Powell Museum Studies Internship

$1,000 Stipend

This position is not eligible for employee benefits.

Internship Summary:  The Powell Museum Studies Intern will gain hands on collection management experience in an accredited museum setting. Guided by the museum’s Director of Collections and Registrar, the intern will learn about cataloging standards, controlled vocabularies, artifact enclosures, acquisitions procedures, and object handling through completion of a collection project. The project will be developed based on the intern’s interest and experience. Sample projects may include:

·        Describing, tagging, and rehousing a collection of costume materials

·        Conducting inventories of broadsides and works on paper and creating catalog records.

·        Identifying artifacts for further processing, rehousing, and marking

·        Assessing, tagging, and rolling textiles, updating catalog records accordingly

·        Enhance catalog searchability by researching and adding subject headings

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: Reverence for artifacts, appreciation for history, and acute attention to detail are necessary. Strong verbal and written communication skills are important. Ability to work independently on projects and as an effective team member is required.

Specific goals and expectations (tangible project results):

1.     Learn and implement basic object handling principles

2.     Understand broadly the concepts of content standards, controlled vocabularies, procedural standards, and authority records.

3.     Develop a working knowledge of collections management principles and terminology

4.     Learn to assess object condition and storage and care needs.

5.     Develop a working knowledge of collections documentation, including acquisition proposals, condition reports, deeds of gift, and authority files.

6.     Develop mechanical skills required in collections management, including marking objects and fabricating boxes, padded hangers, and archival weights.

The John K. and Judith H. Powell Museum Studies Internship was established in 2012 and offers a $1000 stipend to the recipient for a term of 90 days. The late Jack Powell was chairman of the Naperville Heritage Society from 1980-1982 and Judy Powell was a member of the Weed Ladies floral design volunteers. This is the fourth year the internship has been awarded.

The internship is open to undergraduate students.

2026 Term: 2 days a week from October 1st – December 30th onsite at Naper Settlement.

About Naper Settlement and the Naperville Heritage Society

Naper Settlement is a nationally accredited, award-winning outdoor museum set on 12 acres in the heart of Naperville at 523 S. Webster St., where history comes to play and the community comes to connect. With a commitment to the community and a focus to the future, the mission of the Naperville Heritage Society, administrator of Naper Settlement, is to collect, document, preserve and support the history of Naperville, Illinois, past and present. To learn more, please visit www.napersettlement.org.