Occupation · SOC 25-4013
Museum Technicians and Conservators
Restore, maintain, or prepare objects in museum collections for storage, research, or exhibit. May work with specimens such as fossils, skeletal parts, or botanicals; or artifacts, textiles, or art. May identify and record objects or install and arrange them in exhibits. Includes book or document conservators.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
206 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionWritingCritical ThinkingMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingComplex Problem SolvingInstructingCoordinationActive LearningSocial PerceptivenessLearning StrategiesTime ManagementSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisService OrientationPersuasionOperations MonitoringNegotiationScienceQuality Control AnalysisMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesManagement of Material ResourcesTechnology DesignTroubleshootingRepairingOperation and ControlManagement of Financial ResourcesEquipment SelectionProgrammingOperations AnalysisInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Fine ArtsEnglish LanguagePublic Safety and SecurityHistory and ArcheologyAdministration and ManagementChemistryAdministrativeMechanicalProduction and ProcessingDesignMathematicsEducation and TrainingCommunications and MediaEngineering and TechnologyTransportationComputers and ElectronicsCustomer and Personal ServiceSociology and AnthropologyLaw and GovernmentPhysicsGeographyBuilding and ConstructionPersonnel and Human ResourcesBiologyPhilosophy and TheologyTelecommunicationsPsychologyEconomics and AccountingForeign LanguageSales and MarketingMedicine and DentistryTherapy and CounselingFood Production
Technology & tools
Adobe AcrobatAdobe Creative Cloud softwareAdobe IllustratorAdobe InDesignAdobe PhotoshopAutodesk AutoCADGallery Systems EmbARKMicrosoft Active Server Pages ASPMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Visual FoxProMicrosoft WordPastPerfect Software PastPerfectQuestor Systems ARGUSQuestor Systems QScan32Word processing software
Representative tasks
Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsGetting InformationHandling and Moving ObjectsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesThinking CreativelyDocumenting/Recording InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkProcessing InformationJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleWorking with ComputersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationDeveloping and Building TeamsAnalyzing Data or InformationControlling Machines and ProcessesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersPerforming Administrative ActivitiesEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsScheduling Work and ActivitiesCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersCoaching and Developing OthersRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentTraining and Teaching OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentAssisting and Caring for OthersSelling or Influencing Others
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Artifact handling protocols — apply under direct supervision to safely move and position objects during gallery installation preparation.Basic cleaning agents and solvents — select and use under guidance to remove surface dirt from stable objects such as pottery and glass.Object condition reports — complete standardized forms to document visible damage, losses, and surface irregularities on incoming collection items.Photographic documentation — capture reference images of artifacts using digital cameras and photo-imaging software under supervisor direction.Collection database records — enter descriptive and condition data into museum database systems following established data-entry protocols.Packing and padding materials — assemble and apply to artifacts in preparation for storage or shipping according to step-by-step instructions.Laboratory safety procedures — follow established chemical-handling and personal-protective-equipment rules in a conservation lab setting.Artifact installation checklists — use to verify the safety, placement, and stability of objects during supervised exhibition setup.Conservation literature and treatment records — read and summarize to support senior conservators preparing treatment proposals.Environmental monitoring instruments — read temperature and humidity gauges and log readings in support of collections-care staff.
developing
Artifact examination and triage — assess condition independently and recommend whether objects require immediate conservation intervention or routine monitoring.Cleaning treatments — design and execute appropriate solvent or aqueous cleaning sequences for paper, textiles, and wooden objects with limited oversight.Missing or broken components — fabricate replacement parts using period-appropriate materials and techniques to restore an artifact's structural integrity.Exhibition installation — arrange, assemble, and mount artifacts in gallery settings, resolving minor display problems and reporting status to curatorial staff.Photographic documentation workflow — manage image capture, metadata tagging, and file storage in photo-imaging and document-management software for a project collection.Packing and crating specifications — prepare detailed instructions and packing solutions for loan objects traveling to partner institutions.Collection database queries — run structured searches and generate condition or location reports to support collection audits and inventory reviews.Preservation recommendations — communicate humidity and temperature control requirements to facilities staff based on collection vulnerability assessments.Conservation treatment records — write clear written reports documenting materials used, procedures followed, and post-treatment condition of objects.Coordination with curatorial teams — collaborate on exhibition timelines, negotiating conservation priorities and installation sequencing across multiple project stakeholders.
proficient
Complex multi-material artifact restoration — design and execute full treatment plans for deteriorated objects combining metal, organic, and textile components, working autonomously.Treatment method evaluation — apply critical thinking and chemistry knowledge to select the safest, most reversible repair approach from competing conservation options.Non-routine cleaning challenges — develop customized cleaning protocols for fragile or unique objects where standard methods present unacceptable risk.Comprehensive exhibition installation — oversee the safe arrangement and display of large artifact ensembles, identifying and correcting structural, lighting, and security problems.Collections care policy development — draft and implement preservation procedures covering environmental standards, integrated pest management, and disaster preparedness.Advanced photographic and imaging analysis — employ reflectance imaging, UV, and infrared photography to reveal hidden condition issues and guide treatment decisions.Grant and project documentation — produce detailed technical reports and illustrated treatment dossiers meeting professional and funder standards.Database system administration — configure collection-management database fields, controlled vocabularies, and access permissions to improve institutional records integrity.Mentor and instruct junior staff — guide emerging technicians through hands-on treatment exercises, translating complex conservation science into accessible practice.Interdisciplinary problem solving — coordinate with chemists, architects, and registrars to resolve non-routine conservation challenges that cross departmental boundaries.
advanced
Institutional conservation strategy — set the long-range vision and resource priorities for a museum conservation department aligned with collection growth and public access goals.Organization-wide preservation policy — author and champion policies governing environmental standards, loan criteria, and storage facility requirements across the entire institution.Senior staff development — design mentorship programs and structured training curricula that advance the competencies of conservators and technicians at all career stages.Research and innovation leadership — direct applied conservation research projects, integrating emerging materials science and imaging technologies into departmental practice.Cross-institutional collaboration — represent the museum in professional consortia, negotiating shared conservation resources, emergency-response agreements, and joint publications.Budget and resource stewardship — develop and manage multi-year conservation department budgets, aligning expenditures with strategic collection-care and exhibition priorities.Risk and ethics governance — provide authoritative judgment on high-stakes treatment decisions, deaccessioning ethics, and repatriation consultations for the institution's leadership.Public and scholarly communication — present conservation research and methodology findings at national conferences and in peer-reviewed publications to advance the field.Technology adoption oversight — evaluate, procure, and integrate new database, CAD, and imaging platforms, ensuring staff readiness and workflow continuity institution-wide.Emergency and disaster preparedness leadership — establish and lead the museum's collections-salvage response framework, coordinating internal teams and external agencies during crises.
Also known as
39 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Archaeological TechnicianArmorer TechnicianArt ConservatorArt HandlerArt Objects RepairerArt PreparatorArtifacts ConservatorCeramic RestorerConservation SpecialistConservation TechnicianConservation WorkerConservatorConservator TechnicianDocument RestorerEthnographic Materials ConservatorExhibit PreparatorExhibit TechnicianExhibition DesignerExhibitions CoordinatorExhibits CoordinatorFine Arts PackerLace and Textiles RestorerMuseum Exhibit TechnicianMuseum PreparatorMuseum RegistrarMuseum TechnicianObjects ConservatorPaintings ConservatorPaper and Prints RestorerPaper ConservatorPreparatorPreservation ContactorPreservation VendorReconstruction TechnicianRenovation TechnicianRenovations TechnicianRestoration CoordinatorRestoration TechnicianTextile Conservator