What does a Curator do?

Curators keep and maintain collections for institutions including museums, universities, or government facilities and tend to the various items and many types of objects found within their collections, which could be items including historical artifacts, sports memorabilia, or works of art. Curators often direct the acquisition of works and collections and serve as supervisors of relevant staff members. As preservationists, curators care for important items, documents, and entire collections that include historical transcripts, artwork, photography, and other important historical or artistic paraphernalia.

Curators will sometimes negotiate the price or acquisition of a collection as well as the lending out of in-house materials to other institutions. Staff members, including technicians, researchers, and clerical workers, consult with them to ensure the items in the collection are properly catalogued or registered with the correct entities. They are writers of grant proposals to receive funding for their institutions, and some provide copy for academic journals. They also promote their institution to the public by advertising their collections, conducting tours, and organizing workshops. Curators need a master’s degree in art history, archaeology, or museum studies.