Coordinator of Interpretation, Family and Young Audiences, Special Projects

At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we actively seek to employ a diverse group of people who embody our organizational values. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups in the museum field, who are inspired by our shared purpose and enjoy working collaboratively with others.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.

The department of Interpretation in the Division of Learning and Engagement at the Philadelphia Museum of Art seeks a part-time Coordinator of Interpretation, Youth and Family (two-year term). Charged with the task of making art engaging and accessible to broad audiences, the Interpretation department oversees all interpretation of special exhibitions and the museum’s permanent collection and is situated at the intersection of art, content, and visitor experience.

The Coordinator of Interpretation, Families and Young Audiences works within this larger vision to specifically create interpretive materials for youth and family audiences in support of an upcoming reinstallation and exhibition of the Museum’s American art galleries. The exhibition “A Nation of Artists ” will celebrate the 250 th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with important loans of furniture, ceramics, paintings, flags, and more from the Middleton family collection of Philadelphia interspersed with the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s own collection. The exhibition begins in the galleries of early American art on the first floor and moves to the second floor where the museum will unveil newly reimagined and reinstalled galleries of American art from 1700 to 1950. The exhibition spans nearly three centuries of American art and presents anew the museum’s collection, enhanced by rarely seen works from the Middleton Family Collection. The lively interpretation and dynamic display in “A Nation of Artists” will present a sweeping view of American art through iconic works and unexpected juxtapositions, inviting visitors to explore evolving ideas of identity, culture, and creativity.
Set within the Museum’s historic Beaux-Arts building, the exhibition affirms PMA’s civic role in shaping cultural narratives. Through dynamic education and public programs spearheaded by the Division of Learning and Engagement, “A Nation of Artists” will celebrate the richness of American art while encouraging new ways of seeing and understanding history through artists and their work.

Throughout the two years of this position, the Coordinator will strategically develop self-guided experiences for families in these galleries in conjunction with a consideration of the general visit experience throughout the museum. The Coordinator will lead the development of kid-friendly content in different formats, which could include labels, printed gallery guides, fan decks, art kits, audio tours, tactiles, and digital and other media.

The Coordinator reports to the Head of Interpretation and works in close collaboration with the Family Programs team to produce an engaging museum environment for visitors with children.

Specifically, you will:

• Develop and implement all interpretation materials for family and Art Kids audiences in support of the American art exhibition-A Nation of Artists, and and reinstallation of American art collection
• Collaborate with the Head of Interpretation to create and plan for the development and implementation of interpretive activations for youth and family audiences throughout the Museum
• Collaborate with the Family Programs team to create content for materials aimed at young audiences, potentially including printed gallery guides, labels, fan decks, summer art kits materials, kiosks for winter and summer activations, or other materials.
• Work cross-departmentally to create support for the project and to execute all aspects of interpretive materials, from their creation to their deployment to their evaluation
• Develop project management tools and schedules to ensure timely planning and production of materials and assessment of products
• Support gallery teaching as requested by the broader department
• Take an iterative, innovative, and creative approach to the development of new interpretive strategies and tools, evaluating projects and content to inform the development of new offerings
• Work in collaboration with staff from various departments, including educators, programmers, curators, editors, designers, marketing, and external stakeholders as needed.
• Assist as needed in coordinating, administrating, reporting, and archiving youth and family interpretation initiatives and documentation
• Perform other duties as assigned

Your background and experience include:

• Expertise in museum education and engaging young audiences
• Familiarity with museum interpretation and best practices in the development of interpretive tools
• General knowledge of visitor engagement and experience in museum settings
• Strong writing skills, particularly in communicating with young audiences via a variety of media
• The ability to coordinate and contribute to multiple projects simultaneously and to work independently on assigned tasks with little direct supervision
• Excellent time management, organizational, collaboration, creative, and interpersonal skills
• Proficiency with MS Office, and the ability to learn other content management systems as needed
• Bachelor’s degree in art history, art, museum studies, education or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience

Position and Compensation Details

• The hourly rate for this position is $25.80.
• This position is Part-Time, Non-Exempt, and 21 hours per week.
• This position is part of the AFSCME Local 397 bargaining unit.
• This position reports to Head of Interpretation
• This position is required to be performed fully onsite at Philadelphia Museum of Art locations.
• This is a two-year term position, ending August 2027.
• Physical requirements:
  • Able to remain stationary for extended periods of time, to utilize computers and other office equipment required of this job, to perform physically administrative duties in a typical interior office environment, gallery, or exhibit space, and to access most public and staff areas of the museum campus
• Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

Institutional Requirements

• Upholds the professional standards of the field, always acts in a manner that is consistent with the best interests of the museum and protects and enhances its reputation and standing within the community of museums.
• Adheres to the museum’s code of ethics and Employee Handbook and avoids any real or perceived conflicts of interest.
• Shows respect for co-workers and visitors and an understanding of and appreciation for the diversity of the museum’s staff, volunteers, and audiences.
• Maintains confidentiality.
• Adheres to all museum protocols, procedures, rules, and policies.

Application Timeline

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage candidates to apply early as the position will close once we have a robust applicant pool or a candidate has been selected.

What We Offer

Our employees are at the center of the museum. As an employee, you will have access to numerous museum perks including, but not limited to:

• Discounted guest tickets for admission
• Discounts on gift memberships
• Special staff tours and presentations from our curatorial and conservation teams
• Discounts at the museum restaurant, museum cafés, and museum retail and online stores

We offer a comprehensive benefits package for employees including:

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Fully paid short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, and life insurance
• Health savings or flexible spending account program
• Retirement savings program with museum match
• Paid vacation, personal days, sick days, and holidays

*Eligibility for certain benefits is based on a variety of factors including the employee’s regular schedule and tenure.