Chief Curator

About the Museum

We Love Picture Book Art! 

Founded by Eric and Barbara Carle in 2002, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is the international champion of picture book art.

Situated on 7.5 acres in Amherst, Massachusetts, The Carle houses a rich and deep collection of art of more than 20,000 works of art from more than 320 picture book artists, including Eric Carle (The Very Hungry Caterpillar), and illuminates its collection through exhibitions, education, programming, and art-making—making it a critical resource for picture book artists and authors, and art-loving communities locally, nationally, and abroad. The Carle’s mission is to elevate picture book art and inspire a love of art and art creation. Since opening its doors more than 20 years ago, The Carle has welcomed more than one million visitors—plus more than four million additional museumgoers who have enjoyed its touring exhibitions around the world.

How you will contribute

As the Chief Curator you will be an entrepreneurial, dynamic, visionary, and strategic leader. You will be responsible for advancing the Museum’s mission of elevating picture book art through innovative and engaging exhibitions, acquisitions, and scholarly programs that deepen understanding of picture books and picture book art, foster intercultural dialogue, and support lifelong learning for all. 

Working closely with the Executive Director, you will shape the curatorial vision of the institution, as well as develop and oversee all curatorial programming. As a key member of the senior leadership team, your primary duties include the conceptualization, development, and direction of in-house exhibitions and in-house created traveling exhibitions; the determination of curatorial priorities; oversight of exhibition implementation; selection and leadership of traveling and guest-curated exhibitions; and oversight of collection development and preservation.  

You will provide strategic leadership of the Collections team, leading curatorial and collections initiatives in accordance with best museum practices. You will supervise Collections staff members, including curatorial, registration, preparation and fabrication, rights clearance staff, and outside designers. In addition, you will set departmental goals, manage daily operations, and lead internal meetings to ensure the department runs smoothly. 

Specifically, you will

Strategic Leadership & Vision 

• Develop and implement a cohesive, multi-audience exhibition, traveling exhibition, and acquisition strategy aligned with the Museum’s mission, exhibitions, and long-term goals.
• Serve as an institutional thought partner on interpretive approaches and audience engagement. 

Exhibition and Related Program Oversight 

• Curate original and innovative picture book art exhibitions.
• Lead and manage the Collections team and external designers and curators to plan, curate, and deliver an integrated program of exhibitions and traveling exhibitions.
• Oversee registration, conservation, framing, installation, rights clearance, and proper care of objects for exhibitions.
• Work with the Executive Director to set artistic priorities and develop a curatorial strategy for the Museum.
• Work with Executive Director and Director of Education to ensure that an integrated approach to exhibitions, research, collections development, interpretation, public programs, education and community practice, and publications is fostered institutionally.
• Work with Director of Education to develop artist residency program and a robust museum curator and docent-led gallery tour program for the general public.
• Solicit and evaluate proposals by guest curators and other consultants for exhibitions.
• With Chief Registrar and Collections Manager, negotiate with museums, private collectors, donors, artists, and art dealers to secure and manage loans and organize partnerships and tours. 
• Develop interpretive printed and online materials for exhibitions in collaboration with the Communications team, including prospecti for traveling exhibitions.
• Oversee and draft collection/exhibition related editorial work, including blog posts, exhibition catalogues/publications, etc.  

Collection Management 

• Work with the Executive Director to identify acquisitions, including objects for purchase and for acquisition through donation. Leads accessioning and deaccessioning process in accordance with institutional collection development strategy and industry best practice.
• Oversee the Collections Manager and Chief Registrar who oversees the preservation of the collections, safety protocols, registration, and digitization of the records and archives of the collection, art storage, and art insurance. Oversee Board of Trustees’ Collections Committee and internal acquisition meetings. 

Team Management 

• Encourage and facilitate a culture of collaboration and support to ensure effective communication and accountability.
• Lead interdepartmental efforts toward long-range planning to align with the organization’s mission and vision.
• Review and approve exhibition and collections related materials, including grant content, marketing collateral, and interpretive texts.
• Work closely with the Communications team to develop and shape seasonal content plans and work closely with staff across programmatic areas to generate and contribute content on a timely and regular basis.
• Work closely with the Carle Bookshop, Guest Services, Education, and other teams to ensure integrated approach to exhibitions.
• Regularly review staff performance and hold weekly staff management meetings.
• Establish work scope for work study and interns and ensure they are well supervised. 

Representing The Carle 

• Serve as a spokesperson and advocate for The Carle’s overall artistic program as needed.
• Attend and participate in Board of Trustee meetings as needed, including Collections Committee, Carle Honors Committee, and Scholarship and Legacy Committee, and maintain high standards of professional behavior at all times. Prepare Board papers and presentations as needed.
• Work directly with trustees, donors, patrons, the Curator of the Eric and Barbara Carle Foundation, and other colleagues in the field, both nationally and internationally, to advance The Carle’s mission and profile.
• Maintain a high level of research and visibility within the field by contributing to and participating in professional conferences, symposia, juries, and events. 

Finance, Fundraising and Administration 

• Develop budget/programming priorities for the exhibitions program on an annual and multi-year basis; work closely with the senior team to develop budgets in support of larger institutional program goals and artistic vision.
• Oversee the administration of the annual budgets for the Exhibitions department, in collaboration with the Finance team, to ensure budget goals are met at the end of each fiscal year.
• Cultivate relationships with donors, collectors, patrons, and museum support groups to ensure long-term sustainability and visibility of the department.
• Work with Executive Director and grant writer to draft grant proposals that support exhibition and programming goals.
• Work closely with colleagues in the Development Department to develop fundraising strategies and secure contributions for individual projects, broader cross-disciplinary initiatives, and annual operating support.
• Maintain relationships with collectors, gallerists, and a wide range of donors to support the organization. 

Evaluation & Impact 

• Establish metrics and evaluation tools to assess program effectiveness and inform continuous improvement.
• Prepare reports, proposals, and presentations for stakeholders, including funders, trustees, and partners.

Your background and experience include

The Carle acknowledges that competitive candidates may not meet all the experience requirements 100%. We encourage you to apply if many of these job requirements describe you.

• Master’s degree in art history, curatorial studies, or relevant experience in a related field required. PhD a plus.
• Minimum of 10-12 years of progressively responsible experience in an art museum, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven experience in museum management including exhibition and artistic program coordination and presentation, collections and acquisitions development, interpretation and public programs, project management, team leadership, staff supervision, and budget development/administration.
• Deep knowledge of picture books and art a plus
• Strong communication and public speaking skills; ability to inspire and engage audiences.
• Proven track record of obtaining funding for museum exhibitions and projects.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize projects.
• Cultural competency to collaborate and coordinate with individuals from all backgrounds.
• Successful candidate will be expected to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of The Carle to foster meaningful connections with the local community, including regional artists, authors, educators, and partner organizations.
• Advanced MS Office skills. Experience with webinar platforms. Experience with museum collections database systems.
• Ability to lift up to 10 pounds, see the normal range of color vision, and/or stand, and/or walk extended periods of time.

Position and compensation details

• This position is full-time, exempt with benefits.
• The yearly salary range for this position is $100k-$115k, based on experience.
• Benefits include: accrued paid time off (sick, vacation, personal and holiday pay), medical and dental insurance, long term disability, flexible spending account, contributions to a retirement account after one year of employment, discount to Museum shop and programs, plus free admission to many cultural institutions throughout New England.
• This position may qualify for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined as an arrangement where an employee’s work is regularly performed at a location other than the Museum for up to one day a week. 

Application timeline and process

• Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. To apply, complete our Employment Application. If you need an access accommodation, have a question regarding available accommodations, or if you need this application in an alternative format to successfully submit your candidacy, please contact hr@carlemuseum.org.
• The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.