The Rijksmuseum connects people, art and history. Across 80 galleries, institution tells the story of the Netherlands in a global context, drawing on a collection of more than one million objects. As Curator of Costume, you will be responsible for the museum’s costume and accessories collection.
Research and Presentations
The collection is particularly strong in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century objects. The holdings relating to the twentieth and twenty-first centuries are in development.
As Curator, you will have a clear vision of the significance and future of the costume collection, both within the context of the Rijksmuseum and in a broader national and international museum perspective. You will help shape its identity and profile.
You will play a key role in conducting research into the collection, proposing acquisitions, and contributing to exhibitions and collection displays.
Key Responsibilities
As Curator of Costume you serve as the ambassador for the costume collection, both within the Rijksmuseum and beyond. You are able to accurately situate objects within their specific art-historical context and share your knowledge enthusiastically with specialist colleagues and general audiences alike.
- You will steward the costume and accessories collection, overseeing its registration, documentation, access and preservation, in close collaboration with the Object Conservation team and the storage team at the Collection Centre Netherlands (CC NL).
- In close collaboration with the Object Conservation team and researchers within the Conservation & Science department, you will develop research projects and contribute to the development of a sustainable conservation strategy.
- You will undertake scholarly research into the collection and disseminate your findings through publications, lectures and presentations, thereby contributing to the educational, art-historical and societal significance of the costume collection.
- You will initiate and prepare rotating displays of the collection in close collaboration with the textile conservators and the Curators of Textiles and Jewelry.
- You will contribute to and represent the Department of Decorative Arts in museum-wide initiatives, including the reinterpretation of the permanent collection display, the Women of the Rijksmuseum working group, and collaborate with departments such as Public & Education, Development, and Communications & Marketing.
- You will maintain an international network across museum and academic communities. You will cultivate relationships with collectors and stay informed about developments in the art market, enabling you to propose acquisitions for the collection.
Application deadline: 23rd August.