curator

American  

[kyoo-rey-ter, kyoor-ey-, kyoor-uh-ter] / kyʊˈreɪ tər, ˈkyʊər eɪ-, ˈkyʊər ə tər /

noun

1. the person in charge of a museum, art collection, etc.

2. a person who selects content for presentation, as on a website.

3. a manager; superintendent.

4. Law. a guardian of a minor or any other person who is unable to care for their own affairs, especially with regard to their property.

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curator British  

/ ˌkjʊərəˈtɔːrɪəl, kjʊəˈreɪtə /

noun

1. the administrative head of a museum, art gallery, or similar institution

2. law a guardian of a minor, mentally ill person, etc

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Other Word Forms

• curatorial
  adjective
• curatorship
  noun
• subcurator
  noun
• subcuratorial
  adjective
• subcuratorship
  noun

Etymology

Origin of curator

First recorded in 1325–75; from Latin, equivalent to cūrā(re) “to care for, attend to” ( see cure) + -tor -tor

Explanation

If you are the curator of the school art show, you choose which pieces will be in it and decide how they will be displayed. A curator is someone who manages an art collection or exhibit. The kind of artwork a curator manages does not have to be the visual kind. You can curate a series of readings by selecting which authors read in it and who reads together. A curator is the person who gives the overall shape and feel to an art exhibit. In law, if you are the curator of someone's estate, you have been given legal power to manage it for someone who is too young or mentally unable to do it themselves.

Example Sentences

Dr. Richard Gillespie, Senior Curator in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, launched the project and guided its development.

From Science Daily • May 2, 2026

Curator Ingrid Schaffner calls the miniature sculptures by Betye Saar and Takashi Murakami installed on discrete shelves “the house gods” — works that, like the others, “anchor Eileen’s day.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

Further north at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, David Knott, the Curator of the Living Collection, added that that last year's dry sunny spring and early summer are also having an impact.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

Curator Beverly Adams said ropes, scaffolding and draping blue fabric will be used to create theatrical set pieces around the show’s seven Kahlo works and dozen-odd Riveras.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

It was addressed to Dr. Smith, the Curator of the great Aquarium in Mammoth City, the largest in the world.

From "Mr. Popper's Penguins" by Florence Atwater and Richard Atwater

Related Words

• administrator
• conservator
• custodian
• director
• manager