Art handler

Art handlers work in coordination with registrars, collection managers, conservator-restorers, exhibition designers, and curators, among others, to ensure that objects are safely handled and cared for.

For works traveling out of a gallery or museum, art handlers must carefully pack objects in crates with appropriate materials to protect them from damage while in transit.

As a functioning part of the collection management and exhibitions team, art handlers and preparators can sometimes be responsible for photographing objects and writing condition reports.

It is useful for art handlers to be spatially oriented, good at math, and possess problem solving skills.

Specialized knowledge of chemistry can be helpful to understanding potential chemical interactions between objects and packing or storage materials.

While most art handlers gain professional experience on the job, some institutions are beginning to offer training programs.

The webpage features a listserv, forums, and articles to connect object oriented museum professionals and share resources.

Some art handlers wish to be represented by unions in order to negotiate terms and advocate for better wages and better working conditions.

Following the lockout, the unionized art handlers were given a one percent raise per year, a higher starting hourly salary, and the same worker's benefits they previously had.