Job Description:

Position Title: Outdoor Art Technician

Position Type: Full-Time

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Department: Curatorial & Art Management

Reports to: Head of Art Preparation and Collection Care

Date Reviewed: 12/21/2025

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:

Reporting to the Head of Art Preparation and Collection Care, this role is broadly responsible for the implementation of initiatives focused on installation and care for outdoor sculpture on the grounds of Crystal Bridges and AWE ecosystem properties. The Outdoor Art Technician will represent the Art Preparation and Collection Care team on a committee including Registration, Trails and Grounds, Construction and Curatorial specifically tasked with acquisition, installation, routine care, conservation and relocation of outdoor sculpture. With an emphasis on improved stewardship of the Museum’s outdoor sculpture collection, the Outdoor Art Technician will develop and execute long-term plans for maintenance and preventative care for objects in bronze, steel, enameled and powdercoated surfaces, fiberglass, glass, aluminum and concrete. The Outdoor Art Technician will also assist as needed with general art handling responsibilities, such as accessing works in storage vaults, loading and unloading fine art trucks, transportation, installation, deinstallation, and related tasks for artwork in special exhibitions and the permanent galleries, both inside the museum and on the museum grounds.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Contributes to pre-acquisition reviews of outdoor sculpture, highlighting logistical and budgetary needs regarding installation and maintenance
• Coordinates all aspects of installation in collaboration with Trails & Grounds, Registration, Curatorial and other department representatives. This includes managing a budget for footings, risers or other artwork interfaces, contracted service providers and equipment rentals, as well as drafting service provider agreements for contracted service providers.
• Manages the unloading of incoming outdoor artwork at museum campus, ecosystem properties, offsite storage, etc. Advance coordination of staging or laydown spaces and use of contracted service providers for oversized unloading may be required.
• Documents installation specifications, installation/handling notes, maintenance and conservation treatments in digital and physical files, including up to date schedule and budget information for known preventative maintenance needs
• Develops budget proposals for annual maintenance and specific conservation needs
• Trains and supervises peers and other staff for special projects related to the installation or care and maintenance of outdoor artwork
• Creates staffing plans for weekly, monthly and annual artwork maintenance needs
• Oversees a thorough digital log of outdoor art maintenance activity
• Coordinates ongoing access and infrastructure needs such as lighting, drainage, water, power or vehicle access with Trails & Grounds and Construction departments and proposes updates to infrastructure as needed in response to changes in maintenance or conservation methodology
• Coordinates assessments and treatments by contracted conservators or technicians both onsite at Crystal Bridges and remotely at the location of borrowers, lenders or dealer
• Provides oversight of any contracted work onsite at Crystal Bridges or other ecosystem sites, ensuring compliance with OSHA safety guidelines as well as Crystal Bridges operating procedures
• Designs mounting for outdoor artworks, including subgrade structures, in conjunction with contracted structural engineers. Render mountings in 3D modeling software like CAD or SketchUp to facilitate clear understandings of dimensioned structures across the team
• Coordinates crating and storage for outdoor artwork with contracted Fine Art Services providers and ecosystem staff

Additional Responsibilities:

• Designs and constructs packing solutions, display accessories, and related items as needed for artwork, objects, and artifacts.
• Proficient with all aspects of installation and rotations in permanent gallery spaces, temporary gallery spaces, and outdoor sculpture trails.
• Proficient in gallery lighting according to conservation standards for various media.
• Assists in the packing and unpacking of collection objects and loans.
• Handles loading and unloading of art trucks in a timely and efficient manner.
• Acts as courier for collection loans to oversee unpacking and installation.
• Assists with the care and cleanliness of all casework and platforms throughout the museum facility on a regular basis.
• Helps to maintain an organized, clean, and functional working prep space.

Qualifications and Skills:

Education, Training, and Traits:

• Experience managing artwork installation projects and details such as budgeting, scheduling and staffing
• Knowledge of materials and techniques employed in artwork rigging and experience strapping and lifting outdoor sculpture
• Knowledge of archival materials for display, transportation, and storage of various types of artworks
• Proficiency in operating equipment such as reachforks, forklifts and gantries for handling crated and uncrated artwork
• Proficiency with basic hand tools, power tools basic carpentry techniques.
• Knowledge of safe museum practices and skilled in handling various mediums of art
• Aesthetic sensibility and strong sense of design.
• Knowledge of art and art history.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Superior problem-solving ability.
• Excellent time-management, planning, and teamwork skills.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• Self-motivated, goal oriented, and able to manage project load.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Work Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of museum, gallery, or installation experience.
• Minimum 3 years of experience installing and caring for outdoor artwork.

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: In the work environment described below, position requires verbal and written conversation with others, sitting, standing, walking, bending, climbing, reaching, strenuous lifting/moving objects up to 50 pounds, and use of hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. Position requires use of hands to safely handle and move collection objects according to the most current approved museum standards. Position periodically requires standing for prolonged periods of time. Vision abilities required by the job include close vision. Must be comfortable working on ladders and lifts up to 35’.
• Work Environment: More than half of work may be performed in an office, museum gallery or storage environment, but outdoor work either performed or overseen is carried out year-round as dictated by schedule. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. Work requires periodic transport of packed art works and exhibition furniture and equipment to and from local off-site storage facilities. Work requires periodic installation of outdoor sculpture on the Museum’s 120-acre campus, including preventative care, maintenance, and repair. Position may require some independent overnight travel. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

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.