Question

what is doing what in a museum exhibit (all museum roles)

Answer 1

Below is a practical, comprehensive breakdown of “who does what” in a museum exhibit. Roles are grouped by department; for each role I list the main responsibilities (with notes about which exhibit stage they’re most active in). Institutional size varies — many jobs get combined in small museums and split into several specialists in large institutions.

Leadership & administration
- Director/Executive Director — overall responsibility, approves major decisions, secures institutional commitment and resources (planning, fundraising, opening).
- Deputy Director/Chief Operating Officer — oversees day-to-day implementation, coordinates departments (planning, fabrication, opening, operations).

Curatorial & research
- Chief Curator/Head of Curatorial — sets exhibition program and scholarly direction, approves curatorial concepts and loans (planning, develop).
- Curator/Exhibitions Curator — conceives the show, researches objects, writes text, chooses works, oversees interpretation and scholarship (planning, develop).
- Associate/Assistant Curator — supports research, selects objects, drafts labels and catalogs, coordinates loans and contributors (planning, develop).
- Researcher/Scholarly Advisor — provides subject-matter expertise, contributes scholarship and provenance research (planning, develop).
- Cataloguer/Collections Researcher — documents objects, compiles object records for catalogs and labels (develop).

Collections care & registration
- Registrar/Head Registrar — manages object logistics, loan paperwork, insurance, condition reporting, shipping, customs and legal compliance (planning, develop, install, deinstall).
- Registrar Assistant/Loan Coordinator — prepares loan agreements, coordinates shipments, tracks schedules, maintains records (all stages).
- Collections Manager — care and long-term stewardship of objects, storage protocols, handling policies; advises on object suitability for display (planning, develop, install, maintenance).
- Collections Technician/Assistant — prepares storage, moves objects, supports condition reports and packing (develop, install, deinstall).
- Crating/Shipping Coordinator — organizes packing/crates and transport vendors (develop, install, deinstall).

Conservation & preventive care
- Chief Conservator/Head Conservator — assesses object condition, specifies treatments, sets environmental and display parameters (planning, develop, install).
- Conservator (specialist: paintings, textiles, paper, objects, etc.) — performs conservation treatment, prepares objects for display, supervises microclimate and mounting needs (develop, install).
- Preventive Conservator/Conservation Technician — designs cases, monitors humidity/light, advises on materials and display environments (planning, develop, install, operation).

Exhibition design & production
- Exhibition/Design Director — leads creative approach, integrates interpretation, visitor flow, and design (planning, develop).
- Exhibition Designer/Lead Designer — creates floor plans, layouts, scenic/graphic design, lighting concepts, and visitor circulation (develop, install).
- Graphic Designer/Signage Designer — designs labels, signage, wayfinding, educational panels and digital graphics (develop, install).
- Lighting Designer — plans lighting to meet aesthetic and conservation needs (develop, install).
- AV/Interactive Designer — specifies multimedia/interactive elements and user flow; liaises with tech (develop, install, operation).
- Fabricator/Shop Manager — produces mounts, cases, props, props, architectural elements (develop, install).
- Model Maker/Mountmaker — constructs custom mounts and supports for objects (develop, install).
- Production Manager/Technical Director — manages budgets, timelines and contractors for fabrication and construction (develop, install).

Project management & coordination
- Exhibition Project Manager/Coordinator — central point for schedule, budgets, interdepartmental communications; keeps project on track (all stages).
- Producer — similar to project manager, sometimes focused on executing creative production and vendor contracting (develop, install).

Installation & collections handling
- Preparator/Exhibition Preparator — physically installs objects, mounts, and casework; implements the layout under curator & conservator guidance (install).
- Mount- and Crate Team — build and install mounts; move heavy objects safely (install, deinstall).
- Courier/Traveling Exhibitions Coordinator — accompanies loaned items in transit, ensuring conditions and security (install, opening, deinstall).

Education & public programs
- Head of Education/Education Director — defines learning goals and public programming tied to the exhibition (planning, develop).
- Educators/Program Officers — design tours, workshops, curricula, and interpretive materials; train docents (develop, opening, operation).
- Docent/Volunteer Guide — lead tours, answer questions, provide visitor interpretation (opening, operation).
- Interpretation Writer/Label Writer — crafts exhibition labels, didactics, and family text (develop).

Audience experience & accessibility
- Visitor Experience/Engagement Manager — ensures visitor flow, signage, visitor comfort, and overall experience (develop, opening, operation).
- Accessibility Coordinator/Inclusion Officer — ensures exhibit accessibility (physical, sensory, cognitive), alt text, captions, tactile options (planning, develop, opening, operation).
- Wayfinding/Signage Specialist — plans navigation and orientation throughout the exhibition (develop, install).

Marketing, communications & press
- Communications/PR Manager — develops press strategy, issues releases, and coordinates media for opening and special events (pre-opening, opening).
- Marketing Manager — promotes the exhibition across channels, advertising, paid campaigns (pre-opening, opening).
- Social Media Manager — creates digital content and engagement (pre-opening, opening, ongoing).

Development & fundraising
- Development Director/Fundraising Officer — secures exhibition sponsorship, grants, and donor relations (planning, pre-opening).
- Grant Writer/Fundraising Specialist — prepares proposals and donor materials (planning).

Operations, security & facilities
- Operations/Facilities Manager — oversees building systems (HVAC, electrical), installation needs and on-site infrastructure (develop, install, operation).
- Security Manager/Head of Security — designs security plan for exhibit, coordinates guards and alarm systems, ensures safety of objects and visitors (install, opening, operation).
- Security Staff/Guards — monitor galleries, enforce policies, respond to incidents (opening, operation).

Finance & administration
- Finance Manager/Controller — budget oversight for the exhibition, payments and contracts (planning, develop).
- Procurement/Purchasing Officer — manages vendor contracts and purchases (develop).

Visitor services & front-of-house
- Visitor Services Manager — supervises admissions, ticketing, visitor information (opening, operation).
- Front Desk/Box Office Staff — ticket sales, entry control, general visitor assistance (opening, operation).
- Coat Check/Facilities Attendants — support visitor convenience (opening, operation).

Retail, membership & hospitality
- Retail/Shop Manager — creates exhibition-related shop assortment and merchandising tied to show (opening, operation).
- Membership Manager — runs membership campaigns aligned with exhibit opening (pre-opening, opening).

Evaluation & audience research
- Evaluation/Audience Researcher — plans and conducts visitor studies, collects feedback and analytics to evaluate success (opening, operation).
- Data Analyst — analyzes visitor metrics, sales, demographic data (operation).

Legal, insurance & risk management
- Legal Counsel — reviews loan agreements, intellectual property, rights and permissions (planning, develop).
- Risk Manager/Insurance Officer — arranges coverage and assesses liabilities (planning, develop).

Community engagement & partnerships
- Community Engagement Manager — builds partnerships, co-curation with communities, outreach programming (planning, develop, opening).
- Partnerships/Institutional Liaison — coordinates with loaning institutions, vendors, sponsors (planning, develop).

Volunteers & HR
- Volunteer Coordinator — recruits, trains and schedules volunteers and docents (planning, opening).
- HR/Staffing — handles hiring, contracts, and staff administration (planning).

Technical & multimedia support
- IT/AV Technicians — install and maintain audiovisual equipment, networks for interactives (install, opening, operation).
- Digital Content Producer/Web Team — creates online exhibition content, virtual tours, and digital marketing (planning, opening, operation).

External contractors & suppliers
- Shipping Companies/Freight Forwarders — handle transport and customs (install, deinstall).
- Case Manufacturers/Glass Suppliers — fabricate specialized cases and glazing (develop, install).
- Engineers/Structural Consultants — assess heavy or unusual installations and support structures (develop, install).
- Lighting, Sound and AV Vendors — supply specialized equipment and installation (develop, install).

Specialized roles (often project-based)
- Exhibition Registrar/Courier for traveling shows — accompanies loans in transit.
- Textile Conservator/Works on Paper Conservator — specialist conservation treatment.
- Archivist — if archival material or documents are on display, manages access and reproduction rules.
- Sound Designer — creates audio soundscapes for interpretive effect.
- Photographer/Imaging Specialist — photographs objects for records and marketing.
- Catalog Editor/Designer — produces exhibition catalogues or interpretive publications.

Typical exhibit lifecycle and who leads each phase
- Concept and approval: Director, Chief Curator, Curator, Development (funding), Project Manager.
- Planning and research: Curator, Registrar, Conservator, Collections Manager, Project Manager, Community Engagement.
- Design and interpretation: Exhibition Designer, Curator, Graphic Designer, Educators, Accessibility Coordinator.
- Fabrication and technical build: Fabricator, Mountmaker, Production Manager, AV/IT, Lighting Designer.
- Object preparation and logistics: Conservator, Registrar, Collections Manager, Preparator, Crating/Shipping vendors.
- Installation: Preparator, Curator, Conservator, Registrar, Lighting/AV technicians, Mountmakers.
- Opening and operation: Visitor Services, Security, Educators/Docents, Marketing/PR, Retail, Front Desk.
- Evaluation and maintenance: Audience Researcher, Conservator (monitoring), Operations (environment), Registrar (condition checks).
- Deinstallation and return: Preparator, Registrar, Conservator, Couriers, Shipping vendors.

Notes and tips
- Titles and exact duties vary by museum size and region. In small institutions a few staff may cover many of these functions; in large museums each role is typically distinct.
- Many roles interact closely: curators, conservators and registrars must coordinate object safety and interpretive goals; designers and educators must balance creative and accessibility needs.
- Include volunteers, community partners and external specialists in planning from the start to avoid late changes.

If you want, I can:
- Produce this as a printable checklist organized by exhibit stage.
- Generate a staffing and timeline template for a specific sized museum (small, mid-size, large).
- Map responsibilities to an exhibit budget line-item list. Which would be most useful?