rhizoverbBeta
DictionarycurateSelecting and organizing
verb

curate

KYUR-ayt/kjˈʊrʌt/

Select and organize items for presentation with care.

The museum professional curates a display by selecting three ceramic vessels.

Black museum professional selects three ceramic vessels from many for a thoughtful display.
Etymology
curateLatinto take care of

“Taking care of” developed into responsibility for managing collections and exhibitions. The modern verb, formed from curator or curation, applies that responsibility to selecting, organizing, and presenting items.

In context

Harper's Bazaar UK0:14
Eva is known for her vibrant exhibitions showing the work of African artists and she's going to spill her secrets on how to curate a successful exhibition so there's no rule in terms of how we put an exhibition together
The Extraordinary World of Art: How to curate an exhibition

More examples

  • The museum curates exhibits that connect art with everyday life.
  • He curated a playlist for our summer road trip.
  • We are curating a reading list for new volunteers.

Forms

curate · curates · curated · curating

curator noun — Someone who selects and organizes collections or exhibits.

curation noun — The careful selection and organization of material.

Similar words

select
Emphasizes choosing items, without necessarily arranging them for presentation.
organize
Emphasizes arranging items, without necessarily choosing which to include.
assemble
Emphasizes bringing items together rather than selecting with expert judgment.