Registrar

Position: Registrar

Reports to: Chief Curator

Status: Full time permanent

General Description:

The Farnsworth Art Museum seeks a full-time Registrar who will lead the Registration Department. The Registrar is a key member of the Curatorial team supporting the documentation, care, and presentation of the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. The Registrar’s primary responsibilities are divided between the collection and exhibition program. The Farnsworth’s collection includes over 15,000 objects in all media as well as two historic sites, the Farnsworth Homestead and the Olson House, that are a shared responsibility of the Curatorial and Registration staff. The Registrar communicates efficiently with a range of constituents at the Museum and beyond while multitasking responsibilities and commitments. This is an on-site position who also serves as a member of the Emergency Response Team and supervises the Associate Registrar as well as working closely with the Chief Curator in preparation for Collection Committee and Board meetings on a quarterly basis.

As part of the current strategic plan, the Registrar will lead the analysis of the Collection Management Policy and the migration to a new collection management system. In the future, the Registrar will serve as a thought partner to the Chief Curator to identify innovative museum practices for archiving, storing, and maintaining works of art.

This position reports to the Chief Curator.

Responsibilities:

• Leads all aspects of the museum’s Registration Department, including supervising Associate Registrar
• In accordance with standard AAM processes, the Registrar is responsible for maintaining documentation of exhibitions and incoming loans, issuing, and obtaining legal documentation, and handling insurance, packing, and shipping logistics
• Arrange and oversee the museum’s fine arts insurance policy for the collection, and monitor and report valuation changes to the insurance provider
• In collaboration with Chief Curator and Curatorial Technical Manager, Registrar establishes and communicates the exhibition production schedule for temporary exhibition and permanent collection galleries
• Serve as a liaison between departments, such as Security, to ensure information is available for colleagues in a timely manner for their work, communicate production schedules and ensure that contributing staff members are able to meet target deadlines
• Serves as a representative on the Emergency Response Team (ERT) and ensures the Emergency Disaster Plan is up to date, relevant, and communicate efficiently and effectively museum-wide
• As an ERT member, some evening and weekend work is required
• Contribute to planning and adhering to budgets, including exhibition expenses, annual collection care, etc.
• Oversee the movement of objects within the museum complex and assist the Curatorial Technical Manager with the physical movement of art objects on an as-needed basis
• Produce and maintain documentation of all exhibitions and incoming loans in collections management system and object files
• Organize and maintain exhibition checklists and exhibition project files
• Perform condition checks and supervise condition checks of objects while on display
• Responsible for processing proposed and accepted acquisitions, including incoming shipping, condition reports, gift paperwork, assigning accession numbers, entering records in the database, scheduling photography, etc.
• Responsible for establishing agendas for Collection Committee meetings and quarterly Board Reports, as well as annual acquisition reports for the audit
• Act as courier for traveling exhibitions as needed
• Oversees periodic inventory of the collection and ensures on a regular basis that inventory is correct
• Other duties as assigned

Related Skills:

• Significant knowledge of museum registration methods, cataloging, conservation and storage practices; legal and insurance issues, and procedures governing rights and reproductions.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and documents, excellent verbal and written skills.
• Excellent organizational skills, ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships, and strong interpersonal skills within a team setting.
• Solid knowledge of Collection Management Software, Google Platform, and Asana Project Management Software are essential.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 5-10 years experience as collection and/or exhibitions registrar, with supervisory skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in museum studies, art, history, library science, or related field.
• Ability to lift and move up to 30 lbs.
• Ability to walk up and down stairs carrying objects