• Job Description

  Req#: REGIS001307

  THE OPPORTUNITY

  Are you an experienced museum professional with a passion for exhibitions, meticulous planning, and project management? We’re thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity for a Registrar to join our team!

  This is an opportunity to be part of an organization that relies on creativity, collaboration, inclusion, and teamwork. You’ll be surrounded by a talented, diverse, and dedicated group of colleagues who share a deep commitment to excellence in museum practice. We’re seeking someone with demonstrated experience who will play a key role in the planning and execution of exhibitions and installations. The ideal candidate has strong project management skills and a strategic approach to planning and building timelines. You should be comfortable managing highly complex logistics, working independently while also collaborating closely with internal teams and external partners.

  You’ll be responsible for a wide range of professional registration duties—from object handling and tracking to installation planning and budget management. The Registrar will work closely with the installation team, vendors, artists, and contractors.

  If you're ready to bring your expertise and energy to a forward-thinking institution, we’d love to hear from you!

  Located in the heart of San Francisco, the Asian Art Museum is home to one of the world’s finest collections of Asian art, boasting more than 20,000 inspiring artworks ranging from ancient jades and ceramics to contemporary video installations. Dynamic special exhibitions, cultural celebrations, and public programs for all ages provide rich art experiences that unlock the past and spark questions about the future.

  ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

  • Oversees and coordinates registration functions for exhibitions and coordination of the schedule for the installation team and couriers; generates and/or reviews a variety of documents including loan agreements and condition report forms; assists with Federal Indemnity, CITES and Immunity for Judicial Seizure applications, assists with exhibition contracts, updates and provides facility reports, certificates of insurance, and invoices; arranges logistics for exhibitions including coordination of packers, international and domestic shippers, freight forwarders and customs brokers. Acts as courier when necessary.
  • Manages registration details for traveling exhibitions organized by the museum, including developing budgets; administers proper processing/coding for expenses and revenues (loan fees, pro-rated shipping costs, etc.); prepares checklists and any special instructions or display requirements; ensures that artworks are properly prepared for display and installation; organizes packing, crating, shipping, and courier travel; reviews and assists with development of contracts and monitors adherence to contract terms. The Registrar oversees incoming loans and selected gallery rotations; coordinates with curators, conservators, preparators, security and notifies other departments about changes in the galleries; creates object lists in the TMS collections database; generates manual files for each rotation; updates locations for objects and label information in database as needed and arranges logistics for loans and new acquisitions as needed.
  • Provides support and assists with ongoing registration and collections management duties, thematic exhibitions, new accessions, object numbering, out-going and in-coming loan logistics and coordinates conservation and preparation needs and other registration duties as assigned; provides cross-training of departmental staff as needed.

  MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s degree in Art, Art History, Museum Studies, Arts Administration or closely related field from an accredited college or university. Graduate level studies in one of these areas is strongly preferred.
  • A minimum of Seven (7) or more years of museum registration experience, or an equivalent combination of academic training and experience including managing exhibitions.
  • Solid knowledge of current registration practices and principles.
  • Previous experience working on large international loan exhibitions. Experience working with contemporary art and new media desirable.
  • Excellent computer skills including experience with relational database management programs for museum collections; experience using The Museum System (TMS) is highly preferred.
  • Knowledge of art handling techniques and preventive conservation methods; ability to handle delicate and valuable works of art with extreme care.
  • Ability to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with museum staff, visitors, volunteers, donors, couriers and representatives from other museums.
  • Works well under pressure and with conflicting demands; ability to work on several projects simultaneously and coordinate multiple departments’ and individuals’ schedules.
  • Extremely accurate and detail oriented.
  • Strong interpersonal, planning and organizational skills; excellent written and oral communication skills; effective problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
  • Most work is done in normal office environment, however physical mobility and manual dexterity/agility is required to work with art objects throughout museum galleries and in art storage area as required. Lifting and handling of art objects often in constrained areas.
  • Ability to lift up to 30 pounds. Occasionally required to operate a pallet jack and ensure the safe transport of heavy crated works of art.
  • Involves some travel: locally, off-site storage, other museums and the airport for art pick-up and delivery; act as a courier for domestic and foreign travel of loans and exhibitions as necessary.

  COMPENSATION

  The Asian Art Museum is committed to practicing salary transparency. The hourly range for this position is $37.6144 - 45.1759/hr. This FLSA exempt opportunity includes a generous benefits package, including but not limited to:

  • Fully covered medical, dental and vision insurance for employee
  • 12 paid holidays (2025)
  • 15 days of vacation
  • 12 days of sick leave
  • Group retirement plan starting after one year of employment

  This position is represented by Local 1021, Service Employees International Union.

  New hires typically start at the beginning of the wage range.

  OUR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION COMMITMENTS

  At the Asian Art Museum, we are dedicated to ideating, building, and holding ourselves accountable for Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion in everything we do. We strive to foster a culture of respect, belonging and inclusivity for all employees.
  Our mission is to celebrate, preserve, and promote Asian and Asian American art and cultures for local and global audiences. We provide a dynamic forum for exchanging ideas, inviting collaboration, and fueling imagination to deepen understanding and empathy among people of all backgrounds.

  Diversity of thought and experience is essential to our mission, and we are committed to recruiting, hiring, and retaining a diverse workforce. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

  WHAT'S NEXT?

  Apply online at https://about.asianart.org/careers/. Ensuring a smooth and enjoyable candidate experience is critical for us. Application materials will be screened in relation to the criteria described. Candidates deemed to be the most highly qualified will be invited to participate in the interview process. Our interview process tends to take about 4 weeks to complete but may fluctuate depending on the role. Appointment is subject to completion of a thorough background check process.

  The Asian Art Museum is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories (arrest and criminal histories) consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law.

  Equal Opportunity Employer
  This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

• About the company

  The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco – Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture houses one of the most comprehensive Asian art collections in the world, with more than 18,000 works of art in its permanent collection, some as much as 6,000 years...

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