Internships
Independent Study & Service Learning Projects

Archival Project

Exhibition Planning

Volunteering can be entertaining!

Internships
The Abbe Museum announces its volunteer Internship Program for high school and college students, and recent graduates interested in careers in museums or non-profits, Native American history or archaeology. Based on their academic training, interests and the availability of projects, interns work in one of the museum's departments---collections, education, exhibition design and development. For many projects, a background in anthropology, archaeology, Native American art, history or photography is helpful, but not required. Many projects require computer skills.

All internships are volunteer, unpaid and are available throughout the year on a full- or part-time basis. The number of positions varies according to departmental needs, and opportunities range from two to nine months. Academic credit may be arranged for interns at their schools' discretion.

Unfortunately, we cannot offer any housing to our interns. Housing can be difficult to find--especially during the summer season. We are happy to offer some helpful hints for locating seasonal housing.

Applicants should follow the procedure outlined below. Letters or essays should describe specific areas of interest within the museum, precise dates for the proposed internship, and number of hours per week the applicant is able to work. Application should be made at least two months before the proposed starting date.

Application Procedure
There are no application forms. Applicants must specify the department for which they would like to be considered. A typed application should include the following:
1. Name, home and school addresses, e-mail address (if applicable) and telephone numbers.
2. Full resume of education and employment
3. Two academic recommendations
4. A list of relevant courses taken, if any
5. An essay or letter of not more than 500 words describing the applicant's interest in museum work, Native American history or archaeology, and reasons for applying to the Abbe Museum Internship Program.

After an initial review of the applications, a small number of students will be invited for an interview at the museum. Interviews are conducted throughout the year and candidates are advised as soon as possible.

Please send the requested Internship Application & supporting materials to:
Raney Bench
Museum Educator/Programs Coordinator
Abbe Museum
PO Box 286
Bar Harbor, ME 04609

Applications may not be submitted electronically or by facsimile. Questions should be directed to the Programs Coordinator at (207) 288-3519.

Sample Projects
Project parameters are subject to change. Internships are available throughout the year as time and resources permit .

Collections Department: Collections management. Interns will learn and carry out basic collections management activities. Tasks include cataloguing and inventory work, digital imaging projects and library and archives collections management. Basic computer skills are required, and any background in anthropology, archaeology, Native American art history or photography is a plus.

Exhibition Research: Interns will learn and carry out basic archival/library research on future exhibition topics. An expected product might be an annotated bibliography of research on objects. Some experience in conducting research is necessary. A background in anthropology, archaeology, Native American art history or photography is a plus.

Development Department: Photo files. Interns will create and maintain a system of organizing photographs, slides and digital images for public relations and publications. Tasks include computer work, such as scanning and organizing digital images. Good organizational skills are essential. A background in photography and/or computer scanning is helpful, but not required.

Marketing: Interns will research opportunities for marketing the museum to our many different public constituencies, including but not limited to groups, bus tours and cruise ship passengers; recommend marketing projects; and implement projects as directed. Tasks will also include distributing promotional materials on a regular basis to businesses and information centers. A background in marketing or public relations is a plus.

Programming/Education Department: School Programming/Education. Interns will research and assist in developing K-12 school program curricula, including pre- and post-visit classroom activities, classroom teacher guides, museum instructor guides and teacher resource information. Tasks include but are not limited to conducting research on artifacts, developing curricula that incorporate Maine Learning Results and leading school program visits.

Family Programming/Education: Interns will research and develop self-guided visitor and docent-led activities that enhance visitor experiences. These activities might include touchable, interpretive "discovery carts" or museum exploration/scavenger hunts. Tasks include but are not limited to conducting research on artifacts, developing educational goals for each activity and researching and developing evaluation tools for programs and activities.

For both positions, a background in Native American history, archaeology, anthropology, education, childhood development and/or curriculum development is a plus. Strong written and verbal communication is required.

Exhibition Department: Exhibit Development and Design. Interns will work on a variety of assignments within exhibit development including design preparation, maintenance and exhibit evaluation. Sample projects might include developing and designing a temporary exhibit; preparing and designing graphics for an exhibition, poster series or publication; or developing, designing and producing a multi-media module for an exhibition or for the worldwide web. A background in one or more of the following disciplines is necessary: 3-D or graphic design, digital imaging and computer graphics. Strong visual, verbal and written communication skills are required. Coursework in anthropology, archaeology, Native American studies, museum studies or education is a plus.