Curator of Textiles

Reports to: Head of Studio & Standards
Location: Royal School of Needlework, Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey Contract: Permanent
Hours: 21 hours per week
Salary: £40-44k FTE, £24-26,400 Pro rata
Closing date: 16th November 2026
Apply: Covering letter and CV to hr@royal-needlework.org.uk

About The Royal School of Needlework
The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) is the world leading centre for the Art of Hand Embroidery. Based at the historic Hampton Court Palace, we have been dedicated to preserving and innovating in the art of hand embroidery since 1872. Our thriving education programme offers courses for all levels, from beginners to degree level, and we teach onsite and online in locations across the UK, and internationally in America, Japan, and Australia. Our renowned Embroidery Studio creates bespoke embroidery for fashion, art, and royalty and offers expert conservation and restoration services for valuable and historical embroidered pieces.

The RSN is unique. No other single organisation covers the breadth of education and practice to promote the art and technique of hand embroidery or has our connections, collection, archive and heritage. Embroidery is an international language. Cultures and communities have used embroidery-based techniques to tell stories and record events for hundreds of years while the individual benefits of mindfulness and mental wellbeing are now increasingly being recognised today.

The RSN Collection & Archive
The Royal School of Needlework holds a nationally significant collection of embroidered textiles, with some pieces of international significance, as well as other related textile works including lace. These have been collected since the school’s inception in 1872 as a study collection and there are now approximately 10,000 objects. The textile collection sits alongside a related design and manuscript archive that is particularly significant for the Arts and Crafts and Aesthetics Movement, women’s history, early twentieth century craft and decorative arts.

The textile collection contains many pieces that are unrepresented in other museum collections and the general focus is on art needlework although lace items, Berlin wool work, seventeenth-century samplers and casket panels, and other needleworked items are also present. The earliest piece is from the 7th century (contained within the Grove book) but the collection as a whole is particularly strong from the 17th century onwards and contains rare examples of embroidery from all periods, including a pair of Peranakan slippers, several casket panels, a Caribbean sampler, and garments that combine Indian and European embroidery and silhouettes. It also includes the output of former students and sample pieces completed by the RSN Studio.

The Role
The Curator of Textiles is responsible for the embroidery and textile holdings within the RSN Collection, working in close partnership with the Curator of Designs & Archives, who has complementary responsibility for the Collection's designs and archival holdings.

Together, these two posts provide curatorial oversight of the RSN Collection & Archive, ensuring that its different elements are understood, cared for, researched, interpreted and made accessible as an integrated resource.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Curator of Designs & Archives to develop an integrated approach to the RSN Collection as a whole.
• Develop partnerships with museums, galleries, archives, universities, artists and specialist organisations. 
• Contribute to the development of the Collection & Archive as a key asset for the RSN's future and wider organisational strategy. 
• Provide specialist knowledge and curatorial oversight of the RSN's textile and embroidery collections.
• Work with the Curator of Designs & Archive to ensure the appropriate documentation, storage, conservation, handling and display of textile and embroidery holdings. Aiming to achieving Museum Accreditation standards.
• Alongside the Curator of Designs and Archives, lead on collections audits, digitisation and documentation projects.
• Identify conservation and collections-management priorities for the collection.
• Lead on acquisitions, loans, disposals and collections development for the textile collection.
• Develop research opportunities and relationships with academic and cultural partners.
• Continue to catalogue the collection, research, document and interpret objects, makers, techniques, materials and historical contexts. Manage a small group of volunteers to assist with this work.
• Support access to the Collection & Archive for students, researchers, creative practitioners and the public
• Lead and contribute to exhibitions, displays and digital interpretation involving the textile and embroidery collections.
• Contribute to publications, talks, lectures and other public programmes.
• Develop opportunities for contemporary artists, designers and makers to engage with the Collection & Archive.
• Work with the commercial team and Studio and other teams to connect the Collection & Archive with commercial activity and contemporary making.
• Support fundraising with funding proposals and stakeholder engagement.

Person Specification

Essential

• Educated to postgraduate level in a relevant subject or have equivalent relevant experience.
• Specialist knowledge of textiles and embroidery.
• Experience working in Museums or Heritage, particularly hands on and with historic textiles or fragile objects.
• Experience of researching, documenting and interpreting collections.
• Experience of exhibitions, displays or public engagement.
• A strong understanding of preventative conservation
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organisational and project-management skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across different disciplines and with external partners.
• Commitment to making collections accessible and relevant.

Desirable

• Experience working with a relevant collection.
• Experience of academic research, publication or collections digitisation.
• Experience of working with contemporary artists, designers or makers.
• Experience commissioning conservation work.

RSN Values

The successful candidate will demonstrate the RSN's values:

Curious | Creative | Collaborative | Heritage-Led

Working Conditions

• This role is based at the RSN, Hampton Court Palace
• The role requires frequent movement between RSN’s operational areas, including collecting and moving items.
• Some lifting and use of trolleys may be required, and occasional work outside regular office hours may be necessary.
• Flexibility is essential, particularly when lifts are unavailable or in high demand.

This job description is subject to periodic review and may be updated to meet the evolving needs of the RSN.

Benefits:

• Employer pension
• Free parking near the Palace
• Free entry to Historic Royal Palaces
• Discounts in the RSN Shop