curatorship

Curatorship is the professional practice of managing and interpreting collections in museums, galleries, libraries, archives, and related institutions. A curator is responsible for acquiring, researching, and caring for objects or works, and for presenting them to the public. The term derives from the Latin curare, meaning to take care of.

Core duties include developing collection policies, evaluating objects for acquisition, researching provenance and authenticity, arranging conservation and storage, and ensuring proper cataloging and documentation. Curators select items for display, organize exhibitions, and contribute scholarly content such as labels, catalogs, and publications.

They oversee loans to other institutions, arrange conservation and preservation planning, and may supervise deaccessioning when objects no longer fit the collection’s mission, subject to ethical guidelines and governance procedures. Public engagement, education programs, and interpretation are often central to curatorship.

Provenance, ethics, and inclusivity guide practice. Curators consider repatriation and community consultation when warranted, particularly with Indigenous or source communities. They balance scholarly value, audience interests, and stewardship responsibilities, while complying with legal and professional standards for acquisition, storage, and display.

Digital curatorship has expanded to include managing digital assets, metadata, and digital preservation. Curators collaborate with information professionals to create searchable catalogs, standardized metadata, and online exhibitions. Open access, licensing, and data sharing are increasingly integrated with traditional collection care.

Education and career paths typically involve degrees in art history, archaeology, anthropology, library science, or museum studies, supplemented by hands-on curatorial work. Professional associations and international networks provide training, standards, and opportunities for collaboration among curatorship practitioners.