curator
kyoo-RAY-ter
/kjʊəˈreɪtər/
A professional keeper or custodian of a museum, gallery, or other cultural collection, responsible for acquiring, organizing, and preserving exhibits.
Implies specialized academic knowledge and administrative responsibility for a collection's care and presentation.
The story behind the word. From the Latin curator, meaning 'overseer, guardian, or caretaker', which comes from curare (to take care of). In ancient Rome, a curator was a public official responsible for public works like aqueducts, sewers, and roads.
Word relationships
- custodian: A custodian focuses primarily on physical guarding and maintenance, whereas a curator also researches, acquires, and interprets the collection.
Commonly confused with
- docent: A curator manages and researches the collection behind the scenes, while a docent is a volunteer guide who explains the collection to visitors.
Word family
- curate (verb): To select, organize, and look after the items in a collection or exhibition.
- curatorial (adjective): Relating to the work of a curator.
Collocations
- museum curator
- chief curator
- guest curator
- curator of antiquities
Example sentences
- "As the chief curator of modern art, she spent three years organizing the retrospective." An expert organizing a display
Memory hook
A curator is someone who 'cures' the museum's problems by taking 'care' of the art. The caretaker of culture.
When not to use
Do not use for a general manager of a store or a simple tour guide.
Fun facts
- The term 'curator' is now widely used in the digital age to describe people who select and organize content on playlists, blogs, or social media feeds.
Related words
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