2024 Summer Internship

The Jonathan Fisher House is seeking an intern for our 2024 season. The Fisher House is a historic house museum in Blue Hill, Maine dedicated to preserving the home, art, and life of one of the remarkable figures of early New England, the Rev. Jonathan Fisher, in order to engage, inspire, and educate visitors and community members of all ages through connection to our past.

Position description

This internship will provide experience working in a small historic house museum setting, including a wide variety of responsibilities. Core tasks will include providing tours of the house to visitors during July and August, helping to interpret items on display, and digitizing manuscripts and artworks from the museum’s collection. Additionally, the intern will develop and work independently on a project of their choice, flexible based on interest. Jonathan Fisher was an accomplished woodworker, designer, writer, philosopher, theologist, linguist, surveyor, agriculturist, and artist in several media, leaving ample opportunity for projects across a variety of fields. This project will be devised in collaboration with the intern’s supervisor, and could range from the academic (e.g. publication of a paper on a topic in a scholarly journal) to the hands-on (e.g. creating and running a workshop based on Fisher’s woodblock prints), or anything in between.

The intern will report to the Docent Coordinator, and will also be mentored by board members and other long-time volunteers. Over the course of the internship, the intern will play a vital part in day-to-day operations at the house museum, as well as making meaningful contributions to the scholarship around Jonathan Fisher and the history of the Early American Republic in Blue Hill. As a small, all-volunteer institution, the Fisher House offers a unique opportunity for an intern to have a significant role in the management and maintenance of a museum, from buildings & grounds, to collections, to events and outreach.

Sample of Intern Duties:

  • Attend training & gain familiarity with stories of Jonathan Fisher’s life and times using provided materials

  • Docent (lead tours) Wednesdays-Saturdays, 1:00-4:00 PM in July & August

  • Assist in the digitization of collection items, including:

    • Scan or photograph historical objects, manuscripts, and artworks

    • Review and revise metadata in catalog records for digitized items

    • Track and organize digital assets in coordination with other volunteers

  • Help with maintenance and preservation of the house, grounds, and collection, including cleaning surfaces to remove mold and mildew; dusting; and performing simple maintenance tasks like replacing lightbulbs

  • Develop, revise, and create consistent, accessible labels and other interpretive text within the museum

  • Attend and assist at public events and programs, including lectures, workshops, and fundraisers

  • As time and interest permits, devise and complete a project of your choice. Some possible examples include:

    • The creation of educational materials for local schools based on information and resources available at the museum

    • Designing and running a public program, lecture, or workshop on a subject related to Fisher

    • The research, writing, and submission of an academic paper for publication

    • The creation of an original work of art in a medium used by Fisher or his family members (including wood construction, watercolor, woodblock, oils, ink, textiles, or many handicrafts); or the re-creation or re-construction of a work made by Fisher or his family members

    • The development of materials for use in interpreting the house, such as a virtual or audio tour

    • The design of a new exhibit to display at the museum or in the community

    • Or another project of your choice

Learning Outcomes

  • Gain understanding of the operations of a museum in a small, rural, volunteer-driven setting

  • Hone presentation, communication, and interpersonal skills by interacting with visitors and presenting educational materials to the public

  • Learn about the process of historical interpretation within a museum setting and gain a deeper understanding of interpretation by creating new materials

  • Learn to properly handle 18th & 19th century items, including delicate manuscripts

  • Become familiar with managing catalog records for a museum collection

  • Develop an understanding of digitizing workflow and best practices for historical texts and items

  • Sharpen analytical and time management skills by developing and executing an independent project

  • Develop project management skills, such as meeting goals, creating deadlines, and setting realistic expectations for oneself

  • Increase analytical, writing, research, and digital curation skills

  • Through experience across a wide cross-section of operational areas, gain insight into many aspects of museum work

  • Practice teamwork in a volunteer setting where hobbyists and professionals alike work together

Time Frame (Flexible)

June-August 2024. 35 hours weekly, 350 hours total.

Prerequisites:

  • An interest in history and/or other relevant subjects (art, art history, linguistics, theology, etc.)

  • Ability to learn technical and digital skills related to scanning, photography, and catalog management (prior experience not necessary)

  • Strong oral, interpersonal, and writing skills

  • A valid US driver's license or transportation

Required documents:

Eligibility:

  • Undergraduate students (must have completed at least one year of study)

  • Graduate students

  • Recent graduates (up to 2 years out of school)

  • Career-changers new to the cultural field

Logistics:

  • This is an unpaid internship, but the Fisher House will happily provide documentation of hours worked for purposes of gaining college credit, and/or provide references and letters of recommendation for future pursuits.

  • The intern must coordinate their own housing.

  • The Jonathan Fisher house is located in rural Blue Hill, Maine, and is not accessible through public transportation. The intern must provide their own transportation.

To Apply:

  • Email internship application form and other application materials to contact@jonathanfisherhouse.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the internship is filled.