diff --git a/code/game/objects/structures/displaycase.dm b/code/game/objects/structures/displaycase.dm
index 2df9ca60a26..d404bb10692 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/structures/displaycase.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/structures/displaycase.dm
@@ -256,6 +256,8 @@
 	var/trophy_message = ""
 	var/placer_key = ""
 	var/added_roundstart = TRUE
+	var/is_locked = TRUE
+
 	alert = TRUE
 	integrity_failure = 0
 
@@ -278,8 +280,16 @@
 	if(!user.Adjacent(src)) //no TK museology
 		return
 
-	if(!(user.mind && user.mind.assigned_role == "Curator"))
-		to_chat(user, "<span class='danger'>You're not sure how to work this. Maybe you should ask the curator for help.</span>")
+	if(user.is_holding_item_of_type(/obj/item/key/displaycase))
+		if(added_roundstart)
+			is_locked = !is_locked
+			to_chat(user, "You [!is_locked ? "un" : ""]lock the case.")
+		else
+			to_chat(user, "<span class='danger'>The lock is stuck shut!</span>")
+		return
+
+	if(is_locked)
+		to_chat(user, "<span class='danger'>The case is shut tight with an old fashioned physical lock. Maybe you should ask the curator for the key?</span>")
 		return
 
 	if(!added_roundstart)
@@ -336,6 +346,10 @@
 		else
 			..()
 
+/obj/item/key/displaycase
+	name = "display case key"
+	desc = "The key to the curator's display cases."
+
 /obj/item/showpiece_dummy
 	name = "Cheap replica"
 
diff --git a/code/modules/jobs/job_types/civilian.dm b/code/modules/jobs/job_types/civilian.dm
index 3561e0e60cd..7ae392e55a9 100644
--- a/code/modules/jobs/job_types/civilian.dm
+++ b/code/modules/jobs/job_types/civilian.dm
@@ -137,11 +137,12 @@ Curator
 	belt = /obj/item/device/pda/curator
 	uniform = /obj/item/clothing/under/rank/curator
 	l_hand = /obj/item/weapon/storage/bag/books
-	r_pocket = /obj/item/weapon/barcodescanner
+	r_pocket = /obj/item/key/displaycase
 	l_pocket = /obj/item/device/laser_pointer
 	backpack_contents = list(
 		/obj/item/weapon/melee/curator_whip = 1,
-		/obj/item/soapstone = 1
+		/obj/item/soapstone = 1,
+		/obj/item/weapon/barcodescanner = 1
 	)