Position Title: Chief Curator 

Position Type: Full-Time 

FLSA Classification: Exempt 

Department: Curatorial 

Reports to: Deputy Director, Curatorial Affairs 

Date Reviewed: 11.19.25  

 About Crystal Bridges & The Momentary:

Crystal Bridges is a museum of American art located in Bentonville, Arkansas. We explore the unfolding story of America by actively collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving outstanding works that illuminate the American heritage and artistic possibilities. Founded by Alice Walton in 2005, the museum opened in 2011 and is a public, non-profit charitable organization with free admission.

The Momentary is a contemporary art space that opened to the public on February 22, 2020, in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas. The Momentary is a venue for the music, art, and food of our time, and a catalyst for creativity and economic vitality. An extension to Crystal Bridges, the Momentary is a ‘living room’ where community gathers to be inspired, connected, and joyful. You belong here: make the most of this moment.

Position Summary:

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art seeks a new Chief Curator to lead its curatorial team into an ambitious new chapter, catalyzed by the museum’s landmark reinstallation and 114,000 square foot expansion opening June 6, 2026. As Crystal Bridges deepens its commitment to expanding storytelling through American art and broadens its national and global impact, the Chief Curator will play a pivotal role in shaping the museum’s curatorial direction, guiding exhibitions, acquisitions, and scholarship that will shape the field. This is a rare opportunity to steward a dynamic curatorial program at an institution with access as its north star. Situated on a 134-acre campus including the Heartland Whole Health Institute, the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, the Ozark Discovery Canopy and art throughout the grounds, Crystal Bridges is part of a multifaceted cultural ecosystem where art, architecture, nature, education and wellness intersect.

The Chief Curator for Crystal Bridges and The Momentary provides strategic vision, leadership and management for the museum’s curatorial team. With a collection spanning five centuries of American art plus extensive engagement with contemporary art and artists, Crystal Bridges seeks a Chief Curator who is a specialist in contemporary art. Reporting to the Deputy Director, Curatorial Affairs, the Chief Curator plays an essential role in advancing the institution's curatorial program, driving innovation in curatorial work and with artists, and contributing to the implementation of a distinguished art collection, exhibition and installation program. The Chief Curator is responsible for advancing curatorial activities, including artist initiatives, collection development and care, exhibitions, installations, outdoor sculpture, publications, and strategic partnerships.

The Chief Curator contributes to cultivation of gifts of art, and advances efforts to achieve recognition for curatorial excellence, advocating for the institution's mission broadly. When appropriate, the Chief Curator will curate exhibitions to contribute to the museum’s program and the field at large. Direct reports include the Curator of Contemporary Art, Windgate Curator of Craft, Curator of Indigenous Art and NAGPRA Officer, Curator of Artists-in-Residence and Performance, Consulting Curator of Architecture, Assistant Curator of American Art, Assistant Curator of Modern Art, Head of Exhibition Design, and Curatorial Coordinator. This position requires a seasoned curatorial leader with significant art museum experience leading, managing and mentoring teams, a successful track record in curatorial scholarship and innovation, and a demonstrated commitment to creating a distinctive and differentiated museum experience in a dynamic cultural environment.

Principal Responsibilities:

Leadership 

• Lead, manage and supervise the museum’s curators and guest curators in the fields of historical, modern and contemporary American art, including craft, Indigenous art, performance, and architecture. 
• Lead and supervise the Head of Exhibition Design, fostering creative and collaborative concepting, planning and design, and execution of exhibition and installation design for the museum’s collection and exhibition program. Ensure that design processes and implementation are aligned with museum-wide goals and objectives for the collection and exhibition program.  
• In partnership with the Deputy Director, Curatorial Affairs, lead the collection development process through strategic review of collection assessments, acquisitions, commissions and gifts developed by the curatorial team for the museum’s Art Committee. Serve as ex-officio member of the Crystal Bridges Art Committee. 
• Serve on the Museum’s Executive Council to align curatorial objectives with the museum’s strategic plan.

Content and Program 

• Lead the curatorial team through exhibition research and development and exhibition implementation, from sourcing and evaluation to creative ideation and oversight of exhibition projects.  
• Guide implementation of content generated by curatorial, interpretation, and external contributors through review of exhibition and collection texts and materials to ensure excellence, alignment with mission, vision, and voice as well as accessibility and relevance to the broadest audiences. 
• Collaboratively guide and evaluate the identification, implementation and monitoring of standards of care for museum collection, loans, and borrowed art works. Routinely assess art in storage to identify collection activation opportunities. 
• When appropriate, curate exhibitions, conduct research, write exhibition texts and articles to contribute to the museum’s program and the field at large. 
• When appropriate, engage in professional development, attend conferences, and contribute to scholarly publications.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships 

• Collaborate closely with leadership in Library and Archives, Learning and Engagement and Brand Experience and Activation as well as with leaders in Development, Operations and Data Strategy to advance curatorial collaborations and collective endeavors, especially Tyson Scholars of American Art, Artists-in-Residence programs, and Fisk University  
• Lead the partnership with the University of Arkansas School of Art, partnering with the Director of the School of Art to advance the strategic relationship and parameters of Alice Walton’s foundational gift.  
• Contribute to budget development and oversee management of approved curatorial budgets and allocation of resources for department.  
• Contribute to strategic planning, impact and fundraising efforts through donor cultivation, prospect identification, and grant writing to support revenue generation for the institution. 
• Model and promote arts integration and multidisciplinary engagement with peer professionals across the Crystal Bridges campus, including the Heartland Whole Health Institute, Alice L Walton School of Medicine, and especially Art Bridges Foundation. 

Qualifications and Skills:

Education, Training, and Traits: 

• Masters degree in art history or related field 
• Expert in contemporary American art; experience with historical and modern American art and architecture, including craft and Indigenous art, a significant plus
• Applied knowledge of professional museum principles, practices and procedures. 
• Knowledge of research tools and methodology 
• Mission-driven 
• Results-driven 
• Very flexible and adaptable; evening and weekend hours often required

Work Experience: 

• Minimum of 3 years of demonstrated experience managing staff, projects and budgets.  
• Minimum of 5 years curatorial experience, with a proven track record of curatorial achievement in exhibitions, installations, and scholarship 

Licenses and Certifications: 

• Valid driver’s license  
• Valid passport

Skills and Abilities: 

• Demonstrated empathetic leadership and commitment to a culture of collaboration, trust, and respect  
• Demonstrated organizational planning, problem-solving and collaboration skills, including understanding and use of cultural competencies 
• Demonstrated experience with acquisitions, commissions, and collection development 
• Demonstrated experience organizing exhibitions and installations 
• Demonstrated experience working with artists 
• Self-directed, able to work independently and effectively 
• Able to maintain highest levels of confidentiality and discretion including ability to understand and maintain highest ethical standards related to organizational responsibilities and public accountability 
• Able to create and successfully manage an annual budget  
• Able to interpret the American art and architecture in a manner that is relevant and inspiring to broad audiences 
• Highly-developed public speaking and communications skills  
• Excellent writing and editorial abilities 
• Able to perform scholarly research in the field 
• Proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office, project management software (such as Asana); AI tools (such as CoPilot); additional software knowledge such as collection databases (such as TMS), Workday and similar tools a plus 

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical demands: The position requires verbal and written conversation with others. Vision abilities required by the job include close vision and color perception.
• Work Environment: Work will be performed in an office environment, museum spaces, and in communities served. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. Position requires some independent overnight travel for research, professional meetings, couriering art works to venues nationally and internationally and other travel as necessary to fulfill responsibilities of the position.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States.

Crystal Bridges is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.