Museum Technicians and Conservators
Also called: Conservator, Objects Conservator, Paintings Conservator, PreparatorRestore, 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 11 of its 24 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 3.6% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 4.1% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Archivists, curators, and museum technicians”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 11.1 hires for every 10 job openings in arts, entertainment, and recreation, which employs about 51% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.11.1 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,350 | $23,770 to $49,550 | 130 |
| Alaska | $60,840 | $44,570 to $67,570 | 60 |
| Arizona | $46,650 | $39,820 to $54,850 | 90 |
| Arkansas | $41,280 | $34,510 to $47,830 | 110 |
| California | $61,550 | $49,600 to $75,960 | 1,610 |
| Colorado | $51,990 | $42,000 to $62,900 | 290 |
| Connecticut | $62,030 | $50,480 to $79,460 | 280 |
| Delaware | $38,080 | $35,930 to $45,820 | 60 |
| District of Columbia | $76,110 | $50,750 to $98,890 | 520 |
| Florida | $53,460 | $44,990 to $62,250 | 250 |
| Georgia | $49,270 | $38,580 to $66,480 | 150 |
| Hawaii | $40,170 | $38,690 to $47,730 | 140 |
| Idaho | $43,520 | $37,860 to $55,870 | 40 |
| Illinois | $56,720 | $47,460 to $67,190 | 400 |
| Indiana | $46,490 | $36,940 to $56,640 | 290 |
| Iowa | $51,740 | $39,250 to $68,450 | 100 |
| Kansas | $46,320 | $37,860 to $55,850 | 130 |
| Kentucky | $49,940 | $31,480 to $58,010 | 80 |
| Louisiana | $32,350 | $30,440 to $38,760 | 200 |
| Maine | $48,460 | $44,320 to $57,300 | 60 |
| Maryland | $76,900 | $51,440 to $108,160 | 450 |
| Massachusetts | $58,530 | $49,590 to $67,610 | 440 |
| Michigan | $39,000 | $35,190 to $48,910 | 340 |
| Minnesota | $50,140 | $44,490 to $62,740 | 170 |
| Missouri | $49,170 | $42,720 to $59,890 | 850 |
| Montana | $42,390 | $36,120 to $49,940 | 120 |
| Nebraska | $41,960 | $37,770 to $52,580 | 60 |
| Nevada | $56,470 | $40,350 to $69,490 | 70 |
| New Jersey | $43,780 | $39,160 to $57,870 | 110 |
| New Mexico | $56,670 | $47,220 to $66,140 | 100 |
| New York | $74,550 | $58,030 to $83,360 | 1,050 |
| North Carolina | $39,290 | $35,920 to $46,470 | 450 |
| Ohio | $47,570 | $39,870 to $58,890 | 350 |
| Oklahoma | $48,090 | $31,470 to $60,940 | 190 |
| Oregon | $45,820 | $37,610 to $59,030 | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,150 | $37,520 to $60,640 | 310 |
| Rhode Island | $55,470 | $49,050 to $62,230 | 70 |
| South Carolina | $38,290 | $33,570 to $49,050 | 90 |
| Tennessee | $44,710 | $34,390 to $59,490 | 210 |
| Texas | $45,880 | $31,910 to $52,600 | 670 |
| Utah | $35,430 | $28,230 to $50,780 | 100 |
| Virginia | $52,190 | $42,290 to $68,200 | 310 |
| Washington | $59,610 | $47,750 to $65,730 | 280 |
| Wisconsin | $38,840 | $29,070 to $48,170 | 160 |
| Wyoming | $56,420 | $47,660 to $57,310 | 60 |
Nationally: $51,440. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 11 of its 24 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Determine whether objects need repair and choose the safest and most effective method of repair. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Recommend preservation procedures, such as control of temperature and humidity, to curatorial and building staff. | Not published |
| AI + software | Specialize in particular materials or types of object, such as documents and books, paintings, decorative arts, textiles, metals, or architectural materials. | Not published |
| AI + software | Study object documentation or conduct standard chemical and physical tests to ascertain the object's age, composition, original appearance, need for treatment or restoration, and appropriate preservation method. | Not published |
| Not much | Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes. | Not published |
| Not much | Repair, restore, and reassemble artifacts, designing and fabricating missing or broken parts, to restore them to their original appearance and prevent deterioration. | Not published |
See all 24 tasks
| AI + software | Perform tests and examinations to establish storage and conservation requirements, policies, and procedures. | Not published |
| Not much | 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. | Not published |
| Not much | Direct and supervise curatorial, technical, and student staff in the handling, mounting, care, and storage of art objects. | Not published |
| AI + software | Photograph objects for documentation. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare reports on the operation of conservation laboratories, documenting the condition of artifacts, treatment options, and the methods of preservation and repair used. | Not published |
| Not much | Prepare artifacts for storage and shipping. | Not published |
| AI + software | Plan and conduct research to develop and improve methods of restoring and preserving specimens. | Not published |
| AI + software | Enter information about museum collections into computer databases. | Not published |
| Not much | Notify superior when restoration of artifacts requires outside experts. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform on-site field work which may involve interviewing people, inspecting and identifying artifacts, note-taking, viewing sites and collections, and repainting exhibition spaces. | Not published |
| Not much | Lead tours and teach educational courses to students and the general public. | Not published |
| AI alone | Estimate cost of restoration work. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Deliver artwork on courier trips. | Not published |
| Not much | Supervise and work with volunteers. | Not published |
| AI + software | Coordinate exhibit installations, assisting with design, constructing displays, dioramas, display cases, and models, and ensuring the availability of necessary materials. | Not published |
| Not much | Preserve or direct preservation of objects, using plaster, resin, sealants, hardeners, and shellac. | Not published |
| Not much | Construct skeletal mounts of fossils, replicas of archaeological artifacts, or duplicate specimens, using a variety of materials and hand tools. | Not published |
| AI alone | Classify and assign registration numbers to artifacts and supervise inventory control. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 2 of the 24 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 24 tasks fall under 23 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- #23 Prepare informational or instructional materials
- #30 Perform administrative or clerical activities
- and 3 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrange displays or decorations | |||
| Build structures | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise | |||
| Inspect characteristics or conditions of materials or products | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Supervise personnel activities | |||
| Prepare informational or instructional materials | |||
| Perform administrative or clerical activities |
Show all 23 activities
| Process digital or online data | |||
| Determine values or prices of goods or services | |||
| Study details of artistic productions | |||
| Develop models of systems, processes, or products | |||
| Advise others on educational or vocational matters | |||
| Develop operational or technical procedures or standards | |||
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Plan events or programs | |||
| Record images with photographic or audiovisual equipment | |||
| Collect information about patients or clients | |||
| Mark materials or objects for identification | |||
| Apply protective solutions or coatings | |||
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Operate transportation equipment or vehicles | |||
| Move materials, equipment, or supplies |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- Advice or a recommendation49%
- An explanation or answer14%
- Data or a spreadsheet9%
- A document or report9%
- An analysis or summary4%
How they worked with Claude
28% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for museum technicians and conservators specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 2,440 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 2 Marketing Managers Very high +6.9% 4%
- 3 Photographers High -0.7% 4%
- 4 Operations Research Analysts Very high +11.9% 4%
- 5 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
Where people moved in from
of 2,567 moves in
- 1 Counselors, All Other High +5.9% 8%
- 2 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 5%
- 3 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 5%
- 4 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 5 Operations Research Analysts Very high +11.9% 4%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% less than high school
- 5% high school
- 11% some college
- 3% associate's
- 37% bachelor's
- 36% master's
- 1% professional degree
- 5% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Archivists, curators, and museum technicians” · 1,097 people surveyed.
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Archivists, curators, and museum technicians”
3 programs: Museology/Museum Studies, Art History, Criticism and Conservation and Public/Applied History.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
18.9% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a certification | <0.5% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
| a license | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/25-4013.00