Creating permanent and temporary exhibitions and displays, meeting strict deadlines of time and cost.
Occupational Profile
A Museum and Gallery Technician creates permanent and temporary exhibitions and displays, meeting strict deadlines of time and cost. They design, manufacture and install bespoke display and interpretation solutions, which may include mounts and showcases, and may be involved in creating accurate labels for particular objects*. These objects may be extremely valuable and often priceless. The display solutions may be made from materials such as Perspex, wood and metal and may be intricate. In consultation with the designated Conservator, they may also have to source manufacturers for some displays.
Museum and Gallery Technicians contribute to the specialist preparation, planning, technical and operational running of Collections and Exhibitions. They also complete documentation associated with collections management, risk assessment and object handling. They must work within their organisation’s policies and procedures at all times and are responsible for ensuring that their tools and equipment are health, safety and security compliant.
A Technician is further expected to assist with ongoing collections care, preparing objects for transit, by constructing, or overseeing the construction, of travel cases.
Technicians may support wider organisational activities such as providing objects for learning sessions in a safe and responsible way, selecting and handling objects for external clients, showing others how to safely handle objects, or accompanying visitors/clients to object stores. Technicians may be expected to work with internal and external conservators, curators, artists, scientists, contractors, art handlers, and exhibition managers. They may be expected to accompany, sometimes alone, the transit of objects, nationally and internationally, and work both independently and as part of a team.
Roles could be in a multi-department museum/gallery, smaller museum/gallery or a group of museums/galleries and associated organisations providing technical services to museums and galleries, as well as technicians within arts schools, and those providing technical services to the wider arts and cultural heritage sectors.
*Refers to artworks, objects, specimens, artefacts and/or archives
Summary of Standard
Full Standard
