Curators Career Profile

Picture this: You’re standing in a vast museum storage facility, surrounded by priceless artifacts spanning centuries of human history. Each object tells a story, and it’s your job to decide how these stories will be told to the public.

Think about the last museum exhibition that truly captivated you. A curator was behind that experience, carefully selecting each piece, researching its significance, and crafting a narrative that connected with visitors. They’re the storytellers who bring collections to life, bridging the gap between historical artifacts and contemporary audiences.

These professionals serve as the creative force behind museum exhibitions, research programs, and collection management. Their unique perspective combines scholarly expertise with creative vision to preserve and present cultural heritage.

Total employment: 14,200 (2023)

Common Names for Curators

• Collections Curator
• Collections Manager
• Curator, Education Curator
• Exhibitions Curator
• Exhibits Curator
• Museum Curator
• Photography Curator
• Vertebrate Zoology Curator
  

What Curators Do

Curators are collection stewards and storytellers who execute responsibilities including:

• Collection Management: Oversees the acquisition, preservation, and maintenance of collections to ensure proper care and accessibility of artifacts, artworks, or historical items.
• Exhibition Development: Plans, designs, and implements exhibitions by selecting items, creating narratives, and organizing displays to educate and engage visitors with the collection
• Research & Documentation: Conducts scholarly research on collection items and maintains detailed records to establish provenance, authenticity, and historical context of objects.
• Conservation Planning: Develops and implements preservation strategies to protect items from deterioration, ensuring proper storage conditions and handling procedures.
• Educational Programming: Creates interpretive materials and educational programs to make collections accessible and meaningful to diverse audiences.
• Acquisition Strategy: Evaluates potential acquisitions and makes recommendations for purchases or accepting donations based on collection policies and institutional goals.
• Stakeholder Relations: Builds and maintains relationships with donors, board members, other institutions, and the public to support the institution’s mission and secure resources.
• Policy Development: Establishes and updates collection management policies and procedures to ensure best practices in handling, displaying, and preserving items.
• Budget Management: Oversees departmental budgets and resource allocation for acquisitions, conservation, and exhibition costs to maintain fiscal responsibility.