Curator

Organization:

New Westminster Museum and Archives

Deadline:

Jan. 31, 2025

Organization Description:

The New Westminster Museum and Archives is a local heritage organisation owned and operated by the City of New Westminster. The NWMA is managed across three city locations: Anvil Centre, Irving House and the Samson V Museum. The operations care for over 36,000 objects, 50,000 photographs, and 500 linear meters of archival records that celebrate and document the City's cultural heritage. Our exhibits focus on the land, people, and development of the place now known as New Westminster. We aspire to be an fun and entertaining place of learning and work with the community and objects in the museum’s collection to engage in inquiry, discussion, and exploration about the city

Website:

https://www.nwmuseumarchive.ca/

Job Description:

New Westminster Museums and Heritage Services is looking for an enthusiastic, collaborative and creative Curator to lead exhibition and collections development, as well as undertake research into the City of New Westminster. The New Westminster Museum is transitioning its role within its community; our mission is to enhance knowledge and deepen understanding of the City and its diverse peoples by illuminating past events, exploring current issues and facilitating conversations around future possibilities. This position will focus on expanding social and community perspectives portrayed by the museum by decentering white Euro-Canadian experience and confronting systems that maintain the imbalance of power and privilege in museums

Responsibilities:

Collections Development, Care and Management
• Perform research, acquisition, identification, registration and conservation of artefacts of historical significance in the community; monitors the collection to ensure growth is controlled and planned.
• Oversee and participate in handling and storage of all artifacts; monitors the condition and location of artifacts held by the museum; arranges for, and, performs the cleaning of artefacts as required.
• Ensure adequate and proper collections record keeping and data entry for insurance, legal and financial purposes related to heritage collections
• Undertake research on collections material and makes new information accessible
• Completes the assessment, appraisal and valuation of donations

Exhibitions (Permanent, Feature and Circulating)
• Develop subject matter, themes and content for exhibitions
• Conduct primary and secondary research
• Identify appropriate interpretive approaches including storyline development, artefact selection, exhibition props, interactive elements, and graphics selection
• Write, proof read or edit exhibition scripts and labels
• Liaise with community and external specialists to facilitate exhibit development
• Lead public and volunteer presentations, orientations and tours related to exhibits
• Oversee technical development, installation and maintenance of permanent and temporary exhibits as required
• Oversee preparation of facility assessment reports for exhibition and artefact loan negotiations
• Oversee co-ordination of shipping and transportation of temporary exhibitions and artefact loans
• Oversee preparation of condition reports for incoming exhibitions and objects

Community Engagement
• Work with individuals and community organisations to facilitate public involvement in heritage exhibitions

Supervision
• Supervise and coach auxiliary, part time and full time exhibitions and curatorial staff.

Qualifications:

• Completed a Social Sciences degree in History, Anthropology, Sociology, Geography or a related discipline, supplemented by considerable related experience including supervisory experience; graduate certification or degree in Museum Studies or Cultural Resource Management is an asset.
• Considerable experience building and maintaining relationships with socially excluded individuals and underrepresented communities, and empowering them in telling their stories and sharing their histories.
• Considerable knowledge of contemporary museological practices, techniques and philosophies regulating the acquisition, storage, interpretation, use and repatriation of cultural materials, histories and narratives.
• Considerable experience conducting historical, contemporary and community research and processing it into exhibition scripts, articles, reports and presentations.
• Experience in planning, researching, and creating exhibits, installations and media presentations in traditional and non-traditional settings.
• Experience planning, developing and managing an annual work program designed to meet the needs and interests of the community.
• Experience developing an operating budget and monitoring and controlling revenues and expenditures.
• Experience preparing applications for grants and sponsorships.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• An ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Suite of products; experience in MS Access, InMagic and the Adobe Creative Suite of products would be an asset.
• Ability to speak additional languages would be an asset
• Ability to work a non-standard work week including evenings and weekends
• Experience working with First Nations and Indigenous peoples is an asset.
• Possess, or be eligible to obtain a Firearms Possession/Acquisition License.

How to Apply:

Apply online with your resume and cover letter in one document at https://tre.tbe.taleo.net/tre01/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=Q8Z9AA&cws=37&rid=827

Remuneration:

$39.14 - $46.07 per hour (2024 rates) + comprehensive benefits package