What Do the Duties of a Museum Curator Include?
Museum curators fill a large role within a museum. This job requires applicants to have a high amount of formal education, usually at least a master’s degree. Because there are a limited number of curator positions, competition for jobs is stiff; the more education and experience an applicant has, the better. When looking to embark upon this career path, it is important to understand the duties and responsibilities it entails.
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Creating and Maintaining Exhibitions
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Museum exhibitions come about due to the careful planning and efforts of the museum curator. The curator develops ideas for exhibits, then researches details of what would go into the exhibit. The curator outlines a timeline for exhibits, plans a budget, makes sure an exhibit has adequate staffing, and plans exhibit installation and removal. Exhibits that are already in place receive periodic evaluations by the curator. These evaluations include determining any changes needed to be made and finding ways of increasing interest in the older exhibits.
Overseeing Research
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Thorough research goes into museum exhibits to ensure accuracy. The curator is in charge of these research efforts. Most research is carried out by the curator’s staff, namely the museum registrar, though the curator ensures that the research the staffers perform is complete and as accurate as possible.
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Managing Staff
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Museum curators oversee the management of a large number of museum staff. This includes any volunteers within the museum, interns, and salaried employees within the department. This requirement means that most museum curators need to have good written and verbal communication skills so they lead effectively.
Educating the Public
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When people come into a museum, the curator is usually the person that they wind up speaking with. Curators educate the public on exhibits and any trivia related to pieces within the museum. They answer questions that may arise about certain artifacts within their department. In some cases, audio scripts for self-guided museum tours are prepared by the curator.
Administrative Tasks
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Curators are responsible for several administrative duties. Curators review museum budgets, making necessary changes to save money. They document pieces coming into and out of the museum. Any museum policies or procedure manuals are reviewed and revised by the curator. Grants fund a number of museum exhibits as well as helping to keep the museum running, and curators are responsible for seeking them out and meeting their requirements.
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References
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