Museum Curator-OK History Center Museum

Oklahoma State Government•Oklahoma City, OK

19d•$48,000

About The Position

The Museum Curator develops creative, research-driven exhibitions that interpret the history and culture of Oklahoma. This position requires strong historical scholarship, clear and accurate writing, interpretive creativity, disciplined project management, and effective collaboration with the Exhibits, Collections, and Education teams. The curator supports responsible stewardship of collections and advances the museum’s mission through thoughtful interpretation and public engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in history, museum studies, public history, or a closely related field. Masters preferred, not required.
Demonstrated experience conducting scholarly research using primary and secondary sources.
Strong writing skills and the ability to produce clear, accurate interpretive text.
2–3 years of curatorial, interpretive, or research experience in a museum or cultural institution.
Demonstrated creativity in shaping interpretive themes and developing compelling exhibition concepts.
Ability to work collaboratively within established workflows and meet deadlines.
Strong organizational and project management skills.
Understanding of museum collections care standards and willingness to follow established procedures.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing medium or large-scale exhibitions.
Familiarity with Oklahoma history and regional cultural contexts.
Experience working with community partners or cultural advisors.
Ability to contribute to multi-year exhibit planning.
Strong editing skills and comfort with citation and content documentation standards.

Responsibilities

Exhibition Development & Scholarly Research
Develop engaging and creative in-house exhibitions and gallery rotations grounded in rigorous historical research.
Generate original interpretive themes; conduct primary and secondary research; shape storylines; select artifacts; and write audience-appropriate exhibit text.
Maintain an Oklahoma-focused perspective within broader national or thematic contexts.
Cross-Department Collaboration
Collaborate with the Exhibits Manager to manage assigned exhibition projects from concept through installation, including checklists, schedules, documentation, internal reviews, and development of text panels, extended labels, and supporting materials.
Work with Collections, Archivists, and Registrars to support the safe and appropriate installation and rotation of artifacts.
Work within and contribute to established workflows, shared documentation standards, and project timelines to support coordinated exhibition development.
Collections & Interpretation
Participate in assessing and rotating artifacts on exhibition to ensure accuracy, condition, and interpretive relevance.
Review and recommend updates to gallery labels and panels as needed.
Conduct historical research to support artifact identification and respond to inquiries from the public or professional audiences.
Recommend acquisitions aligned with the agency’s Collection Plan and prepare supporting documentation.
Public Engagement & Professional Representation
Present lectures, programs, and workshops as assigned.
Consult with colleagues regarding historical contexts and interpretive considerations.
Represent the museum at conferences, symposia, and professional forums.
Maintain positive, professional relationships with community partners, scholars, and museum colleagues.