About Art Historian Careers

Art historians do not just work in museums. While many art historians do purse careers traditionally associated with art history majors, many art historians work in varied settings, such as businesses and nonprofit institutions. Art historians today also need skills in both technology and cultural sensitivity, in order to successfully negotiate the changing landscape of art history.

Art history considers artistic works within a historical and cultural context. In doing so, art history highlights the role of art in describing, highlighting and even shaping society and culture. Art historians compare and contrast different periods of western history with one another, or western art and related history with the art of other cultures.

One of the most common jobs for art historians is to work as a curator for a museum. A curator is the person in charge of the museum's collection. A curator's job is to identify gaps in the collection and work to fill them, look after the maintenance and storage of the collection and design exhibitions. Besides knowledge of art, curators must have research and writing skills, knowledge of the proper temperature and humidity conditions for various art media and an ability to work with others.

Art historians obviously must have a knowledge of art which is both broad and deep. In addition, art historians should also acquire a broad liberal arts education as well as a working knowledge of appropriate foreign languages, often French and German, but possibly Spanish or other languages. it is possible obtain an entry level job with a bachelor's degree. But for most management level jobs a master's degree is the minimum requirement. A curator, art history educator or top level art manager is almost always expected to have a doctoral degree in art history.

As mentioned earlier, art historians customarily work in museums. They also work with art galleries and auction houses. Art historians may also work as curators for corporate collections, with nonprofit organizations which are not museums, in retailing, for governmental departments or as art librarians. They are also sometimes involved in preservation and architectural conservation or in careers as varied as film making and architecture.

Art historians who work as curators are often considered to be prominent members of the community. As such, they are frequently asked to speak for various groups, including schools and art related events. Public speaking skills are useful in such instances. Art historians who are involved with conservation work must learn to work cooperatively in order for the work of a project to run smoothly. In addition to art knowledge, people skills can also be helpful for an art historian.