Study and Care : Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What does a curator do ?

A. At the National Gallery curators are specialists in particular areas of European painting from 1250 to 1900. These dates correspond to the paintings in the collection for which they are responsible. For example, a curator will be responsible for 19th-century European painting as a whole, or for 17th- and 18th-century Dutch painting. At the most senior level the curators will be responsible for highly detailed cataloguing of the pictures in their area, for deciding which pictures should be displayed, and for advising the Director and Trustees on potential acquisitions, as well as curating many of the Gallery's exhibitions. Other more junior curators assist in this work.

Q. How can I become a curator?

A. Curatorial work involves highly specialised academic research in the History of Art, and National Gallery curators, including those at the more junior levels, are expected to have post-graduate degrees; the majority will have a doctorate. But the work of a curator is not purely academic: it offers the opportunity for highly rewarding daily contact at close quarters with some of the greatest paintings in the world, and for constant communication with the public who come to enjoy them. The desire to increase knowledge about the paintings at all levels, and the ability to do so effectively, are also necessary qualifications for becoming a curator. Experience of working in museums, of teaching, lecturing, writing and other work with the public, are all valuable additions to essential academic knowledge for the aspiring curator.

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