Kurators

Kurators, or curators in English, are professionals who plan, interpret, and present collections within museums, galleries, archives, and other cultural institutions in German-speaking contexts. They are responsible for developing ideas for exhibitions, selecting objects, and organizing the display to communicate historical, artistic, scientific, or cultural themes to the public. A curator may also oversee provenance research, catalogue entries, and the interpretation of objects through labels, essays, and digital media. In addition to exhibition work, curators often manage loans, conservation considerations, and collaboration with artists, researchers, educators, and conservators. They may also supervise acquisitions, bequests, or the development of a research program for a collection, and participate in public programs and fundraising efforts.

Curatorial roles vary by institution. Some curators specialize by discipline (art, archaeology, ethnology, natural history), while others focus on cross-disciplinary themes or geographic regions. The position typically requires advanced academic credentials, such as a university degree in a related field, plus experience in research, publication, and museum practice. Formal training in museology or museum studies, internships, and assistant curatorships are common pathways to admission.

In the modern museum sector, curators also engage with digital curation, online exhibitions, and audience development, expanding the traditional scope of curatorial work. The German term Kurator is gender-neutral in plural usage, written as Kuratoren; the feminine singular is Kuratorin and the feminine plural Kuratorinnen.