Longtime Houston, Texas, resident Joel Bartsch has been working in the museum sector for better than 30 years. Beginning his career as a museum security guard, he serves now as the president and CEO of the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS). Prior to this, Joel A. Bartsch held such positions as curator of Earth sciences at HMNS and curator of the California State Mining & Mineral Museum.
In a museum setting, curators are responsible for managing and overseeing a collection of objects. This includes the acquisition, display, and care of such objects, along with providing relevant information to visitors. Often, this involves collaboration with other curators and professionals working in the museum. Depending on the specific task a curator needs completed, this group may include researchers, conservation professionals, and educators at the institution.
Beyond overseeing different collections, curators may have more responsibilities, based on the size of the institution. At small museums, the curator is often one of the few paid staff members, responsible for a much wider range of tasks. Larger museums typically only put curators in charge of specific collections or sections of the institution.
In a museum setting, curators are responsible for managing and overseeing a collection of objects. This includes the acquisition, display, and care of such objects, along with providing relevant information to visitors. Often, this involves collaboration with other curators and professionals working in the museum. Depending on the specific task a curator needs completed, this group may include researchers, conservation professionals, and educators at the institution.
Beyond overseeing different collections, curators may have more responsibilities, based on the size of the institution. At small museums, the curator is often one of the few paid staff members, responsible for a much wider range of tasks. Larger museums typically only put curators in charge of specific collections or sections of the institution.
