Job Posting Title

Agency

Supervisory Organization

Job Posting End Date

Refer to the date listed at the top of this posting, if available. Continuous if date is blank.

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the posting end date above.

Estimated Appointment End Date (Continuous if Blank)

Full/Part-Time

Job Type

Compensation

Job Description

Position Summary

The Museum Curator develops creative, research-driven exhibitions that interpret the history and culture of Oklahoma. This position requires strong historical scholarship, clear and accurate writing, interpretive creativity, disciplined project management, and effective collaboration with the Exhibits, Collections, and Education teams. The curator supports responsible stewardship of collections and advances the museum’s mission through thoughtful interpretation and public engagement.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Exhibition Development & Scholarly Research

• Develop engaging and creative in-house exhibitions and gallery rotations grounded in rigorous historical research.
• Generate original interpretive themes; conduct primary and secondary research; shape storylines; select artifacts; and write audience-appropriate exhibit text.
• Maintain an Oklahoma-focused perspective within broader national or thematic contexts.

Cross-Department Collaboration

• Collaborate with the Exhibits Manager to manage assigned exhibition projects from concept through installation, including checklists, schedules, documentation, internal reviews, and development of text panels, extended labels, and supporting materials.
• Work with Collections, Archivists, and Registrars to support the safe and appropriate installation and rotation of artifacts.
• Work within and contribute to established workflows, shared documentation standards, and project timelines to support coordinated exhibition development.

Collections & Interpretation

• Participate in assessing and rotating artifacts on exhibition to ensure accuracy, condition, and interpretive relevance.
• Review and recommend updates to gallery labels and panels as needed.
• Conduct historical research to support artifact identification and respond to inquiries from the public or professional audiences.
• Recommend acquisitions aligned with the agency’s Collection Plan and prepare supporting documentation.

Public Engagement & Professional Representation

• Present lectures, programs, and workshops as assigned.
• Consult with colleagues regarding historical contexts and interpretive considerations.
• Represent the museum at conferences, symposia, and professional forums.
• Maintain positive, professional relationships with community partners, scholars, and museum colleagues.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in history, museum studies, public history, or a closely related field. Masters preferred, not required.
• Demonstrated experience conducting scholarly research using primary and secondary sources.
• Strong writing skills and the ability to produce clear, accurate interpretive text.
• 2–3 years of curatorial, interpretive, or research experience in a museum or cultural institution.
• Demonstrated creativity in shaping interpretive themes and developing compelling exhibition concepts.
• Ability to work collaboratively within established workflows and meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Understanding of museum collections care standards and willingness to follow established procedures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing medium or large-scale exhibitions.
• Familiarity with Oklahoma history and regional cultural contexts.
• Experience working with community partners or cultural advisors.
• Ability to contribute to multi-year exhibit planning.
• Strong editing skills and comfort with citation and content documentation standards.

Competencies & Expectations

• Creativity in developing themes, storylines, and interpretive approaches.
• Commitment to accuracy, scholarly rigor, and ethical interpretation.
• Ability to receive and integrate feedback constructively.
• Respect for role boundaries and effective collaboration across departments.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Sound judgment, professionalism, and reliability under deadline-driven conditions.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.

Current active State of Oklahoma employees must apply for open positions internally through the Workday Jobs Hub.

If you are needing any extra assistance or have any questions relating to a job you have applied for, please click the link below and find the agency for which you applied for additional information:

Agency Contact