conservateurs

Conservateurs is the plural of conservateur in French, a term used for individuals who preserve or safeguard objects, artworks, and historic sites, as well as for adherents of conservative political beliefs.

In political contexts, conservateur(s) denotes supporters or members of conservative ideologies or parties. In francophone countries, the term describes politicians who favor traditional social arrangements, gradual reform, and cautious governance. The exact roles and names of conservative groups vary by country and period.

In cultural heritage professions, conservateur (singular) or conservateurs (plural) refers to professionals who manage, preserve, and interpret collections and sites. This includes curators, restorers, and archivists who work in museums, archives, libraries, and historic monuments. Duties include care and conservation of objects, documentation, research, acquisitions, and organizing exhibitions. In France and other Francophone contexts, conservateurs are a recognized professional category within heritage institutions, often translated into English as conservator or curator.

The term also appears in other specialized fields, such as conservation biology, where French-language texts describe practitioners as conservateurs. Overall, the exact meaning depends on domain and country, but the core idea is preservation and stewardship.