Curators are in charge of a museum’s collection, which includes acquiring and maintaining exhibits. These professionals may also conduct research and write articles for trade publications. In general, curator jobs are divided into two categories. General curators are in charge of the entire museum, whereas section curators are in charge of a single section. Both types of curator jobs can be found in a variety of museums.
There is usually only one curator in smaller museums. He’ll be in charge of acquisitions, collections, and exhibits, as well as conducting research, writing papers, and possibly collaborating with the community. The job of general museum curator also includes management of all section curators in a large institution.
Large museums or museums with highly specific collections within their general collection are more likely to hire section museum curators. Area curators, segment curators, and collection curators are some of the terms used to describe section curators. These museum curators also look after the collection’s items, request acquisitions, and put on exhibits. However, unlike general curators, section curators are only in charge of a portion of the museum’s exhibits. A large general collection is frequently divided into sections and assigned to a section curator.
Many museum types can employ both types of museum curators. Art, history, and science are among the most popular. A general curator, a modern art curator, a primitives curator, and a Renaissance curator, for example, might work in a large art museum. A natural science curator, a chemical science curator, and an astrophysics curator may assist the general curator in a science museum.
Curators are also needed in specialty museums. Aerospace, trains, teddy bears, buttons, archaeology, medicine, and a variety of other topics could be the focus of such museums. Themes could be based on memorabilia from a book or movie, or they could be specific to the geography of the area where they are located.
Museum curators must frequently work with potential donors, both in terms of cash donations and items donated for the collection, in any museum that accepts donations. Attending benefits or participating in one-on-one meetings are examples of this. It could also imply giving lectures or museum tours.
A special collections curator is another type of curator who is occasionally needed. The curator in this highly specialized position is in charge of either all special collections that come into the museum on loan or a specific traveling exhibit. In the latter case, the curator actually travels with the collection from one location to another. He is an employee of the museum or private collector who owns the collection, and he works out of the museum where the exhibit is currently on display.