Art Museum Education Fellowship

Washington and Lee University•Lexington, VA

1d•$62,000 - $71,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Art Museum at Washington and Lee University is offering a nine-month Museum Education Fellowship designed for a museum professional seeking to build expertise in gallery education, faculty collaboration, and object-based teaching. The Fellow will develop practical skills in four areas of museum education: visual thinking strategies, object-based learning, interpretation, and audience engagement, while leading university class sessions across a wide range of collection areas. The Fellow will work closely with engagement staff and curators and will participate fully in the intellectual life of the campus community. This is a nine-month fellowship, with the possibility of extension. The role is an in-person position that requires a regular on-campus presence, including evenings and weekends as needed. The Art Museum spans multiple sites, including the Reeves Museum of Ceramics, Watson Galleries, and McCarthy Gallery. Its holdings include 15,000 objects ranging from early American portraits and European paintings to significant works on paper, photographs, and sculptures. The collection traces its origins to a bequest in 1875, when six portraits of American statesmen laid the foundation of the art collection. It has since grown to include works by artists Elizabeth Catlett, Fernando Botero, Jacob Lawrence, Tsherin Sherpa, Mohammed Omer Khalil, William Christenberry, Sam Gilliam, Sally Mann, Charles Willson Peale, Gilbert Stuart, and Andy Warhol. Additionally, the museum boasts a substantial collection of Chinese export porcelain, ceramics spanning four centuries, East Asian prints, scrolls, and decorative arts, highlighting its global scope. To achieve our mission as a liberal arts university, we continually strive to foster a welcoming campus community, which recognizes the value of all persons. Our department is committed to contributing to an educational environment that is rich with a wide range of intellectual perspectives and backgrounds.

Requirements

Master's degree in art history, studio art, museum education, or a related discipline.
A minimum of one year of hands-on experience leading tours and educational programs in museums. Relevant professional experience includes leading sessions or teaching college students in library settings, special collections, archives, or galleries.
Experience or demonstrated coursework handling original works of art or material culture objects.
Demonstrated knowledge of art history and visual literacy, with the ability to interpret and teach from original works of art.
Ability to make interdisciplinary connections and foster engagement with a variety of collections.
Excellent communication, collaboration, and facilitation skills.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, working both independently and under mentorship.
Ability to work during evening and weekend hours, as needed.
Ability to lift, carry, and safely handle museum objects; comfort kneeling, standing, and working in gallery environments for extended periods.

Nice To Haves

Interest in or exposure to American portraiture, ceramics and material culture, or works on paper is a plus.

Responsibilities

Leads and facilitates discussion-based class sessions in the museum galleries, with direct object handling of works from the permanent collection.
Assists faculty in selecting artworks for class sessions.
Facilitates faculty and student access to exhibitions and collections.
Gains supervisory experience by helping coordinate museum assistants supporting educational programs.
Builds familiarity with evolving pedagogical approaches, accessibility standards, and visitor engagement strategies through demonstrated practice.
Contributes to data collection and evaluation of educational programs.
Builds a portfolio of close-looking lesson plans and leads sessions throughout the fellowship.
Assists with museum programming that engages exhibitions and the permanent collection.
Other duties as assigned.