Registrar
Job Title
Registrar
Day in the Life
A museum registrar cares for the art and artifacts in a museum. Registrars catalog new acquisitions, coordinate collection loans between museum partners, maintain and inventory collection storage spaces, and coordinate deaccessions. Registrars document, develop, and maintain information about each object in the museum collection, including provenance, image, and specifications.
Registrars are responsible for implementing policies and procedures relating to preventative preservation of the art and artifacts in their care. This includes packing, shipping, long-term storage, and the security of collections in transit.
Registrars work with conservators, curators, and educators to find balance between public access and collection preservation needs. Registrars serve on exhibition teams to represent the collection.
Successful registrars take a collaborative approach with colleagues when advocating for collection protection and access. They need to be calm, flexible, and detail oriented.
Experience Pathway
Registrars have a bachelor’s degree in history, art history, fine art, archaeology, or anthropology. Many institutions require a graduate education in museum studies or collections management. Candidates are expected to have experience with museum collection database management, object packing and handling, digitization, collections cataloging, and accession and loan procedures.
Internships and volunteer work in cultural institutions are excellent ways to gain experience and make connections with museum professionals.
Working knowledge of how to ethically engage with cultural heritage is essential to the success of a registrar.
Thoughts from Our Registrars
“I have been working for the Church History Museum for many years and have found the work rewarding. It has been challenging at times as we continue to adapt and improve how we work and our work types. Overall, I feel that it has been a place that has provided me with growth as a museum professional by giving me opportunities to develop new skills and capacities in my work. I feel proud of the work the museum has done and will continue to do in the future.”