How do we define Curatorial Practice?

At the Boston LGBTQ+ Museum, we define curatorial practice as a responsibility to educate and engage. Curatorial practice is the professional discipline of researching, managing, interpreting, and presenting collections, art, artifacts, sculptures, and special objects for public engagement. We believe that the role of a curator is evolving from traditional custodianship to creating meaningful experiences through exhibitions, publications, and programming that foster dialogue, education, and belonging. As an institution for and by the LGBTQ+ community, we center, amplify, and uplift queerness as a central theme or identity in the presentations and exhibitions. The work of the Curator in Residence involves selecting, organizing, and contextualizing objects to tell stories, often balancing historical knowledge with contemporary relevance, audience connection, and social commentary.