OPEN DOOR POLICY: CONSERVATION LABS ON VIEW

CONSERVATION TIPS & TRICKS

BY: SERENA YPELAAR & AMY INTRATOR

Some of the most popular features of many museums are their open conservation labs, in which visitors can see conservators at work (often through glass). It's another nod to visitors' love of behind-the-scenes opportunities, and seeing the process allows a transparency we don't always get in museums. We've compiled a list of some institutions where you can see conservation labs up close!

Royal Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller, Alberta

During the summer, the Royal Tyrrell Museum processes fossils discovered by the archaeological team in the field. Their work is done in the Preparation Lab (formerly the Fossil Lab), which is accessible to visitors in the form of a large glass window. Visitors can watch conservators and archaeologists at work with new fossil discoveries of various sizes and types. Many of the specimens were discovered in the local area in Alberta, such as Dinosaur Provincial Park, which is where the field station is located. Some specimens take up to five years to prepare completely, so the Preparation Lab often has conservators working on long-term projects.

The Fossil Lab in 2007. Source.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA)

Photo courtesy of Amy Intrator.

At the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) the Conservation in Action display allows visitors to see conservators working on artifacts up close and personal. The Conservation in Action Gallery is a space dedicated to displaying the conservation processes undertaken in the gallery, but conservation displays have also been set up in the Asian Painting Gallery and other parts of the Museum.

The conservation displays change with new acquisitions and projects, and the developing display fits into the museum’s larger initiative to merge front-of-house programming with behind-the-scenes access. In addition to the Conservation in Action display, the MFA has displays dedicated to the choices, decisions, and efforts made by Museum staff. From a display about “Making Choices” between displaying different artifacts, to an explanation of classifying processes, the Museum is extremely transparent about processes that are usually kept behind closed doors.

Boston MFA's Making Choices Display. Photo
courtesy of Amy Intrator.

Penn Museum, Philadelphia

The Penn Museum in Philadelphia has displayed their conservation process since 2012, with the opening of In the Artifact Lab: Conserving Egyptian Mummies. In 2017, the lab reopened as The Artifact Lab: Conservation in Action, which now focuses on a variety of artifact conservation. The lab is described as “part exhibition, part working laboratory” and visitors have the opportunity to look into the glass as conservators work on artifacts, but they can also explore objects in the gallery and learn about the conservation process each artifact underwent. The combination of exploration and observation allows visitors to engage in a dialogue about conservation, rather than passively watch conservators at work. The Museum also makes an effort to keep visitors informed and engaged through a blog with information about the Museum’s current and past conservation initiatives. The combination of resources helps the visitor learn about the scientific, artistic, and practical knowledge necessary to properly conserve the museum’s artifacts.


National Trust, Knole House, UK

The Knole Conservation Studio is the first National Trust offering of its kind. Free to all visitors, it is located in Knole House in West Kent and offers an interactive look at the conservation process. Housed in a 15th century barn, the first floor holds a display of historic items laid out and waiting to be conserved. The building's windows have been blocked for preservation against light damage, but a timed lighting system allows visitors to view the conservation area for limited periods. The second floor holds the conservation studio itself, where visitors can watch conservators at work and engage with interactive displays such as drawers. Tours of the space are also available, and conservators and volunteers can answer questions in the space itself. The studio even has UV light box that can illuminate areas of an object that have been restored. It also has an iPad with a decision-making game allowing visitors to "play the conservator".

Knole House, West Kent, UK. Source.

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, Spokane, Washington

The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture has a “working Collections Lab” with a variety of displays and programs that bring visitors behind-the-scenes and into the collections process. While many galleries feature conservation labs that visitors can peek into, this museum features several different programs that allow for a more open dialogue between visitors and museum staff. From an “Artifact Boot Camp” featuring chats with museum staff and volunteers as they work, to a display about the science of decay, there are multiple opportunities for visitors to engage in the collections process. The full and changing display connects the Museum’s dedication to collections stewardship with their commitment to lifelong learning by opening a dialogue between visitors and the museum collection.

The openness of these conservation labs provides an additional level of learning and offers a special glimpse into the work museum professionals - namely conservators and collections managers - do. The transparency of these labs brings an awareness of the importance of preserving these artifacts for the future - have you been to any museums with open conservation labs?

ENJOYING SUMMER'S FINAL MOMENTS

WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAYS

BY: KELLY MANIKOTH

Hello everyone, and welcome to the final edition of What’s Happening Wednesdays for the season. As many of us finish up our internships and summer winds to a close, it’s amazing to see how quickly time has flown by. For my last post, I wanted to highlight events that are outdoors and *mainly* free, occasions that will make the most of the last few carefree weeks of summer.

August is also the perfect opportunity for spur of the moment trips, so this article has a special spotlight on Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Tanya McCullough is completing an internship at the Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology! Tanya gives us the low-down on what to do in the city in a short amount of time. This edition also features programming hosted by Fort Henry Historic Centre, where Dan Rose is an intern.

1. Movies under the Stars

Movies at Christie Pits! Source.

One of my favourite things to do in the summer is to watch movies under a starry sky. This month there are many free outdoor movie spots around the city. Here are some locations with screening dates and times below:

Harbourfront Free Flicks

Watch movies by the water every Wednesday night! The roster of movies are:

My Internship in Canada - August 2
Belle - August 9
How She Move - August 16
Pacific Rim - August 23
Cooking with Stella - August 30

Where: Harbourfront Centre Concert Stage, 235 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON M5J 2G8

When: Every Wednesday night at 9:00 pm

Cost: Free!

Christie Pits Summer Film Festival

Beginning every Sunday at 6:00 pm, food and drink vendors will be present at Christie Pits Park, before a movie will play at sundown (around 9:00 pm). For more information, visit The Christie Pits Film Festival. The movies playing in August are Bring it On (August 6) and West Side Story (August 13). 

Where: The giant hill at Christie Pits Park, 50 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6G 3K4

When: Sundays, Vendors arrive at 6:00 pm, Showings begin at 9:00 pm

Cost: Free!

Under the Stars Regent Park
Outdoor movies at Regent Park are extra special, as there will be yoga classes, DJ workshops, soccer games, and dance classes before the movie starts at sundown. There will also be popcorn and drinks available, with all proceeds going back into the festival. For more information visit Regent Park Film Festival. Here are the list of movies playing in August:

Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na - August 2
The Bicycle Thief - August 9
Hidden Figures - August 16

Where: Regent Park (the Big Park), 620 Dundas St. E.

When: Wednesdays, Activities will vary each week and take place between 7-8:30pm before the film begins at sundown (around 9:00pm)

Cost: Free!

Sail-in-Cinema

This year, the Sail-In Cinema from PortsToronto returns to Sugar Beach from August 17th to 19th. It is Toronto’s largest outdoor movie theatre, where a screen is set up on a barge on the harbour. You can pack a blanket and a picnic to watch the movie on land, or, if you have a boat, you can actually sail in and watch the movie on the waters of Lake Ontario!

The films chosen are Edward Scissorhands, Indiana Jones, and Beauty and the Beast. Visit Sail in Cinema for more info.

Where: Sugar Beach, 25 Dockside Drive, Corus Quay

When: August 17th – 19th. Gates will open at 6:00 p.m. each night with the film starting at approximately 8:45 p.m.

Cost: Free!

2. Enjoy the Sun and Great Music with Free Outdoor Concerts

Another fun and free thing to check out in the city are outdoor concerts! 

Source.

Indulge at David Pecaut Square

Venture out during your lunch break and check out the live music and Farmer’s Market that takes place in front of Roy Thompson Hall every Thursday in August for the ‘Indulge your Senses’ festival. Here is a list of some of the performances scheduled for August:

August 3rd - Xolisa

August 10th - Jim Bryson

August 17th - Elise Lewgrow

August 24th - Maddy Rodrigues

August 31st - Julian Taylor Trio

Where: David Pecaut Square, 55 John Street, near corner of King Street & John Street

When: Every Thursday, 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m

For information, check out the website  here.

Beats, Breaks and Culture

Pop artist Austra, who will perform on August 19th. Source.

Enjoy music from the new and emerging Canadian hip-hop scene! The Beats, Breaks and Culture festival highlights genres of post-rap and electronica, featuring the performers Austra, Dead Obies, and Phèdre. For more information, check out Beats, Breaks and Culture

Where: Harbourfront Centre, Concert Stage, 235 Queens Quay West

When: Friday, August 18, 9:30 – 10:45pm, Sat, August 19, 9:30pm–10:45pm, Sun, August 20, 5:45pm–7:00pm

Cost: Free!

3. Dancing on the Pier

Salsa Dancing on the Harbour! Source.

If you’re looking for something more active to do this summer, why not learn how to dance on Toronto’s waterfront? Enjoy free dance lessons in styles ranging from salsa to big band while listening to live music. For more information on the different dance styles taught and performances taking place on which date, visit Dancing on the Pier

Where: Harbourfront Centre, Canada Square West, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto Ontario

When: Every Thursday in August, from 7:00 – 10:00pm

Cost: Free!

4. Caribana Weekend 2017

Just one of the fabulous costumes seen during the Grande Parade! Source.

Caribana is a festival of Caribbean culture held every year in Toronto. It’s the largest cultural event in Canada, and the largest outdoor festival in North America. This year is extra special as the festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary! The theme of this year’s parade is “Celebrating Our Heritage: From Then to Now”, so the floats, performers, and beautiful costumes will showcase the evolution of Caribbean culture. Some of the different styles of music performed during Caribana are Calypso, Soca, Salsa, Zouk, Reggae, Chutney, Steel Pan and Brass Bands. The Grande Parade takes place the first weekend of August, however many more events occur throughout the month, such as The Lighting of the CN Tower on August 1st, to commemorate the Emancipation of Slavery. To stay updated on the many different events hosted during the month, visit https://carnival.to/

Where: 301 Front Street W.

The Grande Parade begins at Exhibition Place and Lakeshore Boulevard 15 Saskatchewan Road, Toronto, ON

When: Tuesday, August 1st, 2017

The Grande Parade is on Saturday, August 5th, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm at Exhibition Place and Lakeshore Boulevard

Cost: It’s free to view the parade from Lakeshore Boulevard, but admission into Exhibition place is $10 -$20

5. Shakespeare in High Park

Source.

Shakespeare in High Park is in its 35th year, making it the longest-running outdoor theatre event! This year, the two shows featured are King Lear and Twelfth Night. Directed by Alistair Newton and Tanja Jacobs, the Shakespearean classics are modernized and “re-imagined” from a female perspective. For more information on the plays, visit The Canadian Stage

Where: High Park, High Park Amphitheatre, 1873 Bloor Street West

When: King Lear: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday at 8pm (gates open at 6pm)

Twelfth Night: Wednesday, Friday, Sunday at 8pm (gates open at 6pm)

Cost: Pay What You Can at the Park (suggested donation of $20). Children under 14 are free.

$25 advanced reserve seats (Online, https://canadianstage/online/shakespeare or through the Box Office: 416-368-3110)

6. 2167 At the TIFF Bell Lightbox

Still from 'Each Branch Determined'. Source.

2167 is a project developed from the Canada on Screen program, and produced by TIFF, imagineNATIVE, Pinnguaq and the Initiative for Indigenous Futures, where five Indigenous filmmakers and artists have been commissioned to create VR projects envisioning Indigenous life 150 years in the future. The three movies playing at the Lightbox in August are Danis Goulet's The Hunt, Scott Benesiinaabandan's Blueberry Pie Under the Martian Sky, and Postcommodity's Each Branch Determined. The remaining works will premiere during imagineNATIVE in October, also at the TIFF Lightbox.

Canada on Screen is co-produced by Library and Archives Canada, the Cinémathèque québécoise, and The Cinematheque in Vancouver, and is made possible by presenting partners the Government of Canada, the Royal Bank of Canada, and the Government of Ontario, and supporting partner Telefilm Canada. For more information on the movies, filmmakers and the Canada on Screen program, visit http://www.tiff.net/events/project-2167-vr-exhibition/

Where: 350 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3X5

When: Thursday, August 3rd – 6th, 12:00 – 6:00 pm, and August 10th – 13th

Cost: Free! No ticket is required, attendance is on a drop-in basis, first-come, first-served.

7. Explore Fort Henry Historic Site with a unique hands-on experience

The Garrison Parade at Fort Henry. Source.

Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it’s totally worth the trip to Kingston to check Fort Hnenry out! To learn more about Fort Henry and its history, visit forthenry.com

While there, be sure to attend the “Curator’s Curiosities Program”. This hands-on program gives visitors a sneak-peek into the tasks a museum worker undertakes to ensure objects are properly conserved, stored and displayed, while also allowing for some of the interesting or rarely-seen artefacts in Fort Henry’s collection to be shown to the public. Rather than a guide playing the role of a soldier in the British Army of 1867, “Curator’s Curiosities” remains in the modern world, showing how the items crafted during the period represented at Fort Henry are preserved to this day.

Where: 1 Fort Henry Drive, Kingston, ON, K7K 5G8

When: The program runs for 20 minutes every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.

Cost: General Admission is $20, and Senior and Youth admission is $18

8. An Excursion to Philly! 

In West Philadelphia born and raised.....Source

Only an hour flight from Toronto, a visit to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the perfect way to end off summer. The city is full of history, culture and museums! From the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the new Museum of the American Revolution, the National Constitutional Center, Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Hall, Betsy Ross House, the Barnes Fine Art Museum, the Rodin Museum, The Franklin Institute, the Mütter Museum of medical oddities, the African American Museum, Ben Franklin’s House, and the Independence Seaport Museum there is plenty to take in. For a full list of museums, visit visitphilly.com

The beautiful Penn Museum. Source.

A special museum to check out is The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum) on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, which was founded by Ben Franklin in 1740. Penn Museum is currently having a Summer Nights Concert Series. The series has been running for six years, taking place on Wednesday evenings. Concerts are held in the Museum's outdoor Stoner Courtyard, offering an urban green space with lush gardens, a marble fountain, and a peace bench designed by the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. There is also an open bar and food! Between music sets, you can explore the exhibitions through mini docent-led tours. A few new exhibitions currently on display are The Moundbuilders – Ancient Architects of North America, Magic in the Ancient World, and Cultures in Crossfire. Read more about the exhibitions here.

Where: Penn Museum, 3260 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104

When: Wednesdays from 5:00 – 8:00 PM.

Cost: General admission for guests ages 6 and up is $10 (includes Museum admission), and free for children under 6 and Museum members.

Tanya, who is currently interning at the Penn Museum, highlights other must-see spots if you’re visiting Philly for one week:

The first thing to do is visit Philadelphia’s picturesque historic district, spanning from the Delaware River to 7th Street and from Vine Street to Lombard Street. Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States, so get a full dose of American history and visit the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall along with the Museum of the American Revolution and the National Constitutional Center. Check out Elfreth’s Alley, which is the oldest continuously lived on street, and be sure to stop over at its house museum, the Elfreth’s Alley Museum House. 

Liberty Bell. Source.

Next, visit Spruce Street Harbor Park near the Delaware River. It has food shacks, beer cabins, and a beautiful view of the beachfront. Along the riverfront is the Independence Seaport Museum, where you can visit a nineteenth century iron ship and a real submarine. Venture to the other side of the river to tour a WWII battle ship or go to the Adventure Aquarium.

Rocky running up the steps of the Philly Museum of Art! Source.

Then, you have to visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art and take a picture with Rocky’s statue at the base of the “Rocky Steps”! If you have time, see the Mütter Museum, which has a slew of fascinating medical oddities on display.

To relax, hang out in Rittenhouse Square, which is a park in the middle of the city, lined with restaurants and shops. At various times, there will be a farmer’s market, an art exhibition or music in the park. One’s visit to Philadelphia is not complete without visiting the Reading Terminal market (pronounced Red-ding), and trying the infamous Philadelphia Cheesesteaks at one of the vendors!

Source

This year there were so many celebrations, new experiences, and commemorations, that summer seems to have had an early demise. Rather than lamenting the end of summer, however, get outside and make the most of its last moments; creating memories which will propel us forward to seek more connections, learn new things and start school with rejuvenated and clear minds.

MMSt 2017 INTERNSHIPS: PART FIVE

INTERNSHIP CHECK-IN

BY: TABITHA CHAN

Hi everyone! This is the last internship check-in post. Can you believe it? I hope everyone has enjoyed learning about other students' internships. For those of you who are nearing the end of your experiences - make the most of the time you have left!

Today's post features:

Susan Jama: Toronto Ward Museum - Toronto, ON
Maeghan Jerry: Aurora Museum & Archives - Aurora, ON
Cassy Kist: Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History - Washington, DC
Tanya McCullough: Penn Museum - Philadelphia, PA
Emily Welsh: Ontario Science Centre - Toronto, ON

Describe what a typical day is like for you at your institution. What are some of your main duties and responsibilities?

Susan: Part of my daily routine, I begin my day with checking in my workback plan or Ganett chart to check the expected due dates of my assigned tasks. My primary responsibilities and duties include managing TWM’s social media, performing administrative tasks, curatorial research, providing public programming support, organizing the Block by Block Party and leading Programming Committee meeting.

Maeghan: Days at AM&A have been really varied. June was a really busy month for us, with the launch of our website, the opening of our summer exhibit, and the launch of an online exhibit with an associated community event hosted by us, on top of the usual responsibilities of the museum and archives. I am usually one of the first people into the office, so I try to do desk work for the first hour of my day (brainstorming and writing for our weekly column in the local paper, researching for reference requests, etc.). Then depending on what’s a priority that day or week I might be working anywhere: accessioning materials in the office, inventorying and reorganizing in the collections rooms, monitoring the environment in off-site storage locations, installing temporary or seasonal exhibits on and off-site, or working in the archives. I also sometimes attend meetings relating to projects I’m working on or record-keeping and records management at the Town of Aurora (a “bonus” to supplement my learning in the Masters of Information program).

Cassy: Every day can be a little different which keeps me on my toes! The Academic Resource Center Office (ARC), where I am based, handles all the museum’s academic appointments. My main responsibilities are to facilitate a smooth on-boarding and exiting experience for the museum’s interns and fellows, but also to serve as source of support throughout their placement. Specifically, I hold orientation sessions on a weekly basis for new appointees and assist in aspects of their security clearance. Near their appointment end date, I am responsible for holding exit meetings and doing informal program evaluations. As part of the ARC team, I also assist my team members to coordinate and conduct behind the scenes tours of collections and projects within the museum. As a team, through orientation sessions, tours and events, we help create a sense of community for interns and fellows in the museum.

Tanya: The Penn Museum is in the midst of renovating many of its permanent galleries. I am assisting the curatorial team that is redeveloping the museum’s Canaan and Israel Gallery. At this early stage in the project, the curators are interested in knowing what exactly the museum has in its collections and what stories they can tell based on those objects. On any given day, therefore, I am either rummaging through the shelves in storage for relevant artifacts, photographing those objects, updating the museum’s database (EMu), sitting in on curatorial meetings, or doing research about groups of artifacts in the museum’s library. Every summer, the Penn Museum hosts a summer internship program, and I’ve been able to tag along during gallery and storage tours with the Curators and Keepers as well as attend presentations by staff from each sectional department. This has given me a good overview of the workings of the museum.

Emily:  Please forgive the cliché but there is no typical day for me at the OSC, and I am beginning to believe this is true of all museums. The only constancy here seems to be the daily routine of checking your email account to accept meeting requests. My title at the OSC is “Artifacts Intern” and the majority of my responsibilities fall under Collections Management. Yes, you heard that right, the OSC does have a collection. Our main project has been an inventory and reorganization of the collection, increasing the care given to the objects as we go along. I have also been fortunate to participate in content research for the refresh of a permanent gallery. Although I have these main projects, challenges arise and new projects prop up, making no day quite like the others.

Susan at Toronto Ward Museum's "Not Just Numbers" event in Ottawa at the Global Centre for Pluralism.

What is something you have learned (this could be museums related or not) in your internship so far?

Susan: Co-developing public programs with migrant communities is often not discussed in class. So to be able to relate to what I’ve learned in class is difficult. In class, we learn about working with objects, not with people. This is usually with the assumption that we would work in a mid to large sized museum in the future. Although many museums focus on different aspects of human migration using objects as a medium to convey stories of human migration, very few museums focus on working with human storytellers. I enjoy working with the stories of the people because there is so much one can learn and benefit from.

Maeghan: Both my experience with the Zoo strike and my time at AM&A have really emphasized the importance of being flexible and open to changing your plans. With school I like to really immerse myself in one project and focus on finishing that before moving onto something else, but that isn’t possible in a small museum. There are so many things happening at once, and everyone is juggling their own schedules daily to make sure that we can finish what needs to get done. It also pays when we run into challenges, which were especially frequent during the installation of the current exhibit, Aurora Canada’s Birthday Town. Being able to let go of plans when they didn’t work out allowed us to move forward quickly and find solutions.

Cassy: In regards to the larger institutional picture, I have learned how vitally important museums can be in expanding fields of research and science by creating an academic ladder for blossoming scientists and museum professionals. I have also learned through coordinating intern tours and orientation sessions that cross-communication with individuals in different departments is necessary to create excellent academic programs.

Tanya:  This may seem self-evident, but what I have learned so far is how much work goes into creating a new permanent gallery! Developing a permanent gallery is, in some ways, a museum’s way of going back to the drawing board. It is a chance for the museum to revisit its collections, freshen up the gallery themes, incorporate new research, and make the museum relevant for a new generation. Since a gallery may remain the same for twenty years or more, there is a lot of pressure to get it right. This means that every effort is taken to create the right themes, chose the perfect artifacts, argue over the right word on a label, and present it all in a fun and informative way. Before this internship, I don’t think I fully understood the effort that went into re-designing a permanent gallery or the high stakes that were involved.

Emily: How to fold a box! Increasing the care for objects in the collection has required the folding of many boxes. Sometimes they come with instructions, often times they do not. It has taken practice to be able to look at a flat box, figure out how it goes together and do it quickly. We joke this would be one of the tasks we would have if we ever created our own Museum/Art Handling Olympics.

Maeghan installing vinyl wall panels for a summer exhibit at Aurora Museum & Archives.

What is something that has surprised you about museums that you did not know before working in a real one?

Susan: What surprised me is TWM’s earnest willingness to work with migration stories, since not many museums work with migration stories and actively collaborate with the storytellers. At TWM, the ideas presented by the communities are prioritized during the developmental process of public programs. As a community-engaged and migration museum, the exhibitions and programs are developed around migration stories and storytelling. As a result, the Ward Museum provides a public platform to the voices of Canadian newcomers. All of the Ward’s public programs are developed around migration as a premise. The public programs are not just developed by the museum staff but also are co-developed by the communities the Ward serves and works with. I feel that this is something museums do not often do. They create the public programs first and then involve the people, whereas this is a reserve process for TWM. The core principle the Ward Museum emphasizes is inclusion.

Maeghan: I am endlessly impressed by the amount that can be accomplished by a small team. Up until April, my supervisor was the only employee of the museum. Since then, the team has grown to include a second permanent employee, a full-time summer student, a part-time summer student, and me. Even with this growth, we have work coming out of our ears! I have no idea how the curator got so much done on her own.

Cassy:  It has been a pleasant surprise to witness the passion that the Natural History Museum staff and researchers come to work with seemingly everyday. Their dedication and willingness to share is truly inspiring.

Tanya: Although not a surprise, the biggest adjustment for me when dealing with archaeological collections in museums is to remember that these pieces will be put on display. This means that only the “best examples” of any group of objects, such as, for instance, whole ceramic vessels or metal objects with little corrosion, will do for display purposes. What will be put on display and, consequently, what stories will be told, will depend on the vagaries of the state of preservation of any given archaeological context! Rather than thinking about the objects as a collective whole, I need to remind myself to treat the artifacts like individual pieces of art with their own unique histories.

Emily: I feel like I must have known this was true, but I never genuinely realized the extent to which building an exhibition or permanent gallery is a team effort until being part of a project at the OSC. There are so many details and considerations that go into building an exhibition that I had never realized before from my perspective as a visitor or a Museum Studies student. Building a team that has a diverse set of skills to complete all of the tasks required is essential, as well as having a project manager adept at keeping the project on track and ensuring the outputs of the group form a coherent end-product.

Cassy in the rotunda of the Museum of Natural History with Henry the elephant!

What is an obstacle you have faced during your internship and how did you overcome it?

Susan: Emails! Emails! Emails! Putting a professional email draft together was difficult at first. When I put an email together, I always ask myself, does the email contain all of the necessary information? Is it polite? Is it professional? So…..at what point in my email relationships can I use my signature smiley face emoji? The few times I’ve drafted an email, I’ve asked my supervisor to check before I send the email to project partners and team members. But now, I’m pro in emails!

Maeghan: Seeing my internship with the Toronto Zoo fall apart when CUPE Local 1600 went on strike was easily the hardest thing that I have dealt with this summer. I was really excited to spend my summer surrounded by animals. I had also built my summer plans around the timeline and work schedule I had negotiated with the Zoo. Finding a new internship halfway through May was a daunting task, and has created a lot of annoying repercussions in my academic and personal life, but I am ultimately satisfied with the way things worked out. I am learning so much from AM&A, and have had the opportunity to engage with a really broad range of functions in the museum and the archives. If I could go back and make a different decision, I would apply to AM&A from the very beginning!

Cassy: I found it difficult to be away from loved ones during my internship.

Tanya: I was once a student at the University of Pennsylvania and spent many, many days in the Penn Museum library. Some of the Museum staff and curators have only known me as a student. So, one of the things I’ve had to overcome is the perception of me as a student (to myself and others) and to think of myself as a museum professional in training. Some simple ways I overcame this perception was to dress up every day, approach people as equals, ask to participate in meetings, reach out to staff I did not know previously, and to treat my internship as a 9 to 5 job.

Emily: My Microsoft Excel skills were definitely a little rusty at the beginning and still today there are many functions I don’t know about the program! Building spreadsheets is an important part of Collections Management in my opinion, as Excel easily allows you to organize data. Understanding where to turn for help, whether that be Google or your most proficient desk mate in the case of Excel woes, is key to overcoming any obstacle.

Tanya in action at Penn Museum.

What are some suggestions/advice you would give to a future intern who is hypothetically starting their internship in the same role as you?

Susan: Don’t be shy to ask questions! Be assertive! Know your limits before saying yes to everything! And most of all, enjoy the learning process.

Maeghan: Be open to trying anything that’s offered to you! I started my internship hoping to build my experience in collections management, and that has certainly happened. But I’ve taken an “I’ll give it a shot!” attitude to everything AM&A has offered to me, and I’ve learned so much, both in terms of how to do things, but also in terms of what I do and don’t like. Communication in my institution is really open, so it’s not hard for me to try something and then at the end of the task say, “I don’t think this is for me,” and ask to do something else. And of course, along with the “something I learned,” stay flexible!

Cassy: For future interns whose placement is out of the country, I recommend keeping busy, remember why you're doing your internship and understand that now is the best time and place to make friends and connections. Go out for drinks with your co-workers and if there are socials at your museum or institution be sure to attend!

Tanya: Take advantage of every opportunity offered to meet new people, go on behind-the-scenes tours of different parts of the museum, and attend presentations on various topics. You’ll learn so much about the culture and history of the museum. Also, don’t be afraid to ask to participate in meetings or to take on a new task. People are generally happy to teach you – and remember, you’re helping them too!

Emily: Buff up on your artifact handling skills and packaging skills. A large part of my internship has been moving artifacts and packaging them to increase their care. Knowing how best to pick up and move an object is key as well as learning how to give the best care you can to the object with the archival materials at hand or within your means. Additionally, something I hope to do more of and would suggest to anyone else entering this collections management internship, is reading as much of the CCI’s Agents of Deterioration and preservation notes as you can. Knowing how a variety of material types will age & deteriorate and the preventive measures we can take is key to any collections management role.

Emily taking a desk selfie!

What’s your passion?

Susan: My passion is to give a voice to the people who were systemically excluded from museum settings. To work with migration stories and empower the storytellers, by telling them your migration story matters!

Maeghan: So vague! In relation to my program at the iSchool, I’m really interested in convergence of libraries, archives, and museums as information institutions. I also love organizing things, researching, and baking. This summer has also highlighted my tendency to wear black, which shows all the dirt and dust I inevitably come across in the basement corners of the historic building the museum is housed in.

Cassy: I am passionate about the potential museums hold for benefiting the public and academia. I love sharing the knowledge that a collection can hold and the stories they can tell, whether that is with academic appointees or with the public.  

Tanya: My passion is archaeology, history, and working with material culture. Sometimes, in storage, I just touch interesting artifacts, just because I can! I guess it’s a bit cliché, but the reason I love handling artifacts is because, when you do, you are “touching history.” My job as a museum professional, as I see it, is to transmit the awe and excitement I feel about an artifact to the museum-going public so that people can feel the same emotions too.

Emily: Science! I feel like anyone in the program who knows me would hear me saying this exclamation way too often. Although my background is in life and medical sciences, I am especially interested in how objects from all disciplines can be used to communicate scientific concepts to audiences and to build a variety of skills in visitors. Through this internship I have reinforced a belief that I can best aid this mission by providing collections management care to scientific collections and balancing the need for preservation and use of these objects.

Thank you Susan, Maeghan, Cassy, Tanya and Emily for participating in these interviews for our last internship check-in. I've really enjoyed getting to compile these chats and to see how unique each internship experience has been. See everyone in a few weeks when classes begin!