Assistant Registrar Collections

Assistant Registrar for Permanent Collections

Reports to:

Registrar for Permanent Collections

Salary Range: $45,000 – $55,000

The Assistant Registrar provides support to the Registration and Collections staff to ensure proper care, maintenance, preservation, and documentation of works of art under the care of the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.

The Assistant Registrar manages a broad range of registration functions including maintaining records in the museum’s collections management database, (KE-EMu), as well as be involved in all aspects of the handling, documentation, and physical care of the permanent collection including acquisitions, deaccessions, exhibitions, and loans to the Museum.

The Assistant Registrar must be able to exercise discretion and judgment in actively managing both the Museum’s collection and works of art owned by other institutions or individuals that are part of temporary exhibitions or otherwise on loan to the Museum. The Assistant Registrar must possess knowledge of museum registration standards and procedures as well as possess art handling skills and knowledge of art packing procedures.

• Support the Director of Registration and the Registrar for Permanent Collections with the primary oversight and care for the permanent collection of the Museum.
• Support the KE-Emu (or equivalent) collections management database by maintaining the database’s integrity and function, including, when necessary, troubleshooting database problems, and resolve database issues.
• Maintain and update in-house data standards documentation and user’s manual related to Assistant Registrar’s job-related functions; work with Museum staff to maintain data quality input into the database.
• Follow American Alliance of Museums (AAM) guidelines and Museum Policy to determine and implement best practices and ethics for Museum Registration.

• Process and negotiate incoming loan agreements for the art galleries in coordination with Curatorial and Registration.
• Prepare and execute related Registration paperwork such as temporary receipts, outgoing memorandums, re-entry memorandums, loan agreements, and insurance, for entering and exiting works of art.
• Coordinate packing, shipping, and process entering and exiting works of art for incoming loans. Produce condition reports and ensure that art is tagged, measured, digitally photographed, and properly stored.
• Close out hard-copy and digital loan files upon completion of the loan.
• Receive and release works of art.

• Coordinate and book fine art shippers within budget.
• Maintain finance records in purchase ordering system and registration ledger.
• Accompany works of art as a courier domestically, internationally, and with traveling exhibitions.
• Assist the Registration and Collections department with the movement, installation, and deinstallation of works of art and exhibitions, including shipping, unpacking, and packing.

• Assist with addressing requests from the Museum’s collections inquiry mailbox, from the public, information desk, and other staff while utilizing appropriate resources.
• Perform as a staff liaison and be able to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, customers, and the public.
• Prepare, process, update, maintain, and distribute departmental records, budgets, reports, schedules, inter-departmental forms, and memorandums. Compose and type routine correspondence.
• Collaborate with the Registration and Collections Support staff to produce and maintain the weekly Registration Department Schedule.
• Provide department-related support as needed.
• Be available to work limited hours outside of normal museum hours for after-hours emergencies and/or artwork shipments.
• Other duties may be assigned. To perform the job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the…