preparator
noun
pre·par·a·tor pri-ˈper-ə-tər 
pri-ˈpa-rə-tər
: one that prepares
specifically : a person who prepares scientific specimens or museum displays
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Tynsky’s horse, with the limestone coating carefully cleaned off by a preparator, quickly attracted a $1 million offer, rumored to be from the Field Museum. 
Richard Conniff, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Aug. 2022 Michael Schmauder, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s lead preparator, created a copy of Apple Corps’ front door. Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 14 May 2022 Alison Douglas, an artist, and preparator at the Queensland Museum created an illustration of the prehistoric sea scorpion. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 23 Feb. 2022 Now retired, Adams was a longtime LACMA preparator, tasked with collection care and art installation. Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2021 In 1959, Cohen took a civil service exam to be a preparator — someone who sets up and tears down installations — at the Oakland Art Gallery (later merged into OMCA). Sam Whiting, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 July 2021 The next day, Hodnett met with Tom Suazo, the museum’s fossil preparator, who showed him several other fossils that paleontologists had found nearby. Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Apr. 2021 Local preparator Margarito González González, the only Mexican co-author on the paper, cleaned and prepared the fossil. Rodrigo Pérez Ortega, Science | AAAS, 15 Apr. 2021 The center employs 64 stockkeepers, a media preparator, a kitchen assistant and five dishwashing personnel. Star Tribune, 25 Dec. 2020 See More
Richard Conniff, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Aug. 2022 Michael Schmauder, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s lead preparator, created a copy of Apple Corps’ front door. Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 14 May 2022 Alison Douglas, an artist, and preparator at the Queensland Museum created an illustration of the prehistoric sea scorpion. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 23 Feb. 2022 Now retired, Adams was a longtime LACMA preparator, tasked with collection care and art installation. Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2021 In 1959, Cohen took a civil service exam to be a preparator — someone who sets up and tears down installations — at the Oakland Art Gallery (later merged into OMCA). Sam Whiting, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 July 2021 The next day, Hodnett met with Tom Suazo, the museum’s fossil preparator, who showed him several other fossils that paleontologists had found nearby. Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Apr. 2021 Local preparator Margarito González González, the only Mexican co-author on the paper, cleaned and prepared the fossil. Rodrigo Pérez Ortega, Science | AAAS, 15 Apr. 2021 The center employs 64 stockkeepers, a media preparator, a kitchen assistant and five dishwashing personnel. Star Tribune, 25 Dec. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
early Scots preparatore, borrowed from Late Latin praeparātor, from Latin praeparāre "to prepare" + -tor, agent suffix
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above