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Art & Art History vocabulary · Museums & Galleries

Curator

Meaning in art & art history, with examples

/kjʊˈreɪtər/nounCore term

In art & art history, curator means: A person who chooses and arranges artworks for exhibitions, or who looks after and researches a museum's collection.

In Turkish: küratör, sergi düzenleyici, koleksiyon sorumlusu

How it is used

In museums, curators are experts in one area (curator of Islamic art) and write labels and catalogues. Independent curators organise shows and biennials without working for a single institution. The verb is curate.

Example sentences

  1. The curator spent two years selecting works for the exhibition.

  2. Our guided tour will be led by the curator of the photography collection.

Common collocations

  • chief curator
  • independent curator
  • guest curator
  • assistant curator
  • curateTo select, organise and present artworks for an exhibition, collection or event, deciding on the theme, the order and how the works are displayed.
  • exhibitionA public show of artworks or objects, arranged in a museum, gallery or other space, either for a limited time or permanently.
  • permanent collectionThe artworks and objects that a museum owns and keeps long term, as opposed to works borrowed for temporary exhibitions.
  • galleryA room or building where art is shown to the public; also a private business that shows and sells the work of the artists it represents.

More terms: Museums & Galleries

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