Curator Collection
All the artefacts within the museum and art gallery come from many different
periods of time.
It's a curator's job to look after the collections of artistic, scientific and
historical objects.
Here you can investigate objects ranging from a variety of historic periods, including Ancient Egypt, Roman, Victorian and World War II. You can also find out more about being a curator (see below).
Select the period in time you wish to investigate further or view the Curator Questions below.
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Curator Questions
- What does a curator do?
Curators look after collections of objects of artistic, scientific, historical and general interest.
One of the main aspects of the job is researching and recording information about artefacts. They make sure that objects are stored in the right conditions, organise displays and write descriptions of the objects in the collection. - How do curators choose what to display?
A curator aims to offer the public an appealling exhibition with the intent to provide a better insight into the chosen subject. Curators choose a theme which links up a collection of objects or paintings. This may be the same artist/maker, a similar peroid in time, the same material etc. The curator chooses a topic which they believe the visitors will be particularly interested in or is popular at that time.
- How are interpretations/exhibitions organised?
Interpretations of the past are organised in a variety of ways. This helps to draw attention and inspire the visitor. Sometimes artefacts are displayed in chronological, maker or even size order. Sometimes exhibitions are displayed in order to give the visitor a more realistic feeling of that time, such as a room scene. They might mix replica and real artefacts order to provide a more lifelike and informative display.
- Why does it take so long to put an exhibition together?
Special exhibitions usually take over a year to plan. They involve a lot of people including conservators, designers and technicians. Often objects or works of art are borrowed from other museums from around the world. Curators decide what will be in the exhibition and how the artefacts will be displayed. They also write the catalogue and the wall labels to inform visitors about the exhibition.
- How do I become a curator?
Curators normally need a degree in a relevant subject such as archaeology, history, or art history.
It is also advisable to take a postgraduate qualification (after a degree) in museum or heritage studies. If you are really interested why not get some voluntary work experience in a museum or gallery.