Exhibitions Developer

The Folger Shakespeare Library, located on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, is seeking an Exhibitions Developer. This person, under the Associate Director of Exhibitions Operations'(ADEO) supervision, plays a central role in shaping the visitor experience by collaboratively transforming scholarly research into compelling exhibition experiences. Working closely with curators, designers, and other collaborators, the Exhibitions Developer ensures that each exhibition tells a clear and engaging story aligned with the Folger’s academic and cultural mission. 

This position bridges scholarship and design, turning complex ideas into accessible exhibitions that resonate with audiences from all walks of life. The successful candidate will be a strong storyteller, a thoughtful collaborator, and a creative thinker with experience in exhibition development. They will excel at adapting rich scholarship into engaging visitor experiences, and thrive in highly collaborative team environments, working across teams and disciplines. Strong candidates will have a demonstrated commitment to inclusion and accessibility, ensuring exhibitions reflect multiple perspectives and engage a wide range of audiences. We are looking for a creative problem solver who can turn ideas into reality. 

The standard schedule for this role is Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required for special projects. This position is onsite. The selected candidate will need to be within a commutable distance to the D.C. office (DC, MD, VA) by their start date. 

Health & safety: The health and well-being of all staff, contractors, and visitors is our top priority. While the Folger no longer requires masks or vaccinations (except for AEA spaces), we support and encourage individuals to take the safety precautions they are most comfortable with, and we ask that individual choices are respected. The Folger offers organization-funded healthcare plans for full-time staff and extensive leave options to all staff in the case of any health issues that arise. 

Compensation: 

• This is a semi-monthly-paid salary position, with a pay range of $80,000-90,000. 
• Total compensation includes extensive benefits plan, including fully covered health, dental, and vision insurance and a generous 403(b) match, outlined at https://www.folger.edu/employee-benefits. 

Duties:  

Exhibition Development 

• Collaborates with colleagues to develop exhibition themes, storylines, and interpretive plans. 
• Stewards and helps shape the writing of exhibition texts, including panels, labels, and multimedia scripts, with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and accessibility. 
• Helps ensure narrative and design elements align with the exhibition’s concept and goals for the visitor experience. 
• Adapts complex scholarly research into engaging narratives for broad audiences. 
• Assists in identifying and researching artifacts in close consultation with curators and subject experts. 
• Works with ADEO to develop and implement a variety of front-end, formative, and summative evaluation strategies.  

Collaboration and Project Coordination 

• Collaborates with the ADEO to align content development with exhibition design and production schedules, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality interpretive materials that support the creative vision and meet project milestones. 
• Works with exhibition designers, writers, and other internal and external partners to integrate content seamlessly with design and enhance the visitor experience. 
• Coordinates with internal stakeholders to ensure exhibition content and design reflect institutional goals and annual programming themes. 
• Reviews exhibition components with the ADEO and relevant staff to confirm they meet visitor experience standards, interpretive goals, and operational requirements. 

Research  

• Conducts focused research in Folger and other collections to support the development of exhibition narratives, drawing on existing scholarship, curatorial input, and expert consultation.  
• Provides informed guidance on the scholarly content within exhibitions, ensuring it remains approachable and resonant for diverse audiences while maintaining scholarly integrity and alignment with the Folger’s academic mission and values. 

Audience Engagement and Accessibility 

• Shapes interpretive strategies that make exhibitions accessible, engaging, and inclusive for broad audiences. 
• Applies an inclusive lens to exhibition storytelling, ensuring content reflects a variety of perspectives and voices. 
• Advises on digital and interactive components and design elements that enhance storytelling and the visitor experience. 
• Assists in creating programming in collaboration with other teams (e.g., Education, Public Programs) that highlights the exhibition and extends its reach. 
• Collaborates with ADEO and colleagues to formalize exhibition development policies and best practices that support consistent, audience-centered practices across the institution. 

Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree in History, Art History, Museum Studies, Exhibition Design, or a related field; advanced degree preferred. 
• Demonstrated comfort and familiarity with early modern European studies and/or Shakespeare.  
• Proven experience developing exhibitions and interpretive content for cultural, academic, or museum settings. 
• Experience collaborating with designers, curators, and interdisciplinary teams. 

Knowledge and Skills:   

• Exceptional writing, editing, storytelling, and content development skills. 
• Ability to interpret scholarly material and shape it into clear, engaging content for broad public audiences. 
• Strong project coordination, collaboration, and consensus-building skills. 
• Familiarity with using digital tools or systems to support project coordination, task tracking, or workflow management. 
• Understanding of audience-centered interpretation and inclusive design principles. 
• Familiarity with museum standards for exhibition development and accessibility best practices. 

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements: 

This position operates in a professional office and library/museum environment. The employee may be exposed to various components of an office environment, such as fluorescent lighting, pollen, dust, recycled air, cooling fans, semi-enclosed areas, central heating, seasonal warmer temperatures, and office noise. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

• Normal work week is Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. 
• Installation, de-installation, and courier trips will require work outside of normal office hours, including late nights and possible out-of-town travel. These dates will be prescheduled, with very rare last-minute shifts. 
• Must have dexterity to handle fragile items with great care. 
• Ability to work at a computer for an extended period of time, with accuracy, is required. Desk includes sit-stand options. 
• Willingness and capacity to work in an office environment at a workstation, and to come and go repeatedly throughout the day as needed to perform various responsibilities is needed. 
• Capacity to communicate, in-person or using video, phone, or electronic communication methods in a manner which can be understood by others, is required. 
• Must have the ability to direct and guide the work of interns or fellows involved in exhibition work as needed.