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If you love spending time amongst ancient art and history collections you might have considered working inside a museum. One of the many museum related jobs is that of the museum curator. They are in charge of helping to build and maintain the various exhibits and collections. For more information on getting starting, continue reading this guide on how to become a museum curator.
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Introduction
- Do you love history and art? Did you spend your childhood going to museums, admiring the ancient collections? Have you ever dreamed of one day helping to build those collections? If so, you might want to consider becoming a curator at a museum. This guide will help prepare you for a career as a museum curator.
Step 1: What Is a Museum Curator?
- A curator is often called a museum director, and is in charge of the acquisition and storage of a museum's collections. This includes purchasing, selling, exchanging and loan outs. A museum curator will often oversee and conduct research projects and various educational programs.
Step 2: Decide Where You Want to Work
- There are many types of museums that a curator can work for, including:
- Art museums
- History museums
- Science museums
- Computer museums
- Film, television or radio museums
- Most curators will seek employment in their field of specialty.
Step 3: Education
- For aspiring museum curators, expect to undergo many years of schooling. First of all, you must receive an undergraduate degree. Most museums will require you complete a master's degree as well. Depending on the museum's specialty, most curators will get their graduate degree in:
- Archaeology
- History
- Art
- Paleontology
- Botony
- Museum Studies
- Many museums will be more inclined to hire those with a doctorate degree. There is a lot of emphasis on museum curators being highly specialized in a particular field.
Step 4: Develop Skills
- Like most higher level employment opportunities, museum curators should work on developing the necessary skills needed for the job. This includes:
- Organizational skills
- Information and research related computer skills
- Communication skills
- Creativity for putting together displays and exhibits
- Handling administrative and budget related duties
- Developing the ability to get information out to the public. This means conveying information in a reasonable way to tourists, educational groups or schools and tourists.