The Fitzwilliam Museum is the principal museum of the University of Cambridge and the largest cultural venue in the region, welcoming around 500,000 visitors a year, it acts as a bridge between the University, the City and the rest of the world, with a vision to ‘open up the past to transform our future’. Founded in 1816, the Museum houses over half a million works of art and material culture spanning from 10,000BCE to the present day, principally from Europe, North Africa and Asia. This includes sculpture, ceramics and decorative arts, paintings, drawings, prints, illuminated manuscripts, money, literary and musical autographs and the archives of artists and others. The Museum contributes to the University’s mission in delivering research and teaching grounded in and inspired by the collection, using curatorial, conservation, science and practice-based methodologies.

The museum holds significant Italian paintings of the thirteenth to eighteenth centuries, eighteenth to early 20th century French and British paintings, Flemish and Dutch paintings of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and an internationally renowned collection of Italian, French and British drawings and watercolors.

The Senior Curator: Historic & Modern Paintings will be the Museum’s curatorial and research lead around those collections. You will shape and deliver collections-based research, displays, public programming and curatorial work on these collections to support the Museum’s Vision and Mission, the Research & Impact Strategy and the Business Plan. The museum particularly encourage approaches that consider the present-day and global relevance of these collections, and how communities connect with these objects and artworks. You will be encouraged to work collaboratively within the Fitzwilliam Museum and across the University of Cambridge.

The post-holder will be knowledgeable about, and have experience of working with Historic & Modern Paintings, have experience of exhibitions/displays, and be committed to developing new collection perspectives, including researching, teaching, exhibiting and publishing the work of diverse and underrecognized artists or cultures.

This is a University Academic appointment, entitled to apply for Quasi Sabbatical Leave (that is equivalent to Sabbatical Leave) after being in post for three years, with entitlement of one term in every six, which can be accrued. The role holder, after one year in post, will be eligible for the University’s Academic Career Pathways promotion scheme

In return the Fitzwilliam Museum offers an encouraging and supportive environment within the Museum, Faculty and the wider University, generous holiday allowance, an attractive pension scheme and many employee benefits.

The closing date for applications is 1 June 2025. Applications can be send through the Fitzwilliam Museum’s website.