Profession conservator

Conservators organise and valorise works of art, buildings, books and furniture. They work in a wide range of areas such as creating and implementing new collections of art, preserving heritage buildings by applying restoration techniques as well as foreseeing the conservation of literary works, films, and valuable objects.

Would you like to know what kind of career and professions suit you best? Take our free Holland code career test and find out.

Personality Type

  • Realistic / Artistic

Knowledge

  • Museum databases

    The tools and processes involved in working with museum databases.

Skills

  • Provide conservation advice

    Formulating guidelines for object care, preservation and maintenance, and providing professional advice on possible restoration work to be done.

  • Structure information

    Organise information using systematic methods such as mental models and according to given standards in order to facilitate user information processing and understanding with respect to the specific requirements and characteristics of the output media.

  • Diagnose conservation issues

    Assess the nature of the object to be conserved or restored, and examine the causes of any deterioration.

  • Assess conservation needs

    Assess and list the needs for conservation/restoration, in relation to current use and planned future use.

  • Create solutions to problems

    Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.

  • Assess object condition

    Work together with the collection manager or restorer, to evaluate and document the condition of a museum object for a loan or an exhibition.

  • Meet deadlines

    Ensure operative processes are finished at a previously agreed-upon time.

  • Create collection conservation plan

    Create a comprehensive, high-level overview conservation plan for the collection.

  • Cope with challenging demands

    Maintain a positive attitude towards new and challenging demands such as interaction with artists and handling of artistic artefacts. Work under pressure such as dealing with last moment changes in time schedules and financial restraints.

  • Ensure safety of exhibition

    Ensure safety of exhibition environment and of artefacts by applying safety devices.

  • Apply strategic thinking

    Apply generation and effective application of business insights and possible opportunities, in order to achieve competitive business advantage on a long-term basis.

  • Use ICT recources to solve work related tasks

    Ability to choose and use ICT recources in order to solve related tasks

  • Coordinate operational activities

    Synchronise activities and responsibilities of the operational staff to ensure that the resources of an organisation are used most efficiently in pursuit of the specified objectives.

Optional knowledge and skills

provide project information on exhibitions art collections art-historical values apply restoration techniques supervise projects for the conservation of heritage buildings evaluate art quality estimate restoration costs of antique items cultural history perform project management art history historic architecture history estimate restoration costs cultural projects interact with an audience furniture, carpet and lighting equipment products respect cultural differences in the field of exhibition present reports

Common job titles

  • Executive assistant to the president and governance coordinator
  • Conservation technician
  • Registrar
  • Member liaison specialist
  • Foster home developer
  • Conservator (photo)
  • Social worker
  • Art preparator
  • Mental health clinician