Museum Curator | Research & Encyclopedia Articles

Museum curators care for, manage, organize, and develop the objects in a museum. Museum curators may do some or all of the following tasks:

• acquire new items for the museum's collection;
• examine items for the collection to determine their condition and whether they are authentic;
• identify and classify items;
• keep and maintain inventory records about all items in the collection;
• arrange and oversee conservation and restoration work for the items;
• make sure that climate and pest control issues are seen to at all times to protect the items in the collection;
• organize and prepare displays, which can include traveling and arranging for loan exhibitions;
• conduct research or oversee research on collection pieces;
• educate the public about the collections, which generally involves lecturing and writing;
• raise funds for the museum, which can include applying for grants and attending social events with private museum donors;
• supervise a staff, which can consist of volunteers, interns, students, collection managers, technicians, junior curators, and secretarial staff.

As this list shows, museum curators must not only be experts in their field but also have very good people skills and writing skills. A museum curator must be very dedicated, often spending long hours traveling and weekends and evenings at social events raising money for the museum.

To become a museum curator, one must follow a long period of training in a discipline. Generally, at a museum, a person starts as an assistant and works her or his way up to associate, then to full (or senior) curator. Museum curators may specialize in a specific discipline such as art, natural history, science, or technology.

Museum curators need a well-rounded education. In high school, one should take courses in English, literature, creative writing, history, art, the sciences, business, and foreign language. Math and computer skills are also essential. Museum curators must have a bachelor's degree, and most museums require their chief curators to have a doctoral (Ph.D.) degree. Museums generally hire curators who have degrees in fields related to themuseum's specialty. While some persons attend college and obtain degrees in museum studies (museology), most get degrees in their particular areas of interest, such as biology or paleontology. Earning two graduate degrees, in museum studies and a specialized subject, can make a person a more valuable curator. In order to get hands-on experience, college students can apply for internship programs at a museum. These internships generally last a year or less and involve work on a project identified by the museum. Also, volunteering at a museum is a good way to get experience.

Cosgrove, Holli R., ed. Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance, 11th ed. Chicago: Ferguson Publishing Company, 2000.

American Association of Museums. <http://www.aam-us.org/>.

Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2000-01 Edition. <http://stats.bls.gov/ocohome.ht m>.

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