The British Museum
Project Curator
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Project Curator
Collection Move Projects Curator
Full-time | Hybrid (at least 3 days per week on-site, based in London with occasional travel to Reading) | Permanent | £44,719 per annum
Application deadline: Sunday 12 July 2026
About the role
The British Museum is seeking an experienced Project Curator to play a leading role in one of the most ambitious collection relocation and storage programmes in the museum sector.
This is a rare opportunity to work at scale across a globally significant collection. You will collaborate with curatorial, collections care, and documentation teams to deliver complex, high-impact projects shaping the future of collections—ensuring their research accessibility, care, and usability for decades.
As Collection Move Projects Curator, you’ll act as the principal liaison between curatorial departments and project teams, maintaining collaboration and communication throughout. You will lead curatorial work packages for packaging, transport, and rehousing, focusing on keeping collections research-accessible.
This role demands a collaborator who excels in intellectually stimulating, fast-paced environments. It combines curatorial expertise with project leadership, fostering innovative practices to support large-scale initiatives and high-profile stakeholder engagement—including senior-level impact.
If you are passionate about collections, thrive in complexity, and seek to transform the museum sector’s future, we’d welcome your application.
About you
We seek a curator with:
- Collaborative mind: Proven experience working across museum, heritage, or academic environments, coordinating complex projects.
- Qualifications: Subject degree relevant to museum collections and external recognition as an authority.
- Project expertise: Track record managing projects within culture, research, or heritage—ideally leading major initiatives.
- Collection standards: Strong knowledge of museum standards, legal, and ethical considerations.
- Stakeholder & resource management: Experience managing cross-functional teams, programmes, and budgets in a matrix environment.
- Communication: Outstanding ability to engage diverse stakeholders and build relationships.
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Core strengths
- Curatorial leadership in project environments.
- Bridging curatorial vision with operational execution.
- Advocacy for accessibility and research use across collections.
Key responsibilities
- Lead and coordinate curatorial preparations for large-scale collection relocations and rehousing projects.
- Maintain collaboration between curatorial teams and project teams, ensuring alignment and clear communication.
- Develop and enforce standards and protocols for collection movement, documentation, and storage.
- Guide resource allocation, budgets, and timelines for project delivery.
- Manage staff, including curatorial and research teams, to support project milestones.
- Provide strategic advice on long-term collection access, including rehousing and research facilities.
- Advocate for public-facing accessibility through improved data, tools, and internal/external stakeholder engagement.
The British Museum’s Masterplan
Currently, the British Museum is undergoing its most significant transformation since its founding (nearly 300 years ago). This spans building renovations, immersive gallery experiences, digital innovation, and reimagined professional workflows.
Guided by founder Hans Sloane’s vision—to foster a museum bridging all arts and sciences, accessible globally—this period heralds an era of unprecedented growth. Your role will contribute directly to realising this future.
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Benefits
Why it matters
Our staff are central to everything. Our benefits reflect that commitment:
- Free museum access: No-fee entry for yourself, guests, plus exclusive events and reciprocal museum partnerships (ICOM, overseas).
- Time off: 25 days’ annual leave + 6 bank holidays plus 2.5 privilege days annually (5+ days after 10 years).
- Skills development: Imaging-professional courses, mentoring via Athena, and support for qualifications.
- Wellbeing: 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme (counselling, support resources).
- Parental/audience care: Enhanced leave (maternity, paternity, adoption/shared) and carers’ support via Employers for Carers.
- Pensions: Civil Service Pension Scheme, offering secure, inflation-indexed defined benefits.
Our values
Values shape how we handle objects, work together, and foster an inclusive culture. These align with our recruitment and selection process:
- Care deeply: Ethical stewardship, detailed attention.
- Embrace the unknown: Open to challenges and new ideas.
- Spark curiosity: Inspire questions and discovery.
- Value many voices: Actively seek diverse contributions.
We encourage you to illustrate how your own career demonstrates these values in your application.
Additional details
If you needreasonable adjustments during the application process, please contact bmrecruit@britishmuseum.org.
Note: The Museum adheres to HM Government Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening, applicable to Civil Service roles.
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