Internship Title: Museum Collections Intern
Supervising Division/Department/Site: Historic Sites Division
Semester Internship is Available: Fall/Spring/Summer
Work Location Address: 9013 Tuscany Way, Austin, TX 78754
Duration: To be determined (Can be semester based or as needed for project)
Application Closing Date: Until Filled
Hours/Week: At 8 hours per week;. Hours available: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:30am-3:00pm.
Travel Required: No
INTERNSHIP JOB DESCRIPTION:
Interns would be working at the Texas Historical Commission's Curatorial Facility in Austin, directly under the guidance of our full-time Chief Curator. This semester the museum collections intern will be introduced to museum collections care, with an emphasis on preservation of historic archives collections. The project is to preserve and document historic scrapbooks from Landmark Inn State Historic Site. The scrapbooks belonged to Ruth Lawler, a prominent Texas preservationist and Castroville resident and span 1951-1985. The scrapbooks chronicle Lawler’s campaign to raise awareness of the Landmark Inn’s local and state significance. They also document cultural events and Castroville residents’ tireless efforts to preserve the town’s Alsatian origins and heritage.
The curatorial facility is four miles north of downtown Austin and opened in 2010. The facility contains freestanding vault and warehouse storage, and a spatious and well-lit laboratory space for processing artifacts and a developing research library. The internship would also include field trips to Texas A&M’s conservation research lab and possibly some site visits.
Complies with all agency Internship Program Policies and Procedures.
EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED:
- Reviewing basics of archives preservation and documentation
- Digital scanning of pages within each historic scrapbook
- Documentation of keywords and themes within each scrapbook
- Interleaving acid-free tissue between pages
- Writing a short article on a topic that springs from the project
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
Demonstrated interest in museum collections and their care. Intern need not have had object handling experience, ability to research and write an article for publication. ability to work on one's own, ability to take direction, willingess to ask questions.
GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS:
Applicants should be enrolled at an institution of higher learning seeking an undergraduate degree. Intern must be committed to cultural resource collections management with a background in history, museum studies, fine arts/ art history or related experience. Graduate students are also welcome.
Bus service to the facility isn’t very good, access to a car, or another mode of transportation may be needed.
REMARKS (Application procedure, Special requirements): Applications must be submitted on the Texas Historical Commission’s Internship Application available on the web at www.thc.texas.gov. Please mail applications to P.O. Box 12276, Austin, Texas 78711 or deliver them in person at 1700 N. Congress Avenue, Suite B-65, Austin, Texas. A resume and current transcript must be submitted with your application. Resumes cannot be submitted in lieu of applications. Applications will be reviewed, and top applicants will be contacted for interviews. After a qualified person has been chosen for the specified internship, letters will be mailed to all interviewed applicants letting them know that the position has been filled. Disability access for application submission, testing and interview accommodations can be provided upon reasonable notice.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER
