Exhibit Internship (Shadows-on-the-Teche)

PROJECT SUMMARY

The Shadows-on-the-Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana, is a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization that protects significant places representing our diverse cultural experience by taking direct action and inspiring broad public support.

Situated on the ancestral land of the Atakapas-Ishak and Chitimacha peoples, “The Shadows” is an antebellum home and former site of enslavement. Today, the property is open to the public and the experiences of those who occupied the site, both free and enslaved, are shared through tours and public programming.

As part of its “Timeless Fashion” program series, The Shadows is developing an exhibit featuring textiles from its collection. The exhibit will run from August to December in the Shadows Visitor Center. The Exhibit Intern will assist the Executive Director and Public Historian in developing the textile exhibit. This work will include inventorying and assessing textiles in the collection, rehousing and photographing objects as needed, and updating catalogue records in Re:discovery Proficio, the collections management system utilized by the National Trust, and selecting textiles for the exhibit. In addition, the Exhibit Intern will assist in developing and installing the exhibit, which will include writing interpretive panels and object labels, creating mounts, and placing textiles on mannequins.

National Trust internships are temporary experiential learning opportunities with no expectation of employment at the conclusion of the internship.

For this internship, the National Trust is offering a stipend of $4,000 to help offset expenses. The period of the internship would be from approximately June 1 – July 24, for approximately 28 hours per week (some flexibility of schedule available).

DUTIES

• Assess and inventory the Shadows textile collection
• Rehouse and photograph textiles, as needed
• Update catalogue record in Re:discovery
• Assist in writing interpretive panels and object labels
• Create mounts, as needed, for exhibited objects
• Assist in installing the textile exhibit

EDUCATIONAL VALUE TO THE INTERN

The intern will gain experience under the mentorship of respected preservation and museum professionals, in an educational setting at one of the nation’s premier historic house museums. The intern will also have the opportunity to participate in educational programming offered via the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s organization-wide internship program. Students may also be eligible for college or graduate school academic credit at the discretion of their institution.

Specifically, the intern will gain knowledge in the following areas:

• Care and handling of objects
• Re:discovery Proficio database functions
• Exhibit design, development, and installation

At the end of the project the intern will have produced a complete, temporary exhibit on textiles which can be added to their professional portfolio in support of their future career pursuits.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Basic analytical and problem-solving skills, including issue identification and prioritization. Basic project-organization skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to collaborate and achieve results with supervision, including ability to interact professionally with key internal and external stakeholders as needed. Public contact and ability to work successfully in close proximity to others required.
• Strong organizational skills required, with ability to prioritize, multi-task efficiently, and meet deadlines in a timely fashion
• Ability to adapt and be flexible in a dynamic work environment. Ability to work effectively with frequent interruptions required. Able to handle frequently changing and/or unscheduled tasks with accuracy.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills. Friendly and professional demeanor on the phone and in writing, with ability to speak and write clearly in English. Bi-lingual language skills are a plus.
• Ability to work effectively with culturally diverse colleagues; connections to or experience helping to engage culturally diverse audiences and partners a plus. Bi-lingual language skills (especially English/Spanish and English/French) a plus.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products required, including Outlook, Word and Excel. Familiarity with Re:discovery Proficio a plus.
• Ability to work effectively in an office environment, maintaining productivity and communications to meet deadlines and goals is required.
• Be able to work 28 hours per week.
• Regular and reliable attendance required.
• Bachelor’s level studies (or equivalent years of experience) required; current or rising juniors, seniors or graduate students preferred. Studies or demonstrated interest in related museums, collections, exhibits, preferred.