Assistant Curator, European Paintings

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity. 

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve. 

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

As Assistant Curator, or Associate Curator with commensurate experience, you are a forward-looking art historian specializing in 19th-century art with a particular focus on paintings. In this role, the curator will be responsible for the research, display, study, growth, and care of this area of the European Paintings collection. The ideal candidate will be passionately interested in paintings; in shaping the department’s future; in advancing the Museum’s mission of public engagement and outreach through gallery installations; and in organizing ambitious exhibitions built around this area of the collection.  The curator will be integral to the exciting project of reenvisioning the presentation of the permanent collection.

• The Museum may recommend that a new hire at Assistant Level be awarded credit for time worked in the same or similar role with comparable responsibilities as outlined in the Regulations for Curatorial, Education, Library, Conservation, and Scientific Research employees.  An Associate level may also be considered with an additional 5 years’ experience.

Application Deadline: August 14, 2026

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

• Commitment to scholarship in fields of specialization, and to communicating the results of that scholarship, both to a broad public and specialist communities; 

• Curate gallery installations with the attendant tasks of research, label writing, working with paintings technicians, and participating in related digital platforms; 

• Research, generate and produce scholarly publications on works in the collection under his/her/their curatorial responsibility, contribute to entries in The Met’s online collection database; 

• Organize path-breaking exhibitions that help to redefine an artist, period, or work of art; 

• Participate in the Museum’s public education and outreach programs; 

• Develop and maintain good working relationships with donors, trustees, and colleagues from other institutions in the U.S. and abroad, as well as with the scholarly community, dealers and collectors; 

• Actively cultivate potential sponsors and supporters, including departmental membership groups; 

• Research, propose, and present works for acquisition; 

• Respond to inquiries relating to the collection and assist the public and visiting scholars; work with scholars throughout the field to enrich and expand the collection’s narratives; 

• Collaborate with colleagues throughout the Museum and the broader field of art history on related projects and programs; 

• Maintain commitment to the field of art history by participating in conferences, scholarly publications, and other forums; Other related duties as assigned 

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ph.D in art history and a specialization in 19th-century paintings, with demonstrated knowledge and particular focus on Impressionism; 

• Reading knowledge of French or German, and competency in the European languages central to the candidate’s discipline; 

• Two years curatorial or academic experience in specialized field; 

• Demonstrated scholarly achievement through publications and exhibitions; 

• Strong presentation and advocacy skills when working with donors, the public, and museum staff 

• Pay Range: $87,000 - $92,000 / Annually

The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Location Requirements

At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri-state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Benefits Offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
• Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
• Free financial-planning services
• Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
• 25% discount for staff in Museum shops
• A subsidized staff cafeteria
• Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the desired attributes for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.

The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact [email protected].  

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.