Organizer Information
The Rijksmuseum traces its origins to 1798, when the Batavian Republic resolved to build a national art collection along the model of the Louvre. The National Art Gallery opened in The Hague in 1800 with a modest holding of around 200 paintings and historical objects, later moving to Amsterdam under Louis Napoleon and eventually finding its permanent home on Museumplein. Established in its current form on 19 November 1798, the museum now holds a collection of roughly one million objects and draws well over two and a half million visitors a year. Its mandate spans roughly 800 years of Dutch history, from around 1200 to the present, and the museum is recognized internationally as a principal guardian of Dutch Golden Age painting. Over the past several decades, the institution has placed growing emphasis on sculpture, driven by acquisitions and exhibitions that have expanded the scope and international standing of that part of the collection.
Title & Description
Curator of Sculpture
The Rijksmuseum is hiring a curator of sculpture to join the Painting and Sculpture team within the Department of Fine & Decorative Arts. The museum is looking for someone with a clear intellectual vision of Western sculpture from the Middle Ages to the present, paired with a strong sense of where the collection should go over the long term. The role sits at the intersection of scholarship and public-facing museum work: the successful candidate will move between international academic research, collection development, exhibition organizing, and public engagement, while staying connected to current developments in the international art world and art market.
The position comes at a moment when the museum is reassessing and enriching its permanent sculpture displays, a process expected to shape the collection's presentation over the coming years. The curator will help drive that process directly — contributing to collection growth and public accessibility, supporting exhibitions already in planning, and helping complete and update the sculpture collection's catalogue. The role also carries a networking and knowledge-sharing dimension: maintaining ties across the international field, then translating that engagement into research projects, publications, presentations, and public programs, including newer formats like video.
The Role Overview
- Position Type: Not specified in the source (implied full-time based on standard museum curatorial roles, but not stated explicitly)
- Contract Type: One-year contract, with the stated intention of extending it
- Working Hours: 36 hours per week
- Department / Programme: Painting and Sculpture team, Department of Fine & Decorative Arts
- Salary: €4,379–€6,056 gross per month (as listed in the vacancy details box) or €4,532–€6,268 gross per month based on a 36-hour week under Scale 12 of the Museum Collective Labour Agreement (as stated in the benefits section) — the source gives two different figures, and this discrepancy should be confirmed directly with the museum
Position & Tasks
- Develop, research, and expand the sculpture collection
- Contribute to the presentation and visibility of the sculpture collection within and beyond the Rijksmuseum
- Complete and update the online catalogue of the sculpture collection
- Contribute to and organize exhibitions and publications in the coming years
- Develop new insights and perspectives on the collection and the wider field of sculpture
- Support future exhibitions in which sculpture plays a prominent role
- Monitor developments in the international field and the art market
- Maintain and further develop an international professional network
- Translate professional knowledge into research projects, presentations, publications, and public programs
- Contribute to innovative forms of knowledge sharing, including publications and video formats
- Work closely with colleagues across Conservation & Science, Public & Education, and Publications departments
Categories
- Curatorial Practice
- Sculpture
- Art History
- Museum Studies
- Collection Management
- Exhibition Making
- Western Art History
- Research
Eligibility
- Academic degree, preferably in Art History or a related field
- Extensive knowledge of Western sculpture from the Middle Ages to the present day
- Experience with collection management, collection development, and research
- Experience publishing within the field
- Knowledge of international developments in sculpture and the art market
- Experience working in a project-based environment within a museum or academic setting
- Excellent command of English required
- Willingness to learn Dutch (not stated as a hard requirement at time of hire)
- Comfort operating within a complex network of researchers, museums, collectors, and audiences
- No nationality or country-of-residence restriction stated in the source
Program Benefits
- Gross monthly salary of €4,532–€6,268 based on a 36-hour week, Scale 12 of the Museum Collective Labour Agreement (note conflicting figure of €4,379–€6,056 also appears in the source's details box)
- 8% holiday allowance
- 3.4% year-end bonus
- Public transport commuting allowance from 5 km onward, up to €367.50 per month
- €0.21 per kilometer reimbursement for those commuting entirely by bicycle or on foot
- Reimbursement for secure bicycle parking at train stations
- Netherlands Museum Pass after probation, offering unlimited access to more than 450 museums in the Netherlands
- One free guest ticket to the Rijksmuseum during opening hours
- Participation in museum events and sports activities, including the Rijksrun and summer and winter parties
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 27 August 2026
- First interview: 7 September 2026
- Second interview: 24 September 2026
- Possible third interview: 28 September 2026
Location
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Additional Details
- The vacancy may close before the stated deadline if enough applications come in; late applications will not be considered.
- Candidates who need additional support during the recruitment process are invited to request it.
- Questions about the role can be directed to Pieter Roelofs, Head of Fine and Decorative Arts, at p.roelofs@rijksmuseum.nl.
- After the interview stages, if both sides remain interested, the museum will extend an offer.