Museum Manager & Curator

Location: Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

Employment Type: Contract, up to 35 hours per week

Reports To: Historical Society Vice President / Board of Directors

 

The Pleasant Prairie History Museum is a small, local history museum dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. Operated by the Pleasant Prairie Historical Society, it’s located in the restored 1927 Dublin School and features 1,700 square feet of exhibit space, over 1,400 artifacts, and 30+ linear feet of archival materials. The Historical Society also hosts up to eight events annually.

 

The Pleasant Prairie Historical Society seeks a dynamic, self-motivated, and detail-oriented Museum Manager & Curator to oversee a wide range of responsibilities central to the preservation, presentation, and promotion of our collections and programs. This multifaceted role involves exhibit development, collections care, public engagement, volunteer coordination, communications, fundraising, and administrative leadership.

 

•     Design, develop, and install at least one museum exhibit annually, from concept through execution.

•     Create interpretive materials and engaging content for diverse audiences.

•     Lead guided tours and field trips and provide research assistance to visitors and scholars.

•     Manage the care, documentation, and organization of museum collections and archival materials.

•     Ensure proper storage, conservation, and cataloging practices are followed.

•     Maintain collection management database PastPerfect and accession records.

•     Coordinate and support volunteers and interns, providing training and supervision.

•     Plan and execute events and fundraisers, including designing promotional materials and signage.

•     Manage museum facility rentals, including scheduling, client communication, setup, and cleanup.

•     Develop and distribute the bi-annual newsletter, including writing and layout.

•     Manage the museum's website and social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram), maintaining up-to-date and engaging content.

•     Coordinate the membership program, including renewals, outreach, and benefits.

•     Track and process donations, maintaining accurate donor records in PastPerfect.

•     Seek and apply for grants and other funding opportunities.

•     Implement museum policies and procedures in line with best practices and institutional goals.

•     Collaborate with board members, staff, and community partners to advance the museum’s mission.

•     Work with Board Vice President to prepare agenda packets for breakfast meetings.

•     Ensure exhibit areas and public spaces are clean, orderly, and presentable at all times.

•     Perform light maintenance tasks such as taking out the trash, refilling toilet paper and paper towels, and tidying common areas as needed.

•     Coordinate with a designated volunteer responsible for deep cleaning tasks, including bathrooms.

•     Assist with setup, takedown, and cleanup for events and rentals to maintain a welcoming and professional environment.

•     This position offers flexible scheduling outside of public-facing hours to accommodate a variety of tasks and responsibilities.

•     The Curator is expected to be present at the museum during open hours—Wednesday to Friday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Saturday from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM—unless a trained volunteer is scheduled to cover the front desk and visitor needs during those times.

•     The Curator’s other working hours when museum is closed to the public are flexible e.g. 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM Monday to Friday.

•     The Curator is expected to attend 7:00 AM breakfast meetings with Society Board – about 7-8 per year.

•     Some evening and weekend hours may be required for events, programs, rentals, or special projects.

•     The position may occasionally involve physical tasks such as lifting exhibit materials, moving furniture, event setup or light cleaning, and should be considered hands-on and active.

 

•     Bachelor’s degree in Museum Studies, History, Public History, or related field.

•     1-3 years of experience minimum in a museum, historical society, or similar setting.

•     Demonstrated skills in exhibit development, collections management, and public engagement.

•     Strong writing, design, and communication skills, including experience with design/layout software (e.g., Illustrator, Canva).

•     Proficiency with or ability to learn Microsoft 365, Google Workspace (including Google Sites), Adobe Creative Cloud, and PastPerfect Museum Software.

•     Proficiency with social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram), website content management (Google Sites), and donor management tools.

•     Grant writing and fundraising experience a strong plus.

•     Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines independently.

•     Collaborative, flexible, and mission-driven.

 

Benefits: Paid Vacation Time & Holidays, Annual WHS Local History & Historic Preservation Conference Travel, Flexible Schedule.