General Internship

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Purpose

• To introduce high school and college students to a career choice in the humanities by participating in multifaceted, meaningful, and energetic museum work.

• To learn about historic preservation, by working with the collections and buildings of the museum’s properties, and the history of Southampton using available reference material.

• To actively engage critical thinking and problem-solving skills in real world scenarios

 

Background Interests

Student should have had classes or an interest in one or more of the following disciplines:

• History

• Education

• Art History

• Studio Arts

• Graphic Arts

• Museum Studies

• Communication

• Historic Preservation

• Humanities

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Museum Activities

Students will be assigned to one or more of the following based on their talents and interests. Internships will provide the student with the opportunity to develop practical skills in a museum environment, to receive routine and instructive feedback on their work, and to learn how small local museums operate with an “all hands-on deck” attitude.

 

Collections Assistant

Catalogue museum objects and enter data into PastPerfect, the museum’s collections management software. Track incoming acquisitions and participate in inventory of our large object collection.

 

Curatorial Assistant

Under the supervision of the Museum Staff, the Curatorial Intern will assist with coordinating current and future exhibitions. Assist in developing and mounting exhibitions. Learn standard museum practices for preserving museum objects.

 

Docent 

Conduct tours of museum buildings while keeping aware of security problems. Learn about and serve as source of specialized information on the Rogers Mansion, Halsey House, and the history of Southampton to museum visitors and students using the collection, buildings, and available reference material. 

 

Public Relations

Greet and welcome museum visitors upon their arrival. Answer telephone calls and inquiries from visitors about the museum’s programs, membership, and the museum’s properties. Create promotional materials and distribute them to local businesses and organizations.

 

Education Assistant

Assist the Education Committee in conducting school programs and workshops. Aid in the development of new programs for children, families, and adults.

           

Administration Assistant

Assist in general office duties including mailings, computer data entry, filing, etc.

 

Required skills

• Interest in American history

• Team worker comfortable working with a variety of people

• Be comfortable speaking to large and small groups of people of all ages

• Friendly and cheerful personality

• Deal skillfully with diverse visitors under a variety of circumstances

• Physically fit to climb stairs, lift moderately heavy boxes, give tours out-of-doors, and conduct maintenance duties

 

 

Terms

• Weekly hours are dependent on the Intern's wants and needs (suggested times are 3 days a week from 10am to 4pm)

• Select Saturdays will be mandatory throughout the Summer

• Only unpaid Internships are available

• Immediate supervisor is the Assistant Director

• Summer Internships are available June to September

• Other times of the year are possible depending on scheduling of prospective interns and museum staff

 

How to Apply

Please send a resume and a cover letter stating your interest and skills to our Executive Director Sarah Kautz at skautz@southamptonhistory.org. Please indicate which internship(s) you have an interest in.