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Internship opportunity with the Boston Furniture Archive

The Boston Furniture Archive, a project of the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, seeks applications for interns to work under contract to catalog and photograph furniture made in the Boston area between 1630 and 1930. Four interns will work for twelve weeks at a number of sites in and around Boston, Massachusetts. Interns will receive a week of training in examining, handling, cataloging, and photographing furniture. Interns will then work in small teams to catalog and photograph the Boston furniture of a number of public institutions (museums, heritage organizations, and libraries) in the Boston metropolitan area. The goals of the internship are to document little-known pieces of Boston furniture for inclusion in the Boston Furniture Archive and to provide interns with hands-on experience in furniture cataloging in a variety of institutional settings. This internship opportunity builds on the success of the Boston Furniture Archive’s inaugural summer field cataloging effort in 2014.

The Boston Furniture Archive, currently in development, will be a free online database that provides catalog information and photographs of furniture produced in Boston (including Brookline, Cambridge, Charlestown, Dorchester, and Roxbury) between 1630 and 1930. The Archive will launch online in June 2015; objects cataloged during summer 2015 will be added to the website over the course of the following year. Winterthur is creating the Boston Furniture Archive in support of the Four Centuries of Massachusetts Furniture project (http://www.fourcenturies.org).

Minimum qualifications:

Education: Advanced undergraduate, with coursework in furniture (including furniture making and/or conservation), the decorative arts, art history, American history and/or museum studies; graduate students and emerging professionals are strongly encouraged to apply.

Knowledge/skills: Valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle. Ability to stand for extended periods, climb ladders, and lift up to 30 pounds. Strong computer skills, including experience working with spreadsheets. Meticulous attention to detail. Excellent organizational and communication skills. Strong writing ability. Willingness to follow instructions carefully and communicate regarding the same. Capacity to work independently and in a team. Neat handwriting. Knowledge of professional museum standards and experience in museum procedures, including methods of documentation, is preferred.

Experience: Object handling and museum cataloging experience preferred. Experience with object photography and photo editing preferred.

Compensation: Interns will receive a stipend of $5,000 plus $950 for travel over the twelve weeks. Housing is not provided.

Schedule: The internship will be twelve weeks, from June 8, 2015 through August 28, 2015. Interns will be expected to work 35 hours per week; hours will vary and may include some evenings and weekends. Approximately half the time will be spent with hands-on collections work; the remainder of the time will be computer-based processing of catalog information and photographs.

Applications: Applications are due February 20, 2015. Candidates will be contacted for interviews prior to March 13, 2015. To apply, submit resume, contact information for two academic or professional references, and responses to the following questions (maximum 150 words each):

1. How has your background prepared you to be successful as an intern with the Boston Furniture Archive?

2. How will an internship with the Boston Furniture Archive further your academic and professional goals?

3. If offered an internship with the Boston Furniture Archive, when would you be able to commit to participating?

Please address questions and submit application materials to:

Sarah Parks

Project Manager

Boston Furniture Archive

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

5105 Kennett Pike

Winterthur, Delaware 19735

302-888-4639

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