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.
- Tasks
- 24 tasks12 core, 12 supplemental
- Family
- Education & LibraryOne of its 68 occupations
- Code
- 25-4013.00SOC 2018: 25-4013
What the work is made of
12 core tasks and 12 supplemental, each quoted as published, with the survey it came from.
Core: central to the jobSupplemental: done by some, not all
- Task 1. Install, arrange, assemble, and prepare artifacts for exhibition, ensuring the artifacts' safety, reporting their status and condition, and identifying and correcting any problems with the set up.Core taskTask 3806Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 2. Repair, restore, and reassemble artifacts, designing and fabricating missing or broken parts, to restore them to their original appearance and prevent deterioration.Core taskTask 3818Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 3. Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes.Core taskTask 3809Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 4. Photograph objects for documentation.Core taskTask 18644Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 5. Determine whether objects need repair and choose the safest and most effective method of repair.Core taskTask 3808Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 6. Prepare artifacts for storage and shipping.Core taskTask 3810Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 7. Enter information about museum collections into computer databases.Core taskTask 21065Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 8. Recommend preservation procedures, such as control of temperature and humidity, to curatorial and building staff.Core taskTask 3814Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 9. Notify superior when restoration of artifacts requires outside experts.Core taskTask 3824Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 10. Supervise and work with volunteers.Core taskTask 3811Rated by 65 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 11. Perform on-site field work which may involve interviewing people, inspecting and identifying artifacts, note-taking, viewing sites and collections, and repainting exhibition spaces.Core taskTask 3817Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 12. Lead tours and teach educational courses to students and the general public.Core taskTask 18645Rated by 65 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 13. Classify and assign registration numbers to artifacts and supervise inventory control.Supplemental taskTask 3815Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 14. Study object documentation or conduct standard chemical and physical tests to ascertain the object's age, composition, original appearance, need for treatment or restoration, and appropriate preservation method.Supplemental taskTask 3820Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 15. Prepare reports on the operation of conservation laboratories, documenting the condition of artifacts, treatment options, and the methods of preservation and repair used.Supplemental taskTask 3819Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 16. Specialize in particular materials or types of object, such as documents and books, paintings, decorative arts, textiles, metals, or architectural materials.Supplemental taskTask 3813Rated by 65 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 17. Perform tests and examinations to establish storage and conservation requirements, policies, and procedures.Supplemental taskTask 3822Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 18. Direct and supervise curatorial, technical, and student staff in the handling, mounting, care, and storage of art objects.Supplemental taskTask 18643Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 19. Coordinate exhibit installations, assisting with design, constructing displays, dioramas, display cases, and models, and ensuring the availability of necessary materials.Supplemental taskTask 3807Rated by 65 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 20. Preserve or direct preservation of objects, using plaster, resin, sealants, hardeners, and shellac.Supplemental taskTask 3826Rated by 65 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 21. Plan and conduct research to develop and improve methods of restoring and preserving specimens.Supplemental taskTask 3823Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 22. Deliver artwork on courier trips.Supplemental taskTask 18646Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 23. Build, repair, and install wooden steps, scaffolds, and walkways to gain access to or permit improved view of exhibited equipment.Supplemental taskTask 3827Rated by 66 people who do the job, August 2018
- Task 24. Estimate cost of restoration work.Supplemental taskTask 3825Rated by 65 people who do the job, August 2018
Where this comes from
Quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor, and credited. Nothing on this page is written by us.
How we copy and credit sources- Published byO*NET 29.0, U.S. Department of LaborEmployment and Training Administration
- ClassificationStandard Occupational Classification 2018, 25-4013
- LicenseCC BY 4.0Free to copy and reuse, with credit
- Changed by usNothing.
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