access to the Museum and its programming, regardless of visitors’ challenging life circumstances, remain major priorities. Museum programs help families nurture their children’s natural curiosity and discovery. The Museum’s location in Boston’s innovation district provides the opportunity for corporate partners and local businesses to offer interactive design and build “construction and maker zone” programs for kids, and exposes participants and their families to a variety of career opportunities.
The Museum is also one of the few children’s museums in the world to maintain a diverse collection. The
Museum’s collections of Americana, Natural History, Global Culture, Native American, Dolls and Dollhouses, and Japanese artifacts encompass more than 50,000 items. As one of the largest children’s museums in the world, Boston Children’s Museum also provides museum consulting services and creates award winning traveling exhibits, staff training materials, and exhibit kits for Museum professionals.
In 2013, Boston Children’s Museum was one of ten recipients of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The nation’s highest honor conferred on museums and libraries for service to the community, the National Medal celebrates institutions that make a difference for individuals, families, and communities.
Reporting to the Curator of Collections, the Collections Cataloger is responsible for multiple projects involving Boston Children’s Museum’s artifact collections. The primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to: cataloging, documenting, researching and inventorying museum artifacts; taking digital images and scans; and preparing and entering catalog records into the PastPerfect database. The Cataloger will largely be working with materials that have been identified for deaccession and data entry for materials in use for exhibits and programs. Additional responsibilities may include contacting other institutions regarding transfer of materials and appropriately housing and cleaning items in storage.
The Cataloger will attend staff, department, and other meetings as needed and may assist BCM staff and
outside visitors in storage. Additional tasks may be assigned by the Curator of Collections as needed.
This is a part-time (2-3 days per week), temporary position with potential to go through 6/30/18.
Essential Job Functions:
Create object-level catalog records with carefully written descriptions and provenance histories, digital
images, and thoughtfully applied subject and search terms.
Evaluate artifacts’ general physical condition and update or create object level files for items, especially
those in current or upcoming use.
Prepare deaccession tracking lists in preparation for Collections Board Committee reviews.
Respond to requests for assistance with artifacts in exhibit spaces.
Attend department and other related meetings.
Other tasks as assigned by Curator of Collections
Qualifications:
High school diploma required; college degree/experience preferred
Strong interest in or course work in Museum Studies, Cultural Studies, History, or Public History
Working knowledge of office procedures and equipment
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and Windows applications
Strong organization skills; detail oriented
Ability to interact positively with diverse staff and visitors
Ability to react positively to a rapidly changing environment and make good decisions under pressure
Familiarity with digital imaging, databases, and scanning a plus
Familiarity with online document sharing sites (e.g. Google Docs, Drop Box) a plus
Proficiency or interest in social media a plus
To apply: Please send your resume and cover letter to Jobs@BostonChildrensMuseum.org
All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
