Visitor Experience Associate, IS-1001-05

Application Deadline: 20 April 2026

Department: National Museum of Asian Art

Location: Washington, DC

Compensation: $46,610 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: April 7, 2026
CLOSING DATE: April 20, 2026
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Position sensitivity and risk:
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Open to all Qualified Applicants

What are Trust Fund Positions?
Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).

Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
  
  

OVERVIEW

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art seeks to recruit a full-time Visitor Experience Associate/Greeter to help create a welcoming atmosphere and a positive experience for onsite museum visitors. The Visitor Experience Associate/Greeter is the initial representative of the museum to answer questions and offer guidance at the museum’s primary entrances. This may include assisting with lockers and accessibility needs such as wheelchairs. They respond verbally to inquiries from onsite volunteers, offering information and assistance to ensure that they have positive and meaningful experiences. The Visitor Experience Associate/Greeter tracks printed materials and supplies and advise the supervisor of purchase requirements. They monitor the galleries and report to their supervisor: digital screens/interactives needing repairs, signage needs, and other service needs. They assist with data collection for visitor surveys. They walk throughout the galleries to respond verbally to visitor inquiries and offer guidance. The Visitor Experience Associate is expected to work on all weekends and holidays.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) is committed to preserving, exhibiting, researching, and interpreting art in ways that deepen the public and scholarly understandings of Asia and the world. NMAA opened in 1923 as America’s first national art museum and the first Asian art museum in the United States. We now steward one of the world’s most important collections of Asian art, with works dating from antiquity to the present, from China, Japan, Korea, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the pre-Islamic Near East, and the Islamic world (inclusive of Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa). The museum also stewards an important collection of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American art.

Today, NMAA is emerging as a leading national and global resource for understanding the arts, cultures, and societies of Asia, especially at their intersection with America. Guided by the belief that the future of art museums lies in collaboration, increased access, and transparency, NMAA is fostering new ways to engage with its audiences while maintaining its commitment to excellence.

Located on the National Mall in Washington, DC, the museum is free and open 364 days a year. The Smithsonian, which is the world’s largest museum complex, welcomes twenty to thirty million visitors yearly. For more information about the National Museum of Asian Art, please visit asia.si.edu.

The ideal candidate can prioritize and manage the tasks involved in a daily visitor services operation, including sharing information, managing crowds, and monitoring floor activities and staff. They also have skills in verbal communication to work with visitors and staff with a variety of backgrounds, learning styles, and ages. They must be available to work onsite, including weekends and holidays.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Explains entry process to visitors and greets them, providing information at main entrances. Also responds verbally to visitor inquiries, offering information and guidance about the National Museum of Asian Art and other museums around the National Mall and answers general information about Washington, DC.
• Direct visitors and the public with problems, questions, or complaints to a supervisor or the appropriate resource.
• Assists with the education of visitors regarding rules, regulations, and safety concerns to ensure visitor safety and resource preservation.
• Assist with the gathering of visitor data such as zip code information or survey results.
• Works cooperatively with supervisors to ensure the safe and expeditious movement of visitors into and throughout the museum.
• Assist with monitoring the museum’s digital interactives. Reports needed repairs to supervisor.
• Assists with the monitoring of the museum’s signage. Report outdated or needed signage to the supervisor.
• Rove throughout the galleries as assigned to answer visitor inquiries and assist with wayfinding.
  
  

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to locate, gather, and perform basic interpretation of policies and procedures.
• Knowledge and basic experience working in an office and with organization programs sufficient to provide accurate responses to inquiries or refer questions to appropriate staff.
• Knowledge of and experience in visitor services at public organizations with high volume visitation.
• Skill in customer service and working with the public to anticipate and respond to visitor needs and questions.
• Ability to work collaboratively with various individuals to effectively coordinate projects, resolve conflicts, and exchange information.
• Skill in prioritizing and managing the tasks involved in a daily visitor services operation, including sharing information, managing crowds, and monitoring floor activities.
• Skill in Microsoft Office, database programs, and other similar computer software.
• Skill in oral and written communication sufficient to interact with various individuals effectively and diplomatically.
• Ability to stand for long periods.
• This position requires weekend and occasional evening availability.

Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.

Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."

Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.

What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.

Relocation expenses are not paid.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact [nmaa-hr@si.edu]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that a workforce comprising a variety of educational, cultural, and experiential backgrounds support and enhance our daily work life and contribute to the richness of our exhibitions and programs. See Smithsonian EEO program information: https://www.si.edu/oeesd.