Museum Studies

PRIYA LEWIS

My internship at the NWP was an amazing opportunity I had in the summer of 2018. 

Being a small but dynamic historic house and museum, I was not only an intern but an integral and equal contributor to the team. From accessioning, to inventorying the collection, to implementing the barcoding system and to attending a two-day workshop planning future interpretative strategy, I learnt something new every day. Donning many hats in the course of the internship, my most valuable take away from is – To take initiative, plan, and think beyond the period of your internship! Look at the big picture because your small initiative will someday go a long way, in ways you wouldn’t even imagine right away...!

Cassie Green (M.A., '19)

When Cassie Green (M.A., '19) received her acceptance to GW’s MA program in Museum Studies, she was thrilled but faced the challenge of moving across the country with her husband and five children from Boise, Idaho. 

She wanted her children to know that no goal they set for themselves was too big to accomplish, so they committed to the East coast. Cassie’s husband quit his job, they sold their house, and didn’t look back.

Since her move, Cassie has completed a directed research project and interned for both the Department of Anthropology’s Skeletal Biology Program and the Collections Program overseeing the Office of Education and Outreach collections  at the National Museum of Natural History. “It is our duty to preserve and protect [museums] for future generations,” Cassie explains. Her various work has helped to ensure that the world’s natural and cultural history is maintained for her children and the generations beyond.

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.

While at GW, I have gotten to actively engage with textiles from all around the world, from tapestries a thousand years old to modern designer fabric samples. I hope to use my Museum Studies degree and experiences to pursue ethical, sustainable, and careful collections practices. I am fascinated by collections management issues that arise from new techniques and media as art.