Exhibitions Manager

Career Guide

An Exhibitions Manager plans and delivers exhibitions from concept to opening day and through to closing. The role combines project management, budgeting, stakeholder coordination, and visitor experience to ensure exhibitions are engaging, on time, and within budget.

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Key Responsibilities

Build exhibition plans, schedules, and budgets
Coordinate exhibition design, production, and installation
Manage contracts and vendor relationships
Work with curators, educators, and marketing teams to align on goals
Oversee logistics for shipping, handling, and storage of objects
Ensure gallery readiness, including lighting, signage, and accessibility
Support risk management, security planning, and insurance coordination
Lead on-site installation teams and daily issue resolution
Track progress and report status to leadership and partners
Manage deinstallation and post-project evaluation

Top Skills for Success

Project Management

Budget Management

Schedule Planning

Stakeholder Management

Vendor Management

Contract Negotiation

Risk Management

Team Leadership

Written Communication

Installation Planning

Object Handling

Shipping Coordination

Exhibition Production

Gallery Operations

Interpretive Planning

Accessibility Standards

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Senior Exhibitions Manager

Head of Exhibitions

Director of Exhibitions

Operations Manager

Project Director

Transition Opportunities

Museum Operations

Public Programs Management

Production Management

Experience Design

Arts Administration

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Budget ForecastingContract ReviewTimeline Risk PlanningStakeholder CommunicationVendor SourcingAccessibility PlanningEvaluation Methods

Development SuggestionsBuild experience by leading a small exhibition or a gallery refresh, then document outcomes in a simple portfolio. Strengthen fundamentals with a project management course, practice budget tracking on real projects, and shadow installation and art handling teams to understand on-site realities.

Market Intelligence Report

Exhibitions Manager is part of the Project Management category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 45,000 to 60,000

Mid LevelUSD 60,000 to 85,000

Senior LevelUSD 85,000 to 120,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand. Hiring rises with new museum expansions, touring exhibitions, and experiential cultural events. Competition can be high in major cities and top institutions.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Smithsonian InstitutionThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtMuseum of Modern ArtAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryTateVictoria and Albert Museum

Industry Sectors

MuseumsArt galleriesScience centersHistory and cultural institutionsTouring exhibition companiesEvent and experience production firmsUniversities and campus museumsCorporate cultural venues

Recommended Next Steps

Create a portfolio with two to four exhibition case studies focused on timeline, budget, and outcomes

Update your resume to highlight delivered projects, budgets managed, and vendors coordinated

Learn a project planning tool and use it to build a sample exhibition schedule

Practice writing a vendor brief and a request for proposal outline

Network with registrars, designers, and fabricators to understand hiring needs

Volunteer or contract on installs to build hands-on installation experience

Prepare a set of interview stories focused on problem solving, risk handling, and stakeholder alignment