Skills and Traits
Fantastic research skills and the ability to communicate findings
Ability to make clear interpretations and connecting narratives
Excellent organizational and communication skills
Ability to collaborate with a wide variety of people
The knowledge and ability to fundraise for curatorial projects
Deep Academic and practical knowledge around art and art history
The art historian and subject matter expert
Art curators are often the storytellers of the museum. They plan, research, and organize exhibitions that create meaningful narratives, offer educational value, and invite audiences to engage with artworks and objects in thoughtful ways. Curators may work with a wide range of subjects, including living artists, historical objects, cultural histories, materials, archives, and contemporary issues.
Their work often involves close collaboration with artists, donors, communities, conservators, educators, designers, registrars, and other museum professionals. Curators gather research, conduct interviews, document oral histories, and help guide acquisitions that shape and expand a collection. Through this work, they help connect objects to people, stories, and broader histories.