Museum technicians and conservators
Restore, maintain, or prepare objects in museum collections for storage, research, or exhibit. May work with specimens such as fossils, skeletal parts, or botanicals; or artifacts, textiles, or art. May identify and record objects or install and arrange them in exhibits. Includes book or document conservators.
Museum technicians and conservators restore, maintain, or prepare objects in museum collections for storage, research, or exhibit. May work with specimens such as fossils, skeletal parts, or botanicals; or artifacts, textiles, or art. The role reports a median annual salary of $47,460 in the US and is projected to grow 5% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.64 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Writing, Critical Thinking.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £28,134 a year for Library clerks and assistants (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 4135). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Museum technicians and conservators, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Fine Arts
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- History and Archeology
- Administration and Management
- Chemistry
- Administrative
- Mechanical
What you'd actually do
- Install, arrange, assemble, and prepare artifacts for exhibition, ensuring the artifacts' safety, reporting their status and condition, and identifying and correcting any problems with the set up.
- Repair, restore, and reassemble artifacts, designing and fabricating missing or broken parts, to restore them to their original appearance and prevent deterioration.
- Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes.
- Photograph objects for documentation.
- Determine whether objects need repair and choose the safest and most effective method of repair.
- Prepare artifacts for storage and shipping.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Museum technicians and conservators do?
Restore, maintain, or prepare objects in museum collections for storage, research, or exhibit. May work with specimens such as fossils, skeletal parts, or botanicals; or artifacts, textiles, or art. May identify and record objects or install and arrange them in exhibits. Includes book or document conservators.
How much does Museum technicians and conservators earn?
The median annual salary for Museum technicians and conservators in the US is $47,460.
What is the job outlook for Museum technicians and conservators?
The role is projected to grow 5% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 15,700 workers.
How do I become museum technicians and conservators?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Museum technicians and conservators need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Writing, Critical Thinking, Monitoring. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Museum technicians and conservators?
Our AI-durability model gives Museum technicians and conservators a score of 0.64 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Museum technicians and conservators has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.