How to get into museum conservation

There's fierce competition for museum conservation jobs. As well as the right qualifications, you'll also need to demonstrate a passion for preserving the past, so collections can continue to educate and inspire future generations

At the heart of all conservators lies the desire to preserve historical objects, artefacts and cultural spaces.

Many work within museums and heritage sites and they play a vital role in educating the public by using their training and knowledge to give valuable collections a new lease of life.

We spoke to conservation experts for their advice on how to break into this competitive profession.

Why choose a career in conservation?

'I can think of lots of reasons,' says Arianna Bernucci, senior conservator at the Natural History Museum. 'It's very exciting and interesting. I love my job because it's a great mix of science and art - one minute I am making fake fur for a horseshoe bat and the next minute carrying out SEM analysis to see which cleaning technique is most effective for a wasp nest.'

The sheer variety of work makes conservation an attractive prospect. You could be the first person to touch a shoe last worn by a Roman soldier, stand on the decks of a 17th century warship or handle the wardrobe of past monarchs. If these possibilities excite you then you should consider conservation as a career.

'In professional conservation practice no two days are the same and you get the opportunity to work with some extraordinary collections,' agrees Jean Brown, programme leader of the MA Preventive Conservation at the University of Northumbria. 'It’s a real privilege and a source of huge personal satisfaction to know that you are making a real difference to their care in storage, display and transit and ensuring they can be enjoyed by current, as well as many future generations.'

The role of conservators shouldn't be down played. They are a vital part of the heritage industry - they alone have the knowledge and skills to research, handle, investigate, clean and care for artefacts. Without these skills, valuable cultural collections are put at risk.

If your aspirations include wealth and power, museum conservation probably isn't the job for you, but if you want a fulfilling career working with interesting and unusual objects then job satisfaction is guaranteed.

And job satisfaction isn't the only draw. As museums and heritage institutions rely heavily on the work of conservation professionals they continue to find employment despite funding cuts to the sector.

What conservation qualifications are required?

The majority of conservators have a degree. This can be directly in conservation, such as the BA Conservation and Cultural Heritage programme at the University of Lincoln or in a related field such as archaeology, museum studies, history, fine art, chemistry or materials science.

However, if you didn't study conservation in your first degree you might need a postgraduate degree in the subject, depending on the career you have in mind. Jean explains that while a postgraduate course isn't always necessary 'it does open up more job opportunities, especially outside the UK where a Masters is often a prerequisite for employment.' To get onto most conservation Masters you'll need a 2:1 as well as an A-level science qualification (preferably in chemistry).

There are plenty of conservation Masters to choose from - for example, the two year, part-time distance learning MA Preventive Conservation at Northumbria University Newcastle. The programme immerses you in the world of preventive conservation and collections care, allowing you to complete a work placement in your second year. As a minimum you’ll need a 2:2 degree in a relevant subject for entry. Fees in 2024/25 cost £9,250.

'Discussion boards and online meetings are provided for students to share their knowledge and experience with each other, which enriches the programme and provides it with real global scope i.e. a student in Alaska might be challenged by earth tremors and seismic activity while one based in South East Asia might have challenges with termites and humidity,' explains Jean.

Another option is the MSc Conservation for Archaeology and Museums at University College London (UCL). This two year programme consists of one year's training within the Institute of Archaeology, followed by a ten month, assessed conservation work placement at a museum. Compulsory modules include Conservation processes, Conservation studies and Conservation: materials science. Tuition fees in 2024/25 are set at £15,100 for UK students.

Other relevant Masters are offered by:

• Cardiff University
• Oxford Brookes University
• University of Bath
• University of Lincoln

Search for postgraduate courses in conservation.

In terms of professional conservation qualifications, The Institute of Conservation (Icon) provides professional recognition for those looking to become an Accredited Conservator-Restorer (ACR).

This lets employers, clients and peers know that a conservator has demonstrated a high degree of competence, sound judgement and in-depth knowledge in their field.

What skills do I need to become a conservator?

To work in conservation you’ll need an in-depth academic knowledge of the following subjects:

• anthropology
• archaeology
• art history
• arts
• crafts
• materials science.

To become a conservator, this knowledge needs to be combined with a variety of practical abilities. Working with your hands will be a daily feature of the job so look to develop your craftsmanship skills through activities such as needlework, wood carving and metalwork.

Conservators also need good practical skills to handle and treat fragile and delicate materials, good colour matching skills to fill and colour losses and great innovation to discover new ways of mounting and displaying collections in exciting and creative ways.

Soft skills such as good communication, attention to detail and excellent hand-eye coordination are essential. A positive attitude is also a plus. The best conservators are smart, dexterous problem solvers. 'It is becoming increasingly apparent during the interview stage that it is soft skills that will secure the job,' says Jean. 'It is at interview that the panel will decide whether the prospective employee will fit into their organisation and team. You'll need to understand soft skills and how they can contribute to teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, leadership etc.'

Are museum conservation internships available?

Securing a relevant museum internship, work experience or volunteering placement would be beneficial to your conservation career. Not only will these experiences help to further your skills, they'll also help when applying for postgraduate courses and jobs.

Application processes for postgraduate programmes are competitive and at large, well known museums and heritage sites jobs are hard to secure. Having already gained work experience with museums and heritage institutions can go a long way to impressing course leaders and employers.

‘A good place to start is getting experience working with museums and collections management,’ says Arianna. ‘I started out as a field archaeologist. Before this I volunteered in several museums and cultural heritage institutions.’

• The V&A offers workplace studentships for emerging conservators engaged in a conservation training programme. Students work alongside conservators on V&A collections and contribute directly to the preparation of items for exhibitions.
• Royal Museums Greenwich provide conservation internships and placements for students. You'll get to experience a national museums distinct culture and will be guided throughout your internship by experts in the conservation department.
• The Natural History Museum offers one to three month internships in their archive, marketing or media departments.
• Icon provides a structured internship programme offering emerging professionals the opportunity to develop their careers, engage with professional networks and learn practical knowledge from experienced conservation professionals.

Any heritage work experience will be useful so don't just limit yourself to museums in particular. For example you could volunteer at a country house or archive.

'Sometimes private conservation studios take interns or apprentices so it's worth getting in touch to ask,' adds Arianna. 

Explore work experience and internships in general.

What museum conservation jobs can I do?

There are a number of career options for conservation graduates. 'Museums, private conservation, teaching or conservation science,' explains Arianna. 'It's not an easy profession to get into as jobs can be rare.' Visit museum websites and read conservation blogs to get an idea of the area of conservation you'd like to work in.

As well as working in national and regional museums other typical employers include historic houses, galleries and conservation agencies. You can also move into academia and work in a university.

Graduates of the MA at Northumbria have gone on to work for the National Trust, TATE, Tyne & Wear Museums, New Brunswick Museum, Heritage Conservation Centre Singapore, National Gallery Victoria Australia and National Archives Norway.

You could also get involved in furniture conservation/restoration, bench conservation, working with objects or in preventive conservation/collection care work.

Career development is somewhat limited but still possible with the right amount of knowledge and experience. As careers progress, conservators may take on broader management or project management roles or even set up their own private conservation practices.

Larger museums, such as the V&A, have conservation departments and some graduates climb the ladder to lead these groups, but competition for posts is tough.

However, the majority of conservators prefer to stick to their roots in practical conservation, rather than move into senior heritage management, as increased responsibility often results in a decrease in practical work. Many develop their career as freelancers in the private sector, joining an existing practice or building their own.

Find out more

• Explore the full range of museum jobs.
• Discover what to do with a degree in archaeology, history or history of art.