How do you become a curator? What exactly do you do with artifacts? Which artifact do you wish could talk?

You can ask these questions and more during the tenth annual Ask a Curator Day on Wednesday, September 16! We’re excited to take part in this global event in which staff members from members from museums, galleries, historic sites, and more will be answering questions about their work throughout the day. Join us on Facebook Live for Q&A sessions with:

• 10:00 a.m. – Charles E. Bethea, the Museum’s Andrew W. Mellon Director of Collections and Curatorial Affairs. He is responsible for overseeing all curatorial activities, provides an overall curatorial vision and direction, and prioritizes all work in the department. In addition, Bethea provides direction for the Museum’s collecting agenda, including new acquisitions and deaccessions and the development of new exhibitions. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing, woodcarving, and playing video games with his two boys. 

• 2:00 p.m. – Peter T. Alter, the Museum’s Chief Historian and Director of the Studs Terkel Center for Oral History. He works on exhibitions and online projects and teaches in DePaul University’s public history program. Alter also develops new Museum oral history projects in collaboration with community partners to promote oral history as a tool of social justice. One recent example is the Chicago Muslim Oral History Project, which served as the interpretive backbone of the exhibition American Medina: Stories of Muslim Chicago. When he’s not conducting oral histories, he enjoys cooking, baking, and eating. 

Talks will run about 30–45 minutes. We look forward to seeing you! Learn more.