Coffee With the Curator: Cabinets, Museums, and the Stories We Keep
Thursday, August 21, 2025 | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Tickets: $4 +tax, Free for Museum Members
Join us every third Thursday of every month at 9:00 AM for Coffee With the Curator at the Museum of World Treasures!
Event Details
- Date: Thursday, August 21, 2025
- Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Location: Museum of World Treasures [Get Directions]
Program Fee
- Museum Members: Free
- Non-Members: $4 per person plus tax
Attending Information
- Open to all ages
- No need to register; simply walk in!
- Light refreshments provided.
Talk Summary
The Curious Connection: Cabinets, Museums, and the Stories We Keep
In this interactive talk, museum director and curator Vivian Zavataro explores the history and legacy of cabinets of curiosities. Also known as “wonder rooms,” these eclectic collections are known to be the precursors of the modern museum. Emerged during the Renaissance, cabinets of curiosities were displays of wealth, knowledge, and status, offering a microcosmic view of the world while reflecting on our impulse to collect and share stories. Drawing connections between historical examples, contemporary museums, and our own personal collections, this talk reflects on how we engage with objects and what they can reveal about us.
Speaker Bio - Vivian Zavataro
Vivian Zavataro is the Executive and Creative Director of the Ulrich Museum of Art. She is a museologist who specializes in contemporary art, community engagement, and audience-centric curatorial practices. Prior to her leadership roles, Zavataro worked at different capacities at renowned arts organizations, such as documenta in Kassel, Germany, the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, NV, SFMOMA in San Francisco, CA, and the J. Paul Getty Foundation in Los Angeles, CA. Her exhibitions have been funded by major national entities, such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Terra Foundation for American Art. She holds a Master’s in Heritage and Museum Studies from the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, a Master’s in Advanced Studies in Curating from the Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland and is currently pursuing her PhD in Practice in Curating at the University of Reading, United Kingdom.