How to become a Museum Technician or Conservator
Official title: Museum Technicians and Conservators
Also called: Conservation Technician (Conservation Tech), Conservator, Exhibit Technician (Exhibit Tech), Museum Registrar, Museum Technician (Museum Tech), Objects Conservator, Paintings Conservator, Paper Conservator, Preparator, Textile Conservator
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.
Main tasks
- Determine whether objects need repair and choose the safest and most effective method of repair.
- Specialize in particular materials or types of object, such as documents and books, paintings, decorative arts, textiles, metals, or architectural materials.
- Recommend preservation procedures, such as control of temperature and humidity, to curatorial and building staff.
- 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.
- 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.
- Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes.
- Repair, restore, and reassemble artifacts, designing and fabricating missing or broken parts, to restore them to their original appearance and prevent deterioration.
- Perform tests and examinations to establish storage and conservation requirements, policies, and procedures.
How to become one
Archivists, curators, and conservators typically need a master's degree in a field related to their position. Museum technicians typically need a bachelor's degree. Experience gained through an internship or by volunteering in archives or museums is helpful.
Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- College: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $51,440 a year The middle half earn $41,050 to $67,640.
- About 14,000 people work in this job now, and about 14,500 are projected by 2035. (+3.6%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Museum Technician or Conservator?
Archivists, curators, and conservators typically need a master's degree in a field related to their position. Museum technicians typically need a bachelor's degree. Experience gained through an internship or by volunteering in archives or museums is helpful.
How much does a Museum Technician or Conservator earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $51,440 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $41,050 to $67,640.
Is a Museum Technician or Conservator a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 14,000 to about 14,500 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Museum Technician or Conservator?
Usually. 81% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Museum Technician or Conservator?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.