Curator means ‘to care’, and that’s exactly what these specialists are doing. Curators are responsible for assembling, cataloguing, managing and presenting/displaying artistic and cultural collections. They also care for the art, ensure its safety and preserve it. From the initial assembling and cataloguing of items right up to them being displayed for the public, curators are there every step of the way. They can specialise in a particular era or item, or just dip their hand in anything and everything.

Tasks:

1. Responsibility for a collection of artefacts or works of art
2. Cataloguing acquisitions and keeping records
3. Ensuring that collections are properly preserved
4. Carrying out background research and writing catalogues
5. Displaying objects or collections in way that makes them accessible and engaging to the general public
6. Planning, organising, interpreting and presenting exhibitions and lectures
7. Collaborating with other museum departments, such as education, fundraising, marketing and conservation
8. Handling enquiries from researchers and the public
9. Supervising support staff and organising administrative duties associated with the use and care of collections
10. Planning, organising, interpreting and presenting exhibitions and lectures

Key skills for exhibition building curator:

• Good attention to detail
• Organisational skills
• Good team-working skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Appreciation of the history
• Patience

Average salary (2013):

The United Kingdom: £30,000 per year
The United States of America: $55,620 per year
Australia: AU$56,462 per year

Qualifications and training required:

Generally this area of work is open to all graduates, and although subjects such as history and history of art may be the most obvious choices, exhibition curators can come from a wide range of academic backgrounds including languages, English literature and science. While a master's degree is usually required by many museums, educational requirements may vary substantially based on the organization. For example, large institutions may require an applicant to have a doctorate, while small museums may consider a candidate with a bachelor's degree.
Previous work experience is required by most organizations, and students can participate in internships to gain hands-on training working with an experienced art curator. Additionally, expertise in restoration methods, chemistry and public relations can be beneficial for aspiring art curators, as well as technological skills for digital record keeping and information dissemination via the Internet. Having knowledge in marketing, business and a foreign language also can make art curator candidates more attractive to employers.