Curator means “care” in Latin language. Curators at museums will generally assemble and look after a ‘‘permanent collection’’ of items which belong to the museum. They acquire, examine, identify and classify specimens. They also arrange conservation and restoration work. They keep and maintain records, organize and display the specimens.
Museum curators can specialize in anthropology, art, decorative arts, natural history, social history, science or technology. They mainly work inside the museums or art galleries but some times travel on field study as well. They are responsible for the institution and its collection.
They are highly influential in the cultural sector. They decide what is held in collections and shown in exhibitions. They are responsible for the success of some artists and the failure of others.. For specific exhibitions they will locate and buy or borrow other items from institutions or individual collectors. Art gallery curators have a very similar role, but will often also work closely with artists to create and develop work to a specific brief. Generally the role of a curator is about collecting and exhibiting artifacts or works of art, it also involves administrative, and increasingly, outreach work. This may involve fundraising for exhibitions, providing educational tools, and working to increase the profile of an institution or exhibition.
An art restorer can be in fact called as the manager or keeper accountable for restoring any arts to its original form and keeping them well-preserved. An art can be anything from a simple painting to a masterpiece that involves traditional importance. The curator sometimes has the responsibility for the acquisition and caring of various art forms.
The person oversees the collections, make short and descriptive texts according to the items of historical importance and value and communicate with other museum-goes to spread knowledge. This is an excellent job role involving enthusiasm, fun and above all collecting and displaying objects having scientific, historical or artistic value.
Art restorer is a professional who cleans, repairs and restores a damaged work of art to a state similar to its original condition. Art restorers usually specialize in a particular field or genre.
(1.) Bachelor of Arts in Archeology and Museology: Eligibility 10+2, admission on the basis of marks.
(2.) Master of Arts in Museology: Eligibility graduation in any arts stream Postgraduate Diploma in Museology: Eligibility any graduation.
(3.) Post Graduate Diploma course in Museology and Conservation: Eligibility any graduation.
(4.) Post Graduate Diploma in Museology and History of Indian Arts: Eligibility any graduation.
(5.) Advanced Diploma in Archaeology and Museology
(6.) MSc in Museology: Eligibility Bachelors degree (with Honours, wherever applicable) or a Masters degree in Zoology/ Botany/ Geology/ Geography (with Zoology or Botany or Geology or Chemistry or Anthropology in combination)/ Earth Sciences/Anthropology/ Agriculture/ Environmental Science/ Marine Science.
(7.) Doctor of Philosophy in Museology: Eligibility Post graduation and entrance Exam.
For art restorers a degrees in studio art, fine art and art history are often required as well as graduate programs in fine art conservation. The pattern of learning is similar to the apprenticeship method. New joiners are put under experienced curators. They are given training and practice on their responsibilities in handling the job role. Hard work, dedication and experience are the key factors for the success of being a good restorer.
Admission to Master of Arts in Museology is done on the basis of the marks scored in the qualifying examination or the score in the written test. Admission to Doctor of Philosophy in Museology is done on the basis of written Test. Master’s degree in Museology or other related subjects is the essential qualification for pursuing doctoral degree in Museology.
A Museum curator with 5-8 years of experience earns around Rs 4-5 lakhs a year.
(1.) Department of Museology, Calcutta University, Kolkata. Courses: MA, MSc , PhD Museology
(2.) Banaras Hindu University, Department of archaeology. Course: MA, PhD.
(3.) Jiwaji University, Gwalior. Dept of AIHC and Archaeology. Course: MA in Museology, Registered center for Heritage and Culture.
(4.) MS University Baroda, Department of Museology. Course: MA
(5.) National Museum Institute, New Delhi. Course: MA, PhD.
(6.) Assumption college, Changanassery, Kerala. Course: BA in Archaeology and Museology.
(7.) Ewing Christian College,Allahabad. Course: BA in Archaeology and Museology .
(8.) Osmania University. Course: Postgraduate Diploma in Museology and History of Indian Arts.
(9.) Solapur University. Course: Postgraduate Diploma in Museology and History of Indian Arts.
(10.) Vikram University. Course: Postgraduate Diploma in Museology and History of Indian Arts.
There are many art restoration centres available in India. They are located at the following places:
(1.) National Museum Centers – Situated in Lucknow, Delhi and Calcutta, these centers look after their own artworks and occasionally those of other state museums. Most of their services are to the government collections and private jobs are only taken if connected to our national heritage.
(2.) INTACH Art Conservation Centre – The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in New Delhi provides restoration/conservation facilities to private collectors and institutions and charge a nominal fee for their expenses.
(3.) National Museum, New Delhi.
(4.) University of Mysore, Crawford Hall, Mysore.
(5.) University of Allahabad, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.
(6.) Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana.
If you are looking for some of the famous museum curators or art restorer, there are quite a few who indeed are the best in their times.
Sir John Lockwood Kipling, who was the curator in Lahore Museum, was famous for the rare breed of art collections. The museum had some of the finest paintings in the world. The methods and techniques used by this famous curator helped restore even the oldest artwork dated back to centuries. Due to the hard work of this curator, the museum has a large collection of many historic and prehistoric periods.
Dr. Robinson is a world famous curator at the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum. In addition to this, he is also the professor in Department of Geological Engineering and Sciences at Michigan Tech. He is a world famous curator specialized in rare earth elements and minerals. He has not only rested his career as a curator, but also as a researcher, field collector and a teacher. He has also written and published a book “Minerals” in the year 1994, which describes the formation of rare minerals in the nature. He has taken his career with full dedication and anticipation. Thus, being a museum curator, one gets the unique chance of learning, knowing and studying the rarest artworks or other antiques that are priceless in the modern world.
In small museums the curators are responsible for the management and upkeep of the collection. When they are not holding exhibitions and meeting and educating others they maintain the inventory and supervise restoration work. They label the collection and sometimes write briefs about the specimen. Sometimes they go for collections or travel with the exhibits to the exhibition venues.
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