Curator/Museologist

Job Profile

Museum Curators

• Curators organize the display of artefacts in museums
• Organize exhibitions by choosing the display items, labelling them and arranging them
• Make purchases of rare and new collections for museum enrichment
• Art objects have to be identified examined, cleaned, preserved displayed or stored
• Maintain the record of each item – the origin, age and conservation details
• Curators may specialize in natural history, textiles, paintings, terracotta, metals, etc
• Curators are involved in training programmes and courses

Conservators/Restorers

Objects requiring conservation and restoration are paintings, wall paintings, prints, ceramics, textiles, fossils, statues, monuments, arms and armour, natural history objects, furniture, machinery, metalwork and paper items. Conservators and restorers specialize in one type of object. Their job involves:

• Preservation of art objects and monuments
• Conservators arrest objects’ decay
• Restorers restore them to their original condition
• Technical examination of objects to assess the materials used in their creation
• Diagnose the causes of damage or deterioration
• Decide on appropriate treatment. Treatment can involve undoing previous repair and restoration work
• Cleaning, varnish removal, consolidation and repair techniques, filling, retouching, mounting, framing, storage and environmental control
• Estimation of the time and cost required for treatment
• Documentation – Careful recording of all treatment is important, both written and photographic
• They also advise on the correct condition of objects, taking into account temperature, light and humidity

Salary/Package

The average starting salary for a curator/museologist is around Rs. 2 lakhs p.a. While a senior curator or as a director of a museum one can command Rs. 7.3-9 lakhs p.a. The salaries may vary based on experience, skills, roles, location, etc.

Skills required

• Immense interest in artefacts and knowledge of their historical importance
• Ability to assimilate and analyse information
• Aesthetic skills and good colour vision
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Scholars of history
• Patience
• Scientific acumen to understand materials, cause of deterioration etc
• Knowledge of classical or foreign language such as Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Greek, Latin German, French, Italian, etc.

Pros and Cons of being a Curator/Museologist

Pros

• You get a paid vacation and holidays
• If you are sick you may leave with no consequences
• You have health insurance
• You handle priceless artefacts

Cons

• There is a lot of competition
• They don’t make a lot of money
• It takes a lot of work experience to became a curator
• Lot of tours with travelling for exhibitions

How do I be one

Path 1

Std XII (Stream: Humanities) >> Graduation (History (Ancient/Med/Modern)) >> Post graduation (Archaeology/Museology) >> Goal (Museologist/Curator)

Path 2

Std XII (Stream: Sc (PCM)) >> Graduation (BFA (Fine Art)) >> Post graduation (Museology/History of Art) >> Goal (Museologist)

• Graduates in History pursue MA and PhD programmes in various aspects of Museography and Museology at the National Museum.

• After Class XII (PCM) Bachelor of Fine Art to learn practical skills for conservation and restoration. A background in Chemistry and training in Art is the ideal combination. Courses in History of Art and Museology and are useful for conservators and restorers.

• Certificate Courses – NMIHACM is a “Museum University” and an integral part of the National Museum, New Delhi. This Institute runs three certificate courses in art appreciation for persons with a general interest in art. These courses are intended to increase awareness of art among art lovers.