Becoming a Museum Curator

For more than four decades, Joel Bartsch has worked in museums. Currently serving as the CEO and president of Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS), a highly successful, stand-alone museum in Texas, he has more than doubled annual earned income at the institution since taking the helm in 2004. Prior to this, Joel A. Bartsch was the curator and director of earth sciences at HMNS, in addition to being the former curator of the California State Mining & Mineral Museum.

Curators at museums are responsible for managing the display, acquisition, and preservation of museum artifacts. This often includes the authentication of said artifacts, along with museum fundraising for new exhibits and public relations to draw in visitors. These professionals are often highly educated, and typically have at least a bachelor’s degree in art, archeology, or another field related to their work. However, preference is given to professionals who have master’s degrees, while some higher-level positions require a doctoral degree.

In addition to a formal education, curators need hands-on experience and certain skills to succeed in their work. Some of the necessary skills for curators include management skills, interpersonal skills, software proficiency, and customer service skills. These assist curators with their varying responsibilities around the museum when it comes to creating and promoting exhibits. Meanwhile, most professionals have at least 4 to 5 years of museum experience earned via internships and lower-level positions.