Annual Salary
£26,000 to £38,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Conservators clean, repair and restore objects, artworks and buildings of historical and cultural importance.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: as a contractor / self-employed; managing your own hours
There will be
2.4% more Conservator jobs in 2027.
As a conservator, you'll:
You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.
You could work in a museum, in a workshop, in a creative studio, in a laboratory or visit sites.
You can get into this job through:
You can study a subject related to the type of conservation work you want to do.
Examples of conservation specialisms include:
You can also do postgraduate qualifications in conservation after completing a first degree.
The Institute of Conservation (ICON) has details of universities offering degree and postgraduate courses.
You'll usually need:
You could apply for a place on an apprenticeship. These include:
You may be able to move into certain types of conservation work if you've got relevant qualifications and experience. For example, building conservation may be suitable if you're a qualified stonemason, plasterer or roofer.
You'll also have an advantage when looking for courses and jobs if you have work experience with a museum collection or at a historic site.
You could apply for The Institute of Conservation's internship programme. It can be a useful way to get practical experience after studying.
You can find out more about careers in collections conservation from The Institute of Conservation.
You can also learn about artwork restoration through The British Association of Paintings Conservator-Restorers.
With experience, you could become a senior or principal conservator, managing a collections team.
You may have more opportunities for career development if you join a larger institution, like a national gallery or museum.
Other options include:research and teaching in higher education; working with a commercial conservation company; setting up as a freelance specialist, doing contract work on projects
You'll need: