Museum Studies

JAKE SANFORD, M.A. '23

At the National Museum of American History, I’ve been working as an intern with collections and curatorial staff to write, edit, develop, edit, and, yes, even occasionally edit an upcoming exhibit. Between that work and my time spent in the museum’s Political and Military History archives, I get a chance to put the curation and collections management skills I’m learning at GW to the test. At the KID Museum, I spend my time as an exhibit developer helping to plan and fabricate new exhibits and building out our on-site 3D modeling lab. Every day at KID’s new location challenges me to think like a child again and put together experiences that entertain and educate in equal measure.

The focus of my work is ensuring that the museum of the future is as innovative and inclusive as our public deserves. Thanks to GW, I’ve had the chance to meet the most compassionate, knowledgeable, and driven professionals working in the field. Together, I know that we can make that vision of the future into a reality.

NORMAN STORER CORRADA, M.A. '22

While at GW, I completed a curatorial internship at the National Museum of American History where I worked under the mentorship of Music Curators John Troutman and Krystal Klingenberg in the Division of Cultural and Community Life. One of my projects consisted of producing a report on the scope and state of the piano collection (the biggest in the U.S.!) to improve its usage. I was also lucky to be able to contribute to improving object records for several string instruments from Puerto Rico (where I’m from) by conducting hands-on research on late-19th and early-20th-century instruments as well as a cuatro belonging to salsa legend Yomo Toro. 

During my time as a student, I also worked as a museum teacher at Planet Word, an interactive museum of language arts, where I helped with teaching interactive virtual workshops to K-12 students around the country. I was fortunate to assist the Manager of Education Programs Caitlin Miller with the creation of three new virtual programs that address topics such as the power of storytelling, dialect and linguistic bias, and news literacy.

Madeleine Larson, M.A. '21

I acted as the primary processing and rehousing a collection of 19th-century Uzbek ikat coats at the GW Textile Museum. I got to know every thread and crevice of these objects, examining and cleaning them, labeling them, and rehousing them in archival supports. I was blown away by the incredible beauty and technique of the ikat coats. I had never encountered anything like it, especially not as intimately as I could in the Conservation Lab. The contrast of the competing designs and the rich colors of the ikat dyeing are exquisite. Rehousing this piece allowed me to think creatively about where to sew on a label so it was out of sight, how to fold the coat to minimize strain on the fabric, and what size the final storage product would be. As a Collections Management student, I found it a privilege to work hands on with this unique collection and fortify the Museum’s duty of care.

PHOEBE STUCKE

I had the opportunity to intern at the National Museum of Natural History during the summer of 2022 after my first year at GW, where I have gained valuable hands-on experience working with collection objects in the Smithsonian’s Museum Support Center. My project is rehousing a collection of cellulose nitrate film, which in itself is an exciting material to work with! Getting experience with object handling, inventory, condition assessment, and rehousing methods and materials allows me to improve the skills learned in my classes at GW in a practical setting and learn new skills throughout my work. And I have loved experiencing the unique requirements of different types of objects and materials. Doing collections work with photographs under a fume hood is something I would have never predicted!