career post - q2 - museum art historian/curator

Art historians working in museums often work on researching pieces that already exist in a collection, or writing wall plaques/descriptions for pieces that will soon go on display. Additionally, a large part of this role could be organizing new/specialized exhibitions (like the rotating exhibits at the VMFA) and helping determine the best way to display/discuss them based on historical meaning and significance. This is especially applicable if it's something like the Terracotta Army that was at the VMFA a while back, where it's more firmly historical. Historians/curators work closely with other departments within museums like conservators and tour guides/educators, and sometimes work as tour guides to give guests lectures about certain pieces or exhibits. To be an art historian/curator for a museum, I would need an undergrad degree (BA) in art history or a similar field, as well as (most likely) a masters' or even Ph.D (depending on the specific job) in art history, museum studies, or curatorial studies. Many historians or curators complete internships or other specialized programs at museums, and research/writing skills are always necessary. For an undergrad degree in art history, pretty much any school known for their humanities programs is fantastic (UVA, Columbia, Williams College, and other top-ranked schools). More specifically, Williams College is known for museum placement. For graduate programs, NYU's Institute for Fine Arts has a very prestigious art curatorial program.