Curator Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a curator. Feel free to use our curator job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a curator.
Who is a Curator?
Museums, libraries, and other historically significant sites have collections curators. They are usually responsible for the acquisition and research of new items as well as the display and presentation of these items for private or public viewings. A lot of curators also have administrative roles, such as promoting and organizing special events. A curator must have extensive knowledge and experience in his/her specialty to be able to perform important tasks.
Curators often work in museums that are focused on a specific subject, such as engineering, natural history, or art. They are responsible for acquiring, authenticating, and displaying important pieces of art. For example, an art curator might be interested in starting a collection. He/she might research the movement and identify the favorite pieces available. Then he would find out where they can be permanently acquired or borrowed as part of a cooperative with other museums. The curator determines the location and format of pieces and provides information for visitors through programs, descriptive signs, and tour scripts.
Natural history curators are experts in the preservation and research of fossils, artifacts, and rocks. Many curators have extensive knowledge in biological anthropology and paleontology, which allows them to verify that pieces are authentic. Most of them work closely with field researchers to unveil discoveries and to display these findings to the general public. To create realistic replicas and skeletons, they make plaster casts and models from fossils.
Many curators work in large museums to oversee different departments. A natural history museum might have a geologist, evolutionary biologist, and anthropologist. A smaller institution such as a library or historical home may be managed by one person. Many curators are involved in fundraising and other public awareness activities that promote and protect collections. Curators are often involved in the preparation of grant proposals and organizing educational materials. They also submit research articles for scientific, literary, or artistic journals.
To become a curator in any setting, a master’s degree or doctoral degree is usually required. Professionals often have years of experience as teachers, field researchers, archivists, or conservators before they become curators. An assistant is usually needed to assist a more experienced curator when they start a new job. To learn as much about the collections as possible, she may need to spend several months in training before taking on the role of head curator.
Curators work in museums, and historical sites, such as museum villages, landmarks, or government offices. You may also find them working in colleges or universities. They might also care for the living inhabitants of botanical gardens or zoos. They can curate documents, photos, and records, as well as artwork such as paintings, sculptures, stamps, textiles, and musical instruments.
These professionals have the opportunity to care for their items in many ways by watching over them. They might catalog items and keep detailed records. They might also be able to analyze the collection and organize items for exhibits. Along with conservators and technicians, they may oversee storage arrangements and contribute to the preservation of the collection.
There are different positions a curator can uphold. A museum director is a curator position that requires management. In large institutions, this may include oversight of other curators. Marketing the museum to the public can also be done to increase attendance and solicit donations.
A specialist curator might oversee each collection division in a large institution while a single curator may be responsible for all or part of the tasks in a small institution.
Some curators might be experts in acquisitions and can be required to travel to appraise and find items that their institution might like to acquire. Curators might also conduct research in support of upcoming exhibitions to discover more about the items in their collections.
Curator Job Description
Below are the curator job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a curator job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a curator include the following:
- Negotiating prices or a loan agreement during the procurement process
- Designing, putting together, and organizing exhibit installments
- Analyzing and verifying the authenticity of art and artifacts purchased
- Creating interpretive content to help visitors understand the meaning and purpose of items
- Budgeting, inventory control, and marketing oversight
- Assessing the cultural and financial value of acquired art
- Answering questions about the significance and history of works
- Organizing workshops, lectures, and events for artists and exhibitors
- Communicating with museum staff, artists, and visitors
- Researching, negotiating prices, and purchasing items like sculptures, statues, and paintings that add value to your collection is a key part of the process.
- Maintaining records and cataloging acquisitions
- Researching, compiling, and preparing written information about catalogs for publication on the institution’s site.
- Making sure collections are properly stored
- Raising funds and grants
- Interviewing, and training staff.
- Designing exhibits and displays.
- Ensuring that all pieces are properly stored.
- Fundraising and obtaining grants for expansion, updating, or support of research.
- Updating websites to describe new attractions
- Assisting businesses with tasks such as marketing and budgets.
The following are other important tasks:
- Finding and scouting Items for acquisition or purchase
Curators are passionate about their field of expertise and constantly search for the right items for their museum or gallery. To keep up with the market, curators use their word-of-mouth network and other digital resources.
- Creating an overall curation strategy
If curators do their jobs well, each piece in their gallery or museum fits into the larger story. It’s like pieces in a puzzle. To create a curation strategy that works within their employer’s resources, curators need to be able to plan and manage projects.
- Researching acquired items
To create display content for each piece, curators need to be able to communicate effectively in writing and research. This content can include audio, video, and augmented reality in some well-funded and innovative facilities.
- Collaborating with grant writers to find funds
Many museums and galleries do not make a profit. They rely on private donors and government funding to keep their doors open. Throughout this process, curators work with grant writers.
- Keep detailed catalog records
Curators use their organizational skills to keep track of each piece that is acquired and the date it was acquired. Curators are also responsible to keep track of any conservation or restorative work.
- Employing and training Museum staff
The hiring and training of employees are managed by curators at smaller galleries and museums. This is the responsibility of the head curator in larger museums.
Qualifications
A master’s or doctorate in art history is required for all curators. While most additional training is provided by the job, internships are a great way to make an aspiring curator stand out as a more experienced candidate in the hiring process.
Students can gain practical experience in the field through internships in curatorship. This builds on the skills and knowledge they have acquired during their schooling. By researching and compiling information on works, interns support curators and museum directors in the creation of exhibitions. As required by their supervisor, they may assist with the creation of permanent and circulating exhibits.
For Ph.D. students and Ph.D. graduates, advanced internships are available. These internships provide more in-depth training and usually include responsibilities closely related to those of a curator assistant.
Essential Skills
- Organization skills
A curator’s main duties include keeping track of art that has been loaned to the museum or the organization’s collections, organizing lectures and planning events, and managing exhibits that change every few months. It takes a skilled and organized individual to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously. They are also responsible for managing finances, paperwork, and staff needs.
- Analytical thinking
Curators are responsible to authenticate artwork and cultural artifacts. They must have an eye for detail and be able to use their art history education to think analytically and apply logic to identify a work’s authenticity. They must assess the material, age, and other characteristics of each piece of acquired art to determine its style and creator.
- Creativity
Curators create displays and exhibits, and may also make presentations or plan marketing materials. They need to be creative to design interesting layouts that will excite visitors.
- Technological proficiency
Project management systems are used to keep museum and gallery inventory. Curators often have to do research. As a result of this, they need computer skills. Curators are responsible for updating the website of an organization with information about new exhibits or special pieces of work. Some curators assist with the creation and maintenance of marketing materials. They may also need to be proficient in software like Adobe InDesign or Adobe Photoshop.
- Negotiation
Negotiating the purchase prices or terms of loans for circulating works is an important part of a curators’ job. They have to acquire artwork that is culturally and historically important within the budget of their organization.
- Business skills
Curators need to be able to manage staff efficiently, make grant requests for art collections, and use marketing strategies to increase revenue and bring in visitors.
- Understanding preservation techniques
Curators work with fragile pieces of art and historic items every day so they can have a deep understanding of how to preserve them.
How to Become a Curator
- Get your bachelor’s degree
A bachelor’s degree is required to become a curator. A Bachelor of Fine Arts is a great educational foundation for those who want to work in the art field. A degree in a related field would be a good option if you plan to work in a science or history museum.
Internships and externships are a great way to get experience during your bachelor’s program. You can also expand your network to help you get a job after graduation.
- Earn a master’s or higher degree
If you are interested in working as a curator, it is a good idea for you to get a master’s degree. A Master of Fine Arts will give you a practical education with lots of real-world experience in curating art shows for galleries–an experience that will be invaluable. People who have a Master of Fine Arts often get their art displayed in galleries and book art shows.
A master’s degree in business administration may be a good option if you are looking to work in museums of natural sciences and history or any other type of museum.
- Learn related skills
You can learn a variety of skills related to administration or curation. These are skills you should consider learning in school and on the job.
They include:
- Software proficiency
- Curators use software such as spreadsheet tools, databases, and invoicing software.
- Management skills
- Anyone who wants to be a manager or leader should have the ability to practice these skills in many settings.
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Curators must have exceptional communication skills to be able to communicate with other groups.
- Gain experience
You will have the opportunity to work in an internship or externship during your studies. This will allow you to gain practical experience. These opportunities are important so make sure you take advantage.
You should look for management and administration positions that provide experience in art, science, history, philanthropy, or other fields that will give insight into the exhibits that might be found in the place you want to work.
Museums are always in need of volunteers, so make sure to look for volunteer opportunities. Volunteering can provide invaluable experience and networking opportunities for the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.
- Get a job
After you have the required education, skills development, and experience to become a curator, you can apply for jobs.
Before you apply for a job, prepare your resume. Include all relevant experience and create a cover letter specific to each job. When creating your resume and cover letters, you should consider using keywords from the job description in your documents.
Where to Work
Full-time curators work in museums and art galleries. Their work conditions can vary because most curators work at museums, zoos, and aquariums. Others spend their time providing education and reference services, while others work with the public. Curators may conduct research on records or process them, which can reduce the chance to work with other people.
Large institutions have many curators who travel extensively to assess potential additions and organize exhibits. For curators working in smaller institutions, however, it may not be possible to travel.
Curator Salary Scale
Salaries for curators are affected by many factors, including their geographical location, financial health, education, and experience. Pay rates can also be affected by their level of responsibility and role.
In the United States, the average annual salary for a Curator is $49,508.
