Curator and Community Engagement Coordinator

Curator & Community Engagement Coordinator

Richard I. Bong Veterans Museum | Superior, Wisconsin

Preserve our history. Tell the story. Invite the community in!

The Richard I. Bong Veterans Museum seeks a forward-thinking, collaborative Curator & Community Engagement Coordinator who believes a museum should do more than preserve history- it should bring history to life and create meaningful connections with the community it serves.

This position combines professional stewardship of the Center's collections and historical mission with an equally important responsibility to increase community engagement, develop partnerships, support events and programming, develop donor relationships and help the Museum continue to evolve.

The successful candidate will respect the responsibility that comes with preserving and interpreting history while recognizing that preservation and progress are not competing goals. We are looking for a curator who asks, "How can we make this work?"

The Curator & Community Engagement Coordinator will serve as a steward, storyteller, collaborator, and connector. This person will work closely with museum leadership, staff, volunteers, veterans, families, schools, businesses, civic organizations, donors, and community partners to ensure the Center is both historically responsible and actively engaged with the people of Superior, Duluth, and the broader region. Reporting directly to the Executive Director.

Maintain professional standards for the care, documentation, preservation, and interpretation of the Center's collections.

Research and develop exhibits that are historically accurate, compelling, understandable, and relevant to today’s audiences.

Ensure artifacts, archives, and historical materials are appropriately protected while seeking creative ways for visitors to experience and understand them.

Work with veterans, families, historians, donors, and other sources to identify important stories and materials for preservation.

Help expand the museum's storytelling beyond individual artifacts to the people, experiences, sacrifices, and communities behind them.

Proactively build relationships throughout Superior, Duluth, and surrounding communities.

Develop partnerships with schools, colleges, veterans’ organizations, businesses, nonprofits, tourism organizations, civic groups, and community organizations.

Regularly represent the Center outside the museum and develop relationships that can lead to new audiences, programs, donors, sponsor ships, exhibits, and events.

Welcome outside organizations that want to collaborate with the Center and approach partnership opportunities with curiosity and a solutions-oriented mindset.

Collaborate with staff to develop new methods of donor engagement.

Identify opportunities for the Center to participate in community celebrations, educational initiatives, regional events, and collaborative programming.

Work collaboratively with leadership and staff to develop, initiate and carry out strong annual calendar of events and programming.

Support the use of the Center as a gathering place for appropriate community, educational, veteran, cultural, civic, and private events.

Develop creative programs that introduce new audiences to the Center and encourage repeat visitation.

Evaluate proposed programs and events based on mission alignment, safety, preservation requirements, community benefit, and organizational opportunity.

The curator's role is to identify how an event or program can be accomplished responsibly - not to unnecessarily prevent activity or innovation. When legitimate preservation, safety, or historical…