The Whitney Museum is looking for a full-time Curatorial Assistant, reporting jointly to the Steven and Ann Ames Curator of Drawings and Prints and the Sondra Gilman Curator of Photography. The Curatorial Assistant will assist the curators with scholarly projects as well as a variety of administrative tasks. Excellent research and writing skills are essential, as well as a deep knowledge of 20th- and 21st-century art history.
Applications must be received by July 10 2026.
Responsibilities
Assistance in planning, research, organization and installation of exhibitions
Assistance with catalogues and other publications, both print and digital
Research on artists for curatorial projects and acquisitions; writing didactic labels, press releases and other copy
Serving as liaison with Curators’ contacts, including artists, donors and gallerists; acquisition of works for the Whitney’s permanent collection, including coordination with Conservation, Registration and Documentation departments
TMS data entry
Other tasks as needed to support the work of the Curatorial Department.
Requirements
B.A. required
Demonstrated knowledge of and interest in 20th- and 21st-century art history and contemporary art
2 years museum, gallery, or other relevant experience
Excellent clerical and organizational skills, including experience with TMS, Microsoft Office, Excel, and PowerPoint
Excellent writing, research, and communication skills, with attention to detail and accuracy
Ability to handle several projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
Knowledge of exhibition preparation procedures is helpful
Demonstrated ability to take initiative, work thoughtfully, quickly, thoroughly, and collegially, and respect the day-to-day process as much as the end result.
Compensation & Benefits:
About the Whitney
The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.
EEO Statement
The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, pregnancy, partnership status, caregiver status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.
The Whitney seeks to be the defining museum of 20th- and 21st-century American art. The Museum collects, exhibits, preserves, researches, and interprets art of the United States in the broadest global, historical and interdisciplinary contexts. As the preeminent advocate for American art, we foster the work of living artists at critical moments in their careers. The Whitney educates a diverse public through direct interaction with artists, often before their work has achieved general acceptance.
See the latest job and internship postings on our website here: https://whitney.org/about/job-postings
