Technical Staff of Museums and Art Galleries
Job description
These individuals protect cultural property and collections of artifacts in museums and art galleries. They are responsible for the conservation and restoration of artwork and may perform various tasks in support of these activities.
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Climatic conditions
- Equipment, machinery, tools
- Hazardous chemical
- Biological agents
- Nontoxic dust
Main tasks
Conservation and Restoration Technicians
- Assist curators in locating, handling, storing, preserving, and restoring artifacts.
Interpreters and Museum Guides
- Organize and lead visits or workshops in various places (museums, art galleries, historical and heritage sites, etc.).
- Give tours, provide information, and answer questions.
Extension Workers
- Help plan and develop exhibits and special events.
Museum Technicians
- Protect collections and cultural property on display, in transit, and in storage.
- Set up and dismantle exhibitions.
Museum Cataloguers and Registrars
- Assign artifact registration numbers and classify them.
- Monitor the inventory.
Preppers
- Set up displays and build models (furniture, educational panels, multimedia components, etc.).
- Install artifacts in display cases or on pedestals and stands.
- Prepare artifacts for storage and shipping.
Picture Framers
- Make custom frames.
- Measure and cut secondary frames (Marie-Louise), decorations, and glass.
- Mount works of art (paintings, photographs, etc.) in frames.
Taxidermists
- Prepare and mount animal skins and feathers for storage, display, or scientific use.
Advancement and mobility
- Technical staff in museums and art galleries may specialize in a particular collection.
Hourly wage
The hourly wage is calculated by averaging wages from 2022 to 2024.- Minimum
- $16.10
- Median
- $20.53
- Maximum
- $30.03
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
All of Québec
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
All of Québec
Gender distribution
All of Québec
- 56.6% Female
- 43.4% Male
- 56.6% Female
- 43.4% Male
Job types
All of Québec
- Full time
- Part time
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- None
All of Québec
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
-
NAICS 7167% of jobs
-
NAICS 44, 459% of jobs
-
NAICS 917% of jobs
-
NAICS 233% of jobs
-
NAICS 813% of jobs
-
Others11% of jobs
All of Québec
-
NAICS 7167% of jobs
-
NAICS 44, 459% of jobs
-
NAICS 917% of jobs
-
NAICS 233% of jobs
-
NAICS 813% of jobs
-
Others11% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
College
DCS in natural Environment Technology (Environmental Protection)
Placement rate: 87.5%
12.5% of graduates pursue further studies
DCS in natural Environment Technology (Forest Resource Management)
Placement rate: 60%
40% of graduates pursue further studies
DCS in natural Environment Technology (Natural Heritage Management and Interpretation)
Placement rate: 71.4%
28.6% of graduates pursue further studies
DCS in natural Environment Technology (Wildlife Management)
Placement rate: 57.1%
28.6% of graduates pursue further studies
DCS in techniques de muséologie
Placement rate: 63.6%
36.4% of graduates pursue further studies
University
Art history
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 34.9%
54% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 69.2%
30.8% of graduates pursue further studies
Fine arts or applied arts
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 51%
29.4% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 73.7%
5.3% of graduates pursue further studies
Plastic arts (painting, drawing, sculpture)
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 60.4%
22.6% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 77.8%
14.8% of graduates pursue further studies
Sometimes required
Museum Registrars, Cataloguers, and Interpreters
- A university degree in a work-related field may be required.
Museum Interpreters
- Special training to work in certain locations (museums, nature centres, etc.) may be required.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Active listening
- Reading comprehension
- Oral expression
- Information processing
- Written expression
- Critical thought
- Result evaluation
- Judgment and decision-making
- Solving complex problems
- Active learning
- Coordination
- Teaching
Abilities
- Verbal skills
- Near vision
- Oral comprehension
- Information organization
- Speech clarity
- Written comprehension
- Written expression
- Speech recognition
- Originality
- Digital dexterity
- Idea generation
- Deductive reasoning
- Hand-arm stability
- Visualization
- Classification
- Manual dexterity
- Colour perception and distinction
- Inductive reasoning
- Awareness of issues
- Processing flexibility
- Distance vision
- Selective attention
Knowledge and attributes
- Capacity to adapt
- Capacity to work in a team
- Vitality
- Capacity for synthesis
- Respect others
- Commitment to quality
- Knowledge of the arts
- Knowledge of history and archeology
- Capacity to facilitate a group
- Spoken bilingualism (French and English)
Interests
- Draft, communicate, and inform
- Work in sales or client service
- Work in the arts, culture, music, or leisure
- Make, build, install
- Work manually
- Collect, verify, sort, and classify data or information
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
- Artistic
- People with this profile prefer to express their emotions and thoughts through various art forms. They like to use their imagination.
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
Official name of the NOC 53100
Registrars, restorers, interpreters and other occupations related to museum and art galleries
Job titles
- Records digitizing technician
- Documentation technician
- Picture framer - museum and art gallery
- Museology technician
- Museum extension officer
- Nature interpreter
- Taxidermist
- Curatorial assistant
- Technical officer - museum
- Exhibit officer - museum
- Display officer - museums and art galleries
- Frame fitter - museums and art galleries
- Cataloguer - museum
- Museum objects cataloguer
- Chief preparator - museums and art galleries
- Microfilm records searcher
- Records classifier
- Technical indexer - records and file management
- Chief display officer - museum
- Framer - museum and art gallery
- Interpretive guide - museum
- Conservation area interpreter
- Aquarium interpreter
- Natural habitat interpreter
- Insectarium interpreter
- Ornithology centre interpreter
- Botanical garden interpreter
- Zoo interpreter
- Wilderness interpreter
- Museum interpreter
- History museum interpreter
- Dinosaur museum interpreter
- Park interpreter
- Planetarium interpreter
- Historic site interpreter
- Nature site interpreter
- Heritage interpreter
- Historical interpreter
- Ecological interpreter
- Microfilmer
- Diorama maker - museums and art galleries
- Microfilm mounter
- Microfilm camera operator
- Chief preparator
- Model maker-preparator
- Preparator
- Exhibit preparator
- Art objects preparator
- Museum objects preparator
- Art gallery preparator
- Museum preparator
- Assistant registrar - museum
- Art gallery registrar
- Museum registrar
- Historical village supervisor
- Recording technician - museum
- Exhibit technician
- Museum technician
- Museum technician - earth's history and paleontology
- Community museum technician
- Regional museum technician
- Planetarium technician
- Historical site technician
- Historical village technician
- Archaeological technician
- Conservation technician - museums and art galleries
- Conservation and restoration technician
- Diorama technician
- Document management technician
- Framing technician
- Information management technician
- Fossil recovery and reparation technician
- Restoration technician - museum
- Aircraft restoration technician - museum
- Art restoration technician
- Document restoration technician
- Railway equipment restoration technician - museum
- Communications equipment restoration technician - museum
- Road transport equipment restoration technician - museum
- Paintings restoration technician
- Taxidermy technician
Skill type
Art, culture, recreation and sport
Last update: January 29, 2026