Curator vs. Trustee — What's the Difference?

A curator (from Latin: cura, meaning "to take care") is a manager or overseer. When working with cultural organizations, a curator is typically a "collections curator" or an "exhibitions curator", and has multifaceted tasks dependent on the particular institution and its mission.

Trustee (or the holding of a trusteeship) is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, is a synonym for anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility to transfer the title of ownership to the person named as the new owner, in a trust instrument, called a beneficiary. A trustee can also refer to a person who is allowed to do certain tasks but not able to gain income, although that is untrue.

One who manages or oversees, as the administrative director of a museum collection or a library.

(Law) The person in a trust relationship who holds title to property for the benefit of another.

One who gathers something, organizes it, and makes it available to the public

A member of a board elected or appointed to direct the funds and policy of an institution.

A person who manages, administers or organizes a collection, either independently or employed by a museum, library, archive or zoo.

A country responsible for supervising a trust territory. See Usage Note at -ee1.

One appointed to act as guardian of the estate of a person not legally competent to manage it, or of an absentee; a trustee.

To place (property) in the care of a trustee.

A member of a curatorium, a board for electing university professors, etc.

To function or serve as a trustee.

One who has the care and superintendence of anything, as of a museum; a custodian; a keeper.

A person to whom property is legally committed in trust, to be applied either for the benefit of specified individuals, or for public uses; one who is intrusted with property for the benefit of another.

One appointed to act as guardian of the estate of a person not legally competent to manage it, or of an absentee; a trustee; a guardian.

A person in whose hands the effects of another are attached in a trustee process.

The custodian of a collection (as a museum or library)

(transitive) To commit (property) to the care of a trustee.

(transitive) To attach (a debtor's wages, credits, or property in the hands of a third person) in the interest of the creditor.

A person to whom property is legally committed in trust, to be applied either for the benefit of specified individuals, or for public uses; one who is intrusted with property for the benefit of another; also, a person in whose hands the effects of another are attached in a trustee process.

To commit (property) to the care of a trustee; as, to trustee an estate.

To attach (a debtor's wages, credits, or property in the hands of a third person) in the interest of the creditor.

A person (or institution) to whom legal title to property is entrusted to use for another's benefit

Members of a governing board