Organizer Information
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was established in 1870 by a group of American businessmen, financiers, artists, and thinkers who wanted to bring art and art education to the American public, and it opened to visitors in 1872. The museum is located on Fifth Avenue along Central Park, with a second site at The Met Cloisters in northern Manhattan dedicated to medieval European art and architecture. Its holdings run to roughly two million works and are overseen by seventeen curatorial departments, supported by dedicated conservation teams and a Department of Scientific Research, spanning collections that range from classical antiquity and ancient Egypt to European painting and sculpture, American and modern art, and extensive Asian, African, Oceanic, Byzantine, and Islamic holdings. The Met draws several million visitors annually, making it one of the most visited museums in the world. Within this structure, the European Paintings department is responsible for the Museum's holdings of European painting across historical periods, including its 19th-century and Impressionist collections.
Title & Description
Assistant Curator, European Paintings (or Associate Curator, with commensurate experience)
The Met is seeking a forward-looking art historian specializing in 19th-century art, with a particular focus on paintings, to join the European Paintings department. The curator will be responsible for the research, display, study, growth, and care of this area of the collection, and will play an integral role in the Museum's ongoing project to reenvision the presentation of its permanent collection. The Museum states it may award a new hire at the Assistant level credit for time worked in a comparable role, per its Regulations for Curatorial, Education, Library, Conservation, and Scientific Research employees, and that an Associate-level appointment may be considered with an additional five years of experience.
The Role Overview
- Position Type: Full-time
- Salary: $87,000–$92,000 annually (pay scale reflects a good-faith minimum and maximum range; actual offer may depend on the candidate's experience, education, licensing/qualifications, and other factors)
- Department / Programme: European Paintings department
- Location Requirement: Employees must, at time of employment, be located within commuting distance of the Museum — defined as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the "Tri-state and PA" areas) — and able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day
Position & Tasks
- Maintain a commitment to scholarship in the curator's field of specialization and communicate the results of that scholarship to both a broad public and specialist communities
- Curate gallery installations, including research, label writing, working with painting technicians, and participating in related digital platforms
- Research, generate, and produce scholarly publications on works in the collection under the curator's responsibility, and contribute to entries in The Met's online collection database
- Organize path-breaking exhibitions that help 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
Categories
- Curatorial Practice
- Art History
- Museum Studies
- European Paintings
- 19th-Century Art
- Collection Management
- Exhibition Making
- Impressionism Studies
Eligibility
- PhD in art history with a specialization in 19th-century paintings, and 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 of curatorial or academic experience in the specialized field
- Demonstrated scholarly achievement through publications and exhibitions
- Strong presentation and advocacy skills when working with donors, the public, and museum staff
- Must be located within, or able to relocate to, the Tri-state and PA commuting area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania) at time of employment
- The Museum notes it is unlikely any candidate meets 100% of desired attributes and encourages applying if much of the description fits
- Open without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital or domestic partner status, genetic information, gender identity, HIV status, military status, and other categories protected by law
Program Benefits
- Salary range: $87,000–$92,000 annually
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
- 403(b) basic retirement plan, plus an optional matching retirement plan with an employer match described as outstanding
- Paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
- Long-term disability coverage
- Flexible Spending Accounts and 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% staff discount in Museum shops
- Subsidized staff cafeteria
- Access to the Museums Council pass, granting free admission to various museums and cultural institutions
- Reasonable accommodations provided for persons with disabilities in the application process
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 14 August 2026
Location
The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, United States
Additional Details
- The source lists two slightly different deadline references: an "Application Deadline: August 14, 2026" within the job description text, and an "End Date: August 15, 2026 (11 days left to apply)" in the posting metadata. Both figures are reproduced here as stated; you may want to confirm the exact cutoff directly with the Museum given this discrepancy.
- The Museum describes its core values as respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity, applied across all staff roles.
- The Museum is an equal opportunity employer, with a formal commitment to full inclusion and reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities.