Star Island Corporation seeks two museum studies interns to fulfill the requirements of our IMLS grant for Thaxter Museum collections during June, July and August, 2016.

The Star Island Conference and Retreat Center on the Isles of Shoals represents moments in the history of New England fundamental to an understanding of our American heritage. This unique island hosts conferences, retreaters, day visitors and researchers who visit and use the Thaxter Museum. The persons hired will learn the fascinating history of Star Island and the Isles of Shoals from its origin as a 1600s fishing village, to its fame as an 1800s resort and its present day role as a conference center.

This is an opportunity for advanced museum studies students to apply their knowledge and skills of “best practices” to collections in need of professional expertise. Advice from a museum conservator will be available by phone, email and in two site visits, and from the Museum Manager, but the two interns will be expected to take primary responsibility for planning and executing the project.

Duties include the following:

• Physically inventory the artifact and art collections using existing (but perhaps incomplete) PastPerfect database.
• Ensure that catalogue numbers are written on each artifact.
• Clean artifacts as needed with a HEPA vacuum or other appropriate method.
• Organize the collections using archival materials purchased for the project on storage shelves, in boxes, or in the drawers of a powder-coated flat file.
• Record new storage locations in the PastPerfect database.

Interns who work with the collections will gain organizational and practical skills and experience of collections stewardship and project evaluation practices that will solidify their professional qualifications.

This internship is paid a $2,400 stipend to each intern, and includes room and board while on island in dormitory style housing. Island residency is required 6 days per week with a specific schedule coordinated with the Museum Manager.

Required Experience:

• Working knowledge of PastPerfect.
• Currently enrolled in museum management masters program at an accredited university or college.
• A reference from a museum studies instructor.

Physical demands:

• Requires standing, stretching, bending, walking, lifting, climbing stairs, and transporting objects and equipment; working at a computer; must be physically and mentally capable of functioning in an environment whose main purpose is that of a retreat and conference center staffed by college-age persons.
• Living and working in a community setting.
• Must be able to walk around island with uneven and rocky terrain.

To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to ambassadors@starisland.org by March 1, 2016.