Explore unit group

Version:
NOC 2006 Version 1.0

5212 – Technical Occupations Related to Museums and Art Galleries

This unit group includes workers who classify and catalogue museum and gallery artifacts, construct and install exhibits and displays, restore, maintain and store museum and gallery collections, frame artwork, and perform other functions in support of curatorial and conservation activities. They are employed in museums and galleries. Picture framers and taxidermists may also be employed in retail settings or may be self-employed. This unit group also includes museum and other interpreters who conduct guided tours. They are employed at art galleries, museums, parks, aquariums, zoos, interpretive centres, botanical gardens, cultural centres, nature sanctuaries, historic and heritage sites and other locations.

Profile

Index of titles Example job titles

  • Aircraft restoration technician - museum
  • Aquarium interpreter
  • Archaeological technician
  • Art gallery preparator
  • Art gallery registrar
  • Art objects preparator
  • Art restoration technician
  • Assistant registrar - museum
  • Botanical garden interpreter
  • Cataloguer - museum
  • Cataloguer, museum objects
  • Chief display officer - museum
  • Chief exhibit officer - museum
  • Chief preparator
  • Chief preparator - museums and art galleries
  • Communications equipment restoration technician - museum
  • Community museum technician
  • Conservation and restoration technician
  • Conservation area interpreter
  • Conservation technician - museums and art galleries
  • Dinosaur museum interpreter
  • Diorama maker - museums and art galleries
  • Diorama technician
  • Display officer - museums and art galleries
  • Document restoration technician
  • Ecological interpreter
  • Exhibit officer - museum
  • Exhibit preparator
  • Exhibit technician
  • Fossil recovery and reparation technician
  • Frame fitter - museums and art galleries
  • Framer - museum and art gallery
  • Framing technician
  • Head preparator - museums and art galleries
  • Heritage interpreter
  • Historic site interpreter
  • Historical site technician
  • Historical village supervisor
  • Historical village technician
  • History museum interpreter
  • Insectarium interpreter
  • Interpreter, historic site
  • Interpreter, museum
  • Interpretive guide - museum
  • Maker, preparator, models
  • Model maker-preparator
  • Museology technician
  • Museum cataloguer
  • Museum exhibit officer
  • Museum extension officer
  • Museum objects cataloguer
  • Museum objects preparator
  • Museum preparator
  • Museum registrar
  • Museum technician
  • Museum technician - earth's history and paleontology
  • Natural habitat interpreter
  • Nature interpreter
  • Ornithology centre interpreter
  • Paintings restoration technician
  • Park interpreter
  • Picture framer - museum and art gallery
  • Planetarium interpreter
  • Planetarium technician
  • Preparator
  • Railway equipment restoration technician
  • Recording technician - museum
  • Regional museum technician
  • Registrar, museum
  • Restoration technician
  • Road transport equipment restoration technician
  • Taxidermist
  • Taxidermy technician
  • Technical officer - museum
  • Technician, conservation - museums and art galleries
  • Technician, museum
  • Technician, restoration
  • Wilderness interpreter
  • Conservation technician - museums and art galleries
  • Heritage interpreter
  • Museology technician
  • Museum extension officer
  • Museum objects cataloguer
  • Museum registrar
  • Museum technician
  • Picture framer - museum and art gallery
  • Preparator
  • Restoration technician
  • Taxidermist

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • The following is a summary of main duties for some occupations in this unit group:
    • Conservation and restoration technicians assist in the restoration and conservation of artifacts under the direction of a conservator.
    • Curatorial assistants assist in the research, handling and storage of artifacts.
    • Museum interpreters conduct tours of museums, gallery exhibitions and historical, heritage and other sites, answer inquiries and provide information concerning exhibits or sites.
    • Museum extension officers assist with the planning and development of travelling exhibitions and special events.
    • Museology technicians protect and care for cultural artifacts and collections during exhibitions, while in transit and in storage.
    • Museum registrars and cataloguers classify and assign registration numbers to artifacts and supervise inventory control.
    • Preparators construct displays and dioramas, build models, install artifacts in displays and prepare artifacts for storage and shipping.
    • Picture framers fabricate custom frames, measure and cut mats, mat enhancements and glass, and mount paintings, photographs and other art work.
    • Taxidermists prepare and mount skins of birds or animals for preservation, scientific or display purposes.

    Technical museum and gallery workers may specialize in a specific type of collection.

Employment requirements

  • Registrars, cataloguers and interpreters may require a university degree in a field related to museum and gallery work.
  • For other occupations in this unit group, completion of a college program in museum technology or conservation technology or Other technical or on-the-job training programs related to the work are required.

Additional information

  • Museum interpreters may require specific scientific or academic credentials for employment by some museums, nature centres or other sites.

Exclusions

Breakdown summary

Broad occupational category
5 – Occupations in Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport
Skill level
B – Occupations usually require college education or apprenticeship training.
Major group
52 – Technical and Skilled Occupations in Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport
Minor group
521 – Technical Occupations in Libraries, Archives, Museums and Art Galleries
Version
NOC 2006 Version 1.0