Curators of museums

According to the International Council of Museums (ICOM), there are more than 55,000 museums in 202 countries.

A museum is an institution that showcases and cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of cultural, artistic, historical, or scientific significance. Museums make items available for public viewing through exhibits. These exhibitions can be temporary or permanent.

There are many types of museums, including natural history museums; science museums; children’s museums; and art museums. 

The purpose of museums is to bring together, preserve, illuminate, and display objects of significance for further study and education of the public.

A museum goes through a meticulous process of selection. The museum has a board of trustees and directors that work on administrative roles and legal aspects of the museum.

Under the administration, there are curators, collection managers, registrars, educators, exhibition designers, conservators, and others as well.

What struck me the most out of these is the role of the curator: Curators are the intellectual drivers behind exhibits. They research the museum’s compilation and topic of focus, develop exhibition themes, and publish their research intended for the public or academic audience.

Curators are known for rejecting: most of the items that come up never go through. They are rigorous in their selection; they make conscious decisions about what should stay and what should go; they go through enough research to determine the right sets of items. There is a lot that never goes on the wall more than the ones that do. They are constantly looking to remove, simplify, and streamline.  

What determines the museum’s beauty more than what goes on the wall is what is left out. It is the stuff you leave out that matters. The difference between museums ends up being what they choose to leave out. Their identity reflects their choice.

If we want to develop into something of value, we should be thorough with our choices. Our choices eventually make us. We first make decisions, and then the decision makes us.

Hence, what we say “no” to determines who we will become. It is much easier to say “yes,” has less resistance, and requires no struggle. But when we say “no,” we face more resistance and opposition. When we are leaving out, we face the possibility of missing out.

If curators accept every item they receive, they wind up with a warehouse rather than a museum. They become hoarders rather than collectors of precious items.

So, learn to say “no” more than “yes.” Curate your life so that it ends up being a museum.

       Be all you can be.✌

Let me know your comments below. 👇    

References: Museum. (2022, November 16). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum