Museum History and Curator Intern

Environment for the Americas•San Francisco, CA

4d•$640•Hybrid

About The Position

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) Museum Program is seeking an intern to assist with the numerous responsibilities associated with maintaining the park’s large and wide-ranging collection. Working as part of a dedicated team, the intern will have the opportunity to learn about and participate in a highly diverse work environment alongside other museum professionals. This internship will include learning and implementing professional standards for museum care, maintenance, and management. The incumbent will gain knowledge of the requirements and policies the NPS must follow to acquire and process objects into the permanent museum collection. Outreach opportunities will demonstrate how museum and archival collections are used to interpret and preserve the park’s history, as well as how the Museum Program motivates the public and park staff to continue researching their own interests in history. This internship will be primarily onsite with some virtual work that may be completed from home under certain circumstances.

Requirements

Coursework or a major in History, Archival Studies, Museum Studies, or a related field.
Enthusiasm for working with a dedicated team to maintain museum standards
Desire to learn and develop skills in preservation
High attention to detail
Ability to work independently after receiving direction
Adaptable to changing situations and able to solve problems effectively
Energetic and self-motivated
Customer service skills
Good communication skills and respect for others
Knowledge of basic Microsoft Office and photo editing software
Must be comfortable with prolonged sitting and standing
Must be comfortable climbing ladders to retrieve collections, as necessary
Ability to lift, carry, and position items weighing up to 50 pounds
Ability to move or lift potentially heavy or awkward objects
Will work primarily indoors, often in areas with no natural light
May work with potentially dangerous collections containing biological contamination such as mold, insects, or vermin, requiring the use of provided protective dust masks and/or clothing
Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident
Be between the ages of 18 - 30 (35 if a veteran)
Undergo a background check if selected
Have a valid driver’s license to operate a government vehicle
Have access to a personal vehicle, which is recommended for this position

Responsibilities

Conduct inventories of items and update collections records with current data
Assist with environmental and Integrated Pest Management duties
Learn the fundamentals of rehousing and storing various materials appropriately based on their condition
Collaborate with park and museum staff to develop temporary and long-term exhibits
Participate in outreach events such as open houses, park events that include small exhibits, and staff orientations
Learn the processes for making collections available and accessible to the public through various media and methods
Support archives staff by investigating patrons’ research questions and fulfilling copy and scan requests
Assist with the cataloging and processing of collections to make them available for research
Perform background research on current or potential collection items, as requested
Work with museum staff to ensure that all elements of the collections are documented properly and according to professional standards
Become familiar with the National Park Service (NPS) policies regarding museum collections
Contribute to group projects including transcribing handwritten documents to improve accessibility and auditing oral histories for accuracy and standardization