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Job Description

Head Curator

Colby College Museum of Art

Waterville, Maine

Full Time

Job ID # R0005624

Salary Range:  $125,000-$140,000

Please upload a cover letter and resume to your application. Priority will be given to candidates that apply by June 20, 2025.

 The Colby College Museum of Art seeks an experienced, imaginative, strategic, and collaborative leader to serve as head curator. Reporting to the Colby Museum’s director, the head curator is part of the museum’s senior leadership team, advancing the overarching mission and goals of the museum and the College. 

They lead the curatorial staff, directing the curatorial contribution to the Colby Museum’s artistic, research, and interpretive vision. The head curator  supervises and mentors five full-time staff  as well as student interns, ensuring teamwork, effective management, and innovative work that is also pragmatic in its approach. They lead the development of a multi-year exhibition schedule, including Colby-organized projects that travel to other venues, in partnership with the museum’s director and the director of exhibitions and publications. They shape and enact the collections development strategy, and oversee acquisitions and deaccessions with guidance from the Collections and Impact Committee of the museum board of governors. They direct the ongoing research and presentation of its renowned collection, and partner with collections and operations staff to ensure the comprehensive stewardship of the museum’s holdings. They collaboratively develop accessible interpretation strategies with the engagement team and other constituencies. The head curator partners with the Lunder Institute for American Art to help identify mission-aligned opportunities related to fellowships, programming, and areas of inquiry that can benefit from research, field-wide dialogue, and documentation. Beyond these responsibilities, The head curator curates a selection of projects within the multi-year cycle of exhibitions and museum publications, and contributes new scholarship. 

Day to day, the head curator balances creativity and ambition with pragmatism as they manage staff, projects, budgets, timelines, and workloads. They maximize resources and actively contribute to fundraising in partnership with Advancement staff in order to allow the museum to remain a generative and innovative institution. They maintain active relationships with supporters and partners, and represent the museum in a variety of contexts in Maine and beyond. 

As part of the museum’s senior team, the head curator provides ongoing institutional-level advice to the museum’s director. They foster an equitable and inclusive culture that prioritizes collective accomplishment and values a diversity of perspectives and expertise in project development. They seek to increase access to the museum for Colby students, faculty, families, and alumni; artists, peers, and scholars; and local and regional communities, strengthening the Colby Museum’s reputation as one of the nation’s leading academic museums and as a destination for American art. With the museum’s director, other senior leaders, and the museum’s board, the head curator plays an essential role envisioning, planning, and leading institutional initiatives that significantly advance the museum’s mission and goals.  

The museum’s trajectory of evolution and increased visibility is entering a new phase. In the coming years the Colby Museum aspires to strategically adapt and expand its facilities to support an innovative model for the care of and access to its collection, with the possibility of an art conservation program that would be uniquely designed for Colby’s liberal arts context. These ambitions seek to promote and encourage interdisciplinary research, learning, and pathways at the undergraduate level while  increasing the museum’s capacity to manage its collection and engage wider audiences with art, including launching a new art-on-campus program. The head curator will be an essential partner and leader in researching and advancing these initiatives.  

About the Colby College Museum of Art
Founded in 1959, the Colby Museum is a leading academic art museum, with strengths in American art and contemporary art, at one of the nation’s preeminent liberal arts colleges. In keeping with Colby’s liberal arts mission, the museum advances a mission of access and acts as a forum for research, experimentation, dialogue, and joyful connection. Its programs seek to inspire and generate possibilities, so that everyone can become more curious, nimble, and able to contribute to a changing world. The museum incubates art scholarship and practice in ways that explore and expand how the idea of America is understood and how art is made, interpreted, and shared. It does so by supporting new research, organizing and presenting ambitious exhibitions and thoughtful displays of its collection, providing mentorship, and convening a diversity of people and perspectives. The museum grows and uses its collection to activate the power of art to expand the imagination and forge new connections, leading to a more open and compassionate society.  

In the past decade, the Colby Museum has grown rapidly and now encompasses nearly 40,000 square feet of exhibition space. The collection has nearly doubled since 2012 to include nearly 11,000 objects. The museum now produces approximately twelve exhibitions a year and two publications. The museum has expanded to include two sites in downtown Waterville: the Greene Block + Studios, where the Lunder Institute for American Art is based, and the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, which includes the museum’s Joan Dignam Schmaltz Gallery of Art. Learning and engagement programs have also increased in reach and impact, drawing over 16,000 people in the past year. This includes collaborations with over 180 courses a year in nearly 30 departments across the College and class visits by 3,000 K–12 students and educators each year.

Essential Functions

To succeed in this position, an individual must be able to perform essential duties satisfactorily as well as possess the education/experience and employ the knowledge, skills, and abilities as generally listed here. Colby College actively supports the Americans with Disabilities Act and will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. This listing of essential duties is not all-inclusive, but representative; other duties may be assigned.

Leadership, Management, and Program Development

·       Inform and lead on strategic and long-range museum initiatives related to the museum’s artistic program. Convey the organization’s vision, plans, and annual institutional priorities. Initiate and facilitate external partnerships that advance the museum’s mission and curatorial priorities. 

·       Articulate and enact the curatorial vision informed by the museum’s context, the field of art, and larger questions in contemporary life. Engage constituencies and communities in this process and anticipate challenges, creating pathways for meaningful engagement.

·       Supervise and mentor the curatorial staff and interns, fostering teamwork within and across the museum (current direct reports: four curators and one curatorial fellow); establish and manage workflows and delegate projects and tasks. Provide guidance related to project content and approach. Communicate regularly with the curatorial team to align priorities and clarify roles. Ensure the effective completion of projects as well as accountability to the curatorial work and to each other. Anticipate and, as needed, address challenges as these arise. 

·       Inform exhibition and curatorial budgets on an annual and multi-year basis in collaboration with the director of exhibitions and publications, as well as senior team leaders. Ensure effective budget management and inform exhibition and collection contracts. 

·       Foster a supportive and collaborative culture. In keeping with Colby’s values, model and encourage self-awareness in matters of equity and access, applying these principles to management practices and the development of the museum’s program. Shape staff learning processes and ensure the professional development of curatorial staff. 

·       Develop and nurture relationships with artists, collectors, dealers, and donors. Represent the Colby Museum, serving as a visible and vocal advocate on campus, locally, regionally, nationally and, as appropriate, internationally. Advocate for the arts at Colby and the College’s vision for academic and community impact. Travel and interact with a range of peers to ensure the visibility of the museum’s contributions.
 

Collection Development and Stewardship

·       Strategy, policies, and practices: Establish and enact the strategy for long-term collections development and related initiatives. Set practices and policies with the deputy director of planning and operations and manager of collections and registration and with guidance from the Museum Board of Governors. Lead acquisition and deaccessioning processes and decisions in partnership with the collections team members, the museum director, and the museum board of governors. Oversee and advance collection-related processes and practices. Serve as liaison to the Collections and Impact Committee of the Museum Board of Governors. 

·       Acquisitions: Lead and manage the cycle of identifying, vetting, and proposing art acquisitions. Cultivate collectors and artists and pursue gifts of art and artworks for purchase.

·       Loans: Assess loan requests in partnership with collections and engagement staff. 

·       Research and display: Set the agenda for research and display in relation to the museum’s collection.

·       Collections Care and Documentation: Oversee curatorial team's role in developing collections content, contributing to the timely documentation and access of the collection. Inform needs for storage and conservation. Ensure orderly maintenance of curatorial archives. Inform plans for spaces, digital access, and workflows that support the collection and access to it. 

·       Art on campus: Work with the museum director, deputy director for planning and operations, manager of collections and registration, and the College to develop over time an art on campus program, contributing curatorial vision to this initiative. Eventually supervise an art on campus curator/registrar.
 

Exhibitions, Publications and Programs

·       Process and structure: Collaboratively develop effective and inclusive processes for proposing and vetting exhibitions. Facilitate cross-departmental work and, with other museum senior team leaders, share responsibility for interconnected program development related to exhibitions, research, collections development, interpretation, learning and engagement, and publications.

·       Exhibition schedule: Plan a sustainable and inspired multi-year exhibition schedule (approximately ten to twelve exhibitions annually on site, with one or more traveling annually) in partnership with the director of exhibitions and publications. Identify and help secure institutional partnerships for exhibitions and co-producing arrangements for projects that travel.

·       Curatorial leadership: Guide curatorial staff in generating exhibitions and programs that make the most of the collection and museum resources, enact the museum’s mission, garner attention, and both interrogate and broaden established narratives of art, especially American art.

·       Curation: Initiate exhibitions and/or serve as venue curator for select loan and collection projects within the multi-year program cycle; guide the curation of the permanent collection galleries, delegating responsibilities.  

·       Learning and Engagement: Inform and support the pedagogical and strategic vision for engagement and interpretation of the museum’s artistic content, producing content and at times leading or co-leading programs, including class visits, public programs, and other forms of academic and public engagement. 

·       Scholarship and Interpretation: Generate and at times edit scholarly publications and other forms of writings (essays, exhibition texts, labels, and digitally shared content) related to the exhibition program and the collection.

·       Community: Participate in cross-departmental and community-based committees and initiatives.

External Communications and Fundraising

·       Provide content to inform fundraising and communications. Draft content, including grant proposals and reports, grants and mentor staff in this process; ensure the timely contribution of content by curatorial staff.

·       Cultivate donors and actively solicit gifts of art. Partner with the director to steward relationships with key benefactors as well as artists who are represented in the museum’s collection. Regularly report on donor interactions and communications.

·       Cultivate and solicit collectors and donors to support artistic projects, collections development, and museum priorities in consultation with the director, deputy director for planning and operations, director of museum development and Advancement colleagues.

·       Actively represent the museum in media stories, digital contexts and in-person settings.

·       Participate in local, regional, and art world events making the museum visible among the communities we serve while listening and learning from our audiences and partners.

·       Inspire a positive and supportive working relationship with the Museum Board of Governors and attend meetings, serving as committee liaison for collections and impact.  

Position Qualifications 

Education and Experience: 

·       Masters degree required, knowledge of art history and proven track record of direct working relationships with artists, exhibition-making, and collections.

·       Seven to ten years of experience working in the arts, culture and/or education; minimum five years of progressive leadership experience in curatorial practice in exhibition, publications, collections, and artistic program management. Minimum two years of experience managing full time staff. 

·       Distinguished track record of planning and realizing exhibitions and publications, conducting strategic collections research and development, and collaborating on interpretation and public programs. 

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

·       Effective management and mentorship of staff, students, and emerging professionals including skills in fostering teamwork

·       Strong organizational skills and ability to establish and communicate priorities; project and budget management skills, cross-departmental leadership and collaboration skills, meeting management; negotiation skills.

·       Strong written and oral communication skills, including interpersonal skills and public speaking; ability to compellingly communicate the museum’s mission, vision, and artistic program to a diversity of audiences.

·       Demonstrated passion for the value of a liberal arts education and commitment to fostering an equitable work environment supportive of people from different cultures, backgrounds, and life paths.

·       Ability to use a team approach to plan and produce complex, interdisciplinary programming and to integrate community engagement within curatorial processes of exhibition-making and interpretation. Ability to assess and act on opportunities to increase the narrative complexity and diversity of the museum’s collections and programs, advance equity in our daily practices and work culture, and to promote and implement inclusive practices across all aspects of curatorial work. 

Key Relationships

·       College: Museum Director; President; Provost and other Colby Senior Staff; Advancement and Colby Communications staff; Director, Arts Office; Director, Center for Arts and Humanities; Chair, Art Department and faculty across the College

·       Museum: Deputy Director for Planning and Operations; Director, Lunder Institute for American Art; Director, Museum Development; curatorial staff; Mirken Director, Learning and Engagement; Director of Administration and External Affairs; Director of Exhibitions and Publications; Manager of Museum Collections and Registration; Manager of Communications.

·       External: Broad external relationships with donors, artists, art dealers, journalists, collectors, as well as Maine-based arts partners

Physical/Mental Demands

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this position and/or may be encountered while performing essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 

·       To successfully perform the essential functions of this position, an employee must be able to maintain appropriate confidentiality with regard to employee data, documents, issues, etc., and respect privacy needs of employees and past employees with regard to the same.

·       The employee must be able to be on site in Waterville on a nearly daily basis with exceptions for travel, offsite meetings and events, and select remote work

·       The ability to comply with highly inflexible deadlines is required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position; there will be multiple occurrences of sudden, urgent task completion required. 

·       This position requires extensive interpersonal interaction with colleagues, members of the public, College leaders, and patrons. There may be occurrences of employees, past employees, members of the general public, and others who express opinions, may exhibit strong emotions, which will require the employee to interact professionally, diplomatically, and appropriately in such situations.

·       While performing the essential duties of this position, an employee would frequently be required to move around the office space as well as within hallways, meeting rooms, and other parts of the campus facilities.  

·       There may be multiple/daily instances of prolonged personal computer use which would include keyboard and/or mouse usage as well as viewing a computer monitor.

·       This position requires that the candidate have an active driver’s license, the ability to drive, and the ability to regularly travel domestically and at times internationally

·       Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus. 

·       The overall work environment requires the mental ability to shift focus quickly due to interruptions; an employee must be able to mentally track multiple projects and tasks concurrently.

·       The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate; however, there may be unexpected instances of somewhat loud sounds.

To Apply:

Interested candidates should apply electronically by clicking the “Apply Now” button on the Colby College website.  Please upload a cover letter and resume to your application. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. 

https://colby.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ColbyCareers/details/Head-Curator_R0005624-1

The board of directors of Woodlawn, a prized cultural institution in Ellsworth, Maine, invites applications for the executive director position. Encompassing a significant historic home, a museum collection, beautiful grounds, and distinctive event space, Woodlawn is well positioned to advance its mission: nurturing curiosity and a sense of place by promoting Downeast Maine’s cultural heritage and offering diverse educational and recreational experiences. The organization’s next executive director will be pivotal in ensuring Woodlawn’s sustainability through responsible stewardship, entrepreneurial initiative, and robust community connections.

Organizational Overview

Woodlawn is governed by the Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations, which formed in 1901 out of a concern for the imminent loss of the natural landscape of Mount Desert Island available for public use. Empowered by the Maine Legislature in 1903 to own lands of “scenic beauty, historical significance, scientific study or sanitary value,” the Trustees acquired nearly 5,000 acres, which they subsequently donated to the United States, forming the core of what became Acadia National Park; and the Trustees’ contributions to the Park continued intermittently through 2016, when they transferred their last remaining property within the boundary of the Park in celebration of Acadia’s Centennial. The Trustees’ legacy, however, extends beyond the confines of Acadia National Park, as they have owned and made the Woodlawn estate available for public use and enjoyment since 1929.

The centerpiece of the Woodlawn estate is a three-story brick mansion with elegant Federal and Greek Revival styling, built between 1824 and 1827 for John Black, his wife Mary, and their eight children. The Black House includes a wing that John used as his office to run his lumber, shipping, and mercantile businesses; five bedrooms; and seven chimneys; and behind the main house is an attached Ell originally used for cooking and housework. A registered National Historic Landmark, the Black House serves as a museum today, open seasonally and housing a collection of furnishings, portraits, books, souvenirs, silver, china, glassware, and other items directly connected to three generations of the Black family and their employees.

New to the estate is The Barn, a state-of-the-art event center constructed on the footprint of the Black family's original carriage and horse barn. Since spring of 2024, The Woodlawn Barn has been available to the public for meetings, weddings, educational programming, and special events.

The Woodlawn property spans 220 acres with 180 acres of usable space, including three miles of field walking and forest hiking trails (where leashed dogs are welcome), Maine’s only regulation-size croquet court, a sledding hill, and pond.

For more information about Woodlawn, visit https://www.woodlawnellsworth.org/.

Role and Responsibilities

The executive director serves as Woodlawn’s chief executive, principal fundraiser, and primary spokesperson, managing the campus, facilities, and collections of Woodlawn as well as all programming and rentals. This individual reports to the Trustees and oversees a small staff. Specific responsibilities include:

Executive Leadership and Organizational Management

• With strategic direction from the Trustees, advance Woodlawn’s mission, vision, and goals in collaboration with the board, staff, and community stakeholders across the region
• Organize, motivate, and mentor staff and volunteers to ensure alignment and optimize organizational impact
• Oversee human resource processes including hiring, professional development, compensation and benefits, and separation if necessary
• Maintain a business-oriented, professional, results-driven environment across the organization
• Establish goals, objectives, and operational plans in collaboration with the board, staff, and community partners

Development and Fundraising

• Drive development and fundraising initiatives, leveraging the board and staff as needed, to ensure sufficient funding for annual operations and capital projects and adequate reserves
• Initiate, cultivate, and extend relationships with the organization's portfolio of individual, foundation, governmental, and corporate donors
• Participate in grant writing and management as needed
• Work with the board and staff to plan and host fundraising and friend-raising events

Financial Management and Administration

• In collaboration with the board president, treasurer and finance committee, develop the annual budget for board approval and provide accurate financial reports to the board as directed
• Prudently direct resources and manage all financials within budgetary guidelines and according to current nonprofit laws and regulations, upholding the fiscal integrity of the organization
• Manage daily financial operations to ensure maximum utilization of resources and optimum financial positioning
• Ensure timely preparation of the annual audit and 990 tax return

Collections, Community Engagement & Education Programs

• Provide executive leadership in managing compelling, culturally relevant, and innovative public history programs, education initiatives, and community engagement efforts
• Work with the education team to maintain and grow sustainably schools and community outreach initiatives
• Build enduring relationships to support a sustainable, visitor-friendly suite of activities and events that highlight the richness of Woodlawn as an educational and tourist destination and a place for community connection

Board Relations

• Maintain regular and ongoing communication to build strong relationships and close collaboration with the board of trustees
• Attend all board meetings and provide reports and updates on staff as well as all current work, project timelines, and organizational progress
• Provide opportunities for relationship-building between the board and staff to maintain alignment of strategic visioning and program management

External Relations and Communications

• Represent the organization and serve as chief spokesperson through media engagements and at public events, conferences, and partnership meetings
• Ensure high visibility to prospects and the public to create engaged philanthropy
• Engage with constituents and existing and prospective partners across the county
• Manage all aspects of the organization's marketing and public relations, including paid advertising campaigns

Position Requirements

Leading an historic organization successfully into the future requires a broad set of attributes and skills. The Trustees expect that the winning candidate will bring:

• A passion for Woodlawn’s mission, deep appreciation for the unique character of Downeast Maine, and keen interest in the history of our region
• Appreciation for the history of Woodlawn and evident understanding of the responsibility to care for the landscape and collections which are held in public trust
• Solid organizational leadership experience in the nonprofit sector
• Past success as a principal fundraising officer, designing fundraising programs, making individual and major gift solicitations, cultivating foundations, and developing fundraising strategies
• Entrepreneurial spirit and a leadership style that is visionary, strategic, motivating, collaborative, and inspiring
• Experience as an effective relationship builder with the capacity to develop and maintain partnerships with diverse stakeholders, including civic, business and community leaders; board members and other volunteers; educators; donors; and foundations
• Financial and operational acumen to grow and maintain a stable and sustainable organization including stewardship of a complex facility and valuable collections, budget preparation and management, analysis, decision-making, and reporting
• Strong organizational problem-solving skills, poise, and good humor
• The ability to prioritize and adapt to unexpected or changing circumstances
• Intellectual curiosity, transparency, and humility
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills

Compensation

Woodlawn’s executive director will earn a salary of $75,000-85,000 commensurate with experience and benefits including health and dental insurance, paid time off, and a 3% IRA match after one year. Temporary onsite housing would be offered under certain conditions to ease the leadership transition. The successful candidate can expect a formal review after the initial six months, and an annual review thereafter.

Nondiscrimination

Woodlawn does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, national origin, ancestry, public assistance, ethnic background, religion, marital status, economic class, age, disability or handicap (mental or physical), sex, creed, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and any other legally protected characteristics in admission or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. The organization complies with all applicable national, state and local laws pertaining to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity.

To apply

Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to Starboard Leadership Consulting at the following address: search2@starboardleadership.com. Paper copies may be sent to Jessica Weiner, Starboard Leadership Consulting, 84 Harlow Street, Bangor, ME 04401, but electronic submissions of material are preferred. No phone inquiries, please. The application deadline is June 19, and review of all submissions will begin immediately thereafter.

Do you love lobsters, Maine, and digital storytelling? We’re hiring a few enthusiastic and reliable Assistants to help build buzz around our virtual museum. This is a contract-based role—perfect for students, creatives, or anyone looking to gain experience in the museum industry. It’s flexible and pairs easily with other jobs, gigs, or responsibilities—plus, you can work on your own schedule.

The Maine Lobster Museum (MLM) is a brand new virtual museum celebrating the iconic crustacean through culture, history, and memes. MLM is a quirky and creative digital space that uses emerging technology to engage visitors. We aim to entertain, educate, and inspire lobster lovers near and far.

Pay: $15/hour (Plus Commissions & Supplies Stipend)
Hours: ~2 hours/week with the possibility of increasing hours (May–August 2025)
Location: In-person, roaming around the local area

What You’ll Do:

• Hit the streets (or the docks!) to distribute flyers, pamphlets, and posters promoting the Maine Lobster Museum around town
  

• Visit local businesses (hotels, cafes, shops, restaurants) to share materials and encourage them to spread the word
  

• Post materials on community boards and other high-traffic local spots
  

• Help generate ticket sales and increase awareness through word-of-mouth and visibility
  
  

You’re a Great Fit If You:

• Are organized, proactive, and communicative
  

• Reliable and independent—you’re cool working solo but will check in regularly
  

• Love Maine’s coastal culture and have an interest in food, tourism, or art
  

• Are outgoing and friendly—you’re not afraid to say, “Hey, have you heard of the Maine Lobster Museum?”
  
  

To Apply:

Send your resume to sebastian@mainelobstermuseum.org and fill out the application 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd71nmxOC8gFd_EJ6FbnzLooCKwKgUM26t3PyqFsBmBOKLExQ/viewform?usp=header

Hiring Schedule:

• Applications Open: April 1, 2025
  

• Applications Close: April 22, 2025
  

• Interviews: Rolling

• Position Starts: First week of May (Flexible)
  

Museum Assistant at the Fifth Maine Museum on Peaks Island

Details:

Date Posted: March 24, 2025

Date Needed: June 1, 2025

Location: Peaks Island, ME

Salary: $25-$30/hour depending on experience

Type of Position: Part-time, hybrid 

Experience Requirement:

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of one to two years experience in organizational or corporate communications, managing volunteer staffing schedules and training, and coordinating events and a rental venue.

Description & Details:

This is a part-time, hybrid position for a small, seasonal history museum which is open to the public from mid-May through mid-October.

The position is year-round and requires approximately 30-35 hours/week from May-September, and approximately 10-15 hours/week from October-April. The position can be fully remote from November-March, partially remote otherwise. Candidates must be able to support the museum in-person as needed during the open season. Some evening and weekend hours will be required to support events and to attend meetings.

Duties & Responsibilities:

The Museum Assistant will report directly to the museum’s President of the Board of Directors, and will work closely with the museum curator and Guest Services Associates (GSAs). 

Duties fall into three main areas: Docent management & visitor engagement; event and private rental coordination; internal and external communications. 

Docent Management & Visitor Engagement

• Establish protocols for docent recruiting and training.

• Manage docent calendar – set calendar up on SignUp Genius and solicit volunteers for empty slots. 

• From June - October issue weekly email updates to docents, staff, and board members. Prepare an end of the year summary of docent interactions with the public with an eye toward improved visitor engagement.

• Work with curator and board members to develop new visitor interpretive tour materials, including a new self-guided tour option.

Museum Event & Private Rental Coordination

• Coordinate rental of the museum facility for private events and corporate off-site meetings.

• Coordinate and staff museum programs, including opening and closing the building, and setting up for, and cleaning up after, public events. 

• Promote the facility as a private event venue.

Communication Tasks

• Maintain and update the museum’s website  

• Promote Fifth Maine events 

• Monitor the general email and voicemail inboxes and reply or forward as necessary. Keep outgoing voicemail messages updated.

• Write and solicit articles for newsletter - print and distribute. Research email newsletter options.

• Maintain on-island banners, sandwich boards, and bulletin boards.

• Submit ads to Casco Bay Lines and Peaks Island News.

Requirements:

The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills and a degree in museum studies, history, nonprofit management, or a related field.

Preference given to tech-savvy candidates already familiar with:

Square Space

Google Drive

Word / Excel 

Past Perfect

Signup Genius

Zoom

Work Conditions:

The Fifth Maine Museum is an oceanside, Queen Anne/Shingle-style historic site located on Peaks Island in Maine (accessible only by ferry from Portland), built in 1888. It is a rare survivor from the Civil War reunion era, and a unique piece of American history. Today, the building houses the Fifth Maine Museum, a museum that tells two intriguing and related stories through objects, artifacts and exhibits: the story of the Fifth Maine Civil War regiment and the history of Peaks Island--from its early settlement, to its days as the "Coney Island of Maine,” to its role during World War II and beyond. The Fifth Maine Museum is also an active community center, hosting dozens of community events each year for local nonprofits and organizations.

The museum is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday from Memorial Day through the end of June, and again from Labor Day through Indigenous People’s Day. It is open every day of the week during July and August. Open hours are 10am-3pm.

 

Physical Requirements:

The museum was built in 1888 and is not fully accessible to those who are mobility impaired– the office on the second floor is only accessible by stairs. However, the lower level can also be used as an office. The museum is located about 0.5 miles from the ferry landing and can be reached on foot or using the island taxi service that is available at the ferry landing.

Candidates must be able to lift and move tables, chairs, etc.

How to Submit an Application:

Please send your resume and two references to fifthmainemuseum@gmail.com before April 24, 2025. Please include an example of both internal and external communications that you have written, such as a substantive business email and a type of organizational announcement. 

Candidates will be contacted via email to arrange virtual interviews conducted in late April - early May. Finalists will be interviewed on-site and in person. Candidates will be notified of the Board’s hiring decision by May 19, 2025. 

CURATORIALINTERN/COLLECTION/ARCHIVES:

Join the team as an intern. You will discover the secret, fast-paced, behind-the scenes workings of a historical society and museum by assisting in the daily duties of curation and archival research.  You will assist in the preparation of documentation for changing exhibitions, outgoing loans and the permanent collection; digitize collection records, including scanning, image manipulation, file re-naming and organization; data entry into Past Perfect database of object and accession records; archive files, including surveying, organizing and archiving files under the instruction of the entire Executive Director and Collections Committee; research projects pertaining to donors, loans and object records as they arise; train in object handling, object moves and the creation of condition reports; and participate in ongoing collection digitization projects.

Internship Qualifications: College student with knowledge of and an appreciation for art/ history and a demonstrated ability in paying attention to details. Must have the ability to work well with staff throughout the organization is essential.

 

Duties/Responsibilities:

The Collections Intern is responsible for supporting the Executive Director and Collections Committee through research, correspondence, and administrative assistance related to the Collection.

The intern will also:

• Assist with the building and organization of collection files, provenance research, and the organization of collection image files
• Compile and update biographical information for all artist files
• Prepare all content for history interviews related to objects entering the collection
• Answer rights and reproduction requests for images
• Archive publications
• Input relevant information within Past Perfect database.
• Assist with all collection and archival correspondence.

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS

• History or museum studies candidate with a demonstrated familiarity with small community relations
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) is essential
• Cataloguing and database experience (Past Perfect) is preferred but training is provided
• Individuals should have excellent verbal and written communication skills, must be organized, flexible, detail oriented, and able to work independently and collaboratively on multiple projects.

Stipend:  $2,000 per semester per internship.

Interested students should email their resume and interest to: pviolette@sanfordhistory.org. Please put COLLECTIONS INTERN in the subject line.

Sanford-Springvale Historical Society (SSHS) seeks an energetic and dynamic intern to serve as the Education Intern. Through youth spring and summer programming, SSHS seeks to educate school age children about local history by having them live history through stories, demonstrations and utilizing the historical society's collection for content learning. In collaboration with the Museum’s Executive Director, the intern will:

• •   develop and facilitate our historical spring and summer programs,
• •   work with student volunteers.
• •   perform various demonstrations during the spring and summer and assist with other assignments as needed.
• •   Time commitment: Hours per week dependent upon internship requirements for college credit or 16 hours per week.
• •   Internship dates (negotiable) for either the spring or summer semester.
• •   The intern will also complete an individual project, tailored to the student’s interest and SSHS’s goals.
• •   This year’s project will focus on lesson plan development, assessments and creating historical demonstrations for the public.

We are seeking a candidate who has experience working with and/or teaching children (that would be a plus!), the ability to research and develop engaging and interactive activities and lesson plans based on local and National history! In return, we will teach you how to create lessons, learn teaching techniques and develop skills to enhance your future career in education.

This internship will expand the intern’s knowledge of professional museum functions while building on the intern’s skills and experience.  We are looking for a minimum of 16 hours per week during the Spring or Summer semesters.

Stipend:  $2,000 per semester per internship.

Interested students should email their resume and interest to: pviolette@sanfordhistory.org . Please put EDUCATION INTERN in the subject line.

COLLECTIONS/EXHIBITS INTERNSHIP

The Sanford-Springvale Historical Society (SSHS) is seeking an intern interested in the development of history museum exhibits from both an educational and engineering point of view. The intern would work with museum staff on an ongoing exhibit development project, and depending on the status of current projects, would be involved in one or more activities including: content research, brainstorming exhibit ideas, building and testing prototype interactive exhibits, and formative evaluation of prototypes. In addition, the intern would be expected to spend some time learning and assisting with daily operations of the collections, including some office work, exhibit maintenance and cleaning. The intern will collaborate with the Education Intern to develop programming for the public and school groups by teaching with collections. The internship would run for a full semester, or summer, with at least a 16 hour per week commitment.  This is a $2,000 paid internship.

All undergrad and graduate students are welcome to apply.  Interns must be interested in learning about museum gallery installations and museum maintenance. Candidate must have excellent attention to detail, a good sense of humor, the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, and knowledge comfortable with tools. Other skills: knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word and Excel as well as Past Perfect database for collections management (we will train if needed). Applicants must be able to meet deadlines, work autonomously as well as in a team setting, and be creative in solving problems. The candidate must be flexible and willing to work on a wide variety of projects. 

Interested students should email their resume and interest to: pviolette@sanfordhistory.org. Please put COLLECTIONS/EXHIBITS  INTERN in the subject line.

Spend your summer in one of Maine’s most iconic small villages! Nestled on the banks of the Kennebec River, historic Hallowell is a picturesque community offering a vibrant main street and an active culture and arts scene. Vaughan Woods & Historic Homestead is located in the heart of the small city and offers an 8-week summer internship and a 16 week research fellowship for college students or recent college graduates to work in its nature preserve, on its gardens and grounds and in its historic house museum.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Vaughan Woods & Historic Homestead is a non-profit nature preserve and non-traditional house museum that seeks to connect people to place through nature, history and the arts. Vaughan Woods is open to the public daily from dawn to dusk, programs are offered at the Homestead throughout the year, and an effort to catalogue the organization’s collection of historical papers and artifacts is ongoing.

Applications are due April 1, 2025

Tasks fall into three areas and may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Nature Preserve:

• trail maintenance
• invasive plant control
• assisting with educational programming
• organizing volunteers
  

Historic House Museum:

• assisting with house tours
• organizing and cataloguing museum documents and artifacts
• digitizing historic documents and photographs
• working in the gardens (flower and food)
  

General Non-Profit Support (performed by all staff):

• helping to organize programs and events
• office work
• light housekeeping

Interested applicants must be able to perform physically demanding field work, enjoy working with children and the general public, be comfortable multi-tasking in the office, and be interested in historic preservation, Maine history and the natural world.

Independent Research Opportunities: 
The opportunity to conduct independent research projects related to either the historic collections of Vaughan Homestead or to the ecology or recreational use of Vaughan Woods is available to VWHH interns, but is not a requirement of the internship. The range of topics for research within our archive and in the Woods is vast, including, but not limited to, Maine history, early agriculture, women’s history, land conservation, 18th – 20th century art, monarch habitat, water quality, erosion control, invasive species, recreational management issues etc.. Interested students should contact VWHH to discuss their areas of interest. 

VWHH will help students frame research questions and identify areas within the collection to conduct research. We ask that students work with an advisor from their college or university on their independent projects, and that they submit a final report to VWHH upon completion of their summer research.

Final Presentation
Interns and Fellows will be asked to give a final presentation about their experience and/or project to the VWHH Board of Directors and volunteers. Presentations are informal and in a supportive and friendly environment. 

Compensation: 
VWHH provides an intern stipend of $1,000 as well as housing and a fellow stipend of $2500 plus housing. Interns and fellows conducting independent research projects are encouraged to apply for grant funding or work study funds from their college or university to compensate their time with VWHH. Accommodations are offered at Vaughan Homestead’s Guest House, which is adjacent to the historic property, offers a sweeping view of the Kennebec River and is within walking distance of downtown Hallowell. The house will be shared with interns from the Kennebec Land Trust and other local organizations. Roommates (two people/bedroom) may be necessary depending on the number of interns hired each year. 

VWHH Supervision: 
Interns and Fellows both report to Kate Tremblay, Executive Director; however, they will have the opportunity to work with a variety of staff and volunteers. 

Hours: 
Flexible hours; 25-40 hours a week, including some Saturdays and Sundays; June-August for interns and May-August or June-September for fellows. Some weeks will consist of more work hours than others. The ideal start date for interns is the first week in June ; however, this could be flexible for students. The fellowship date range is negotiable. 

Qualifications:

• Minimum of one year of college for interns and three for fellows, with preference to students working towards degrees in education, environmental science, recreation, art, and history or museum studies; other majors will be considered
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to perform moderately strenuous manual labor
• Comfortable working outside
• Valid driver’s license

How to Apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, and list of two references to the email address below. Please send as a single, multiple page pdf, with your name, in the following way: Tremblay_Kate_Internship_2025. Both academic and prior work references are accepted.

Email full application to:

 katetremblay@vaughanhomestead.org

CONTACT: 

Questions may be addressed to Kate Tremblay at the above email address or via phone at (207) 622-9831.

Pejepscot History Center’s internship programs allow college students to gain skills and experience in a public history setting. As a small nonprofit museum and archive, PHC makes every effort to design internship projects and responsibilities with an eye towards providing students with opportunities to explore career plans, apply knowledge learned in the classroom, and explore different aspects of operating a local museum, archive, and two historic sites.

Outcomes for Student: Public History Internship

Students interested in a broad introduction to public history and museum work will benefit from this internship that touches on several key aspects of operations. Skills and experience gained in this internship can be applied to a variety of future career paths. The internship takes place during PHC’s busy visitor season (May-Oct) and includes work in some combinations of Visitor Services, Outreach, Research, Collections Management/Curation, and Buildings & Grounds projects.

The internship can run for as many weeks as suits the student and their college requirements and may be anywhere from 10-30 hours per week. The student’s work includes responsibilities in the following key areas:

• Historic House Museums: Students learn about the history, architecture, collections, and visitor experience of one or both of PHC’s 19^th century historic house museums, the Skolfield-Whittier House and the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum. They may welcome and orient visitors, give tours, help make changes or updates to museum spaces and tour materials, work in the museum shop, assist staff and volunteers with physical plant projects, and more.
• Research, Collections, and Exhibits: Students conduct research in PHC’s archives and object collections to assist patrons, produce content for on-site or digital exhibits, and/or create, and potentially deliver, programming (e.g. public lecture or Zoom program, walking tour, etc.). Through this work, students learn how to handle, digitize, properly house, and analyze historic documents, photos, and objects. They receive training in searching and cataloging in CatalogIt, the cloud-based collections database used by PHC.
•  Outreach and Communication: Students work on select projects to improve member services and communication content for PHC. This may include social media posts, drafting and distributing physical promotional materials such as member renewals and program flyers, writing segments for the e- or print newsletters, tracking visitor data, and connecting with business and in-kind sponsors.

Responsibilities and Expectations:

• PHC will provide any required documentation prior to, and at the conclusion of, the internship for the student and/or the student’s college.
• PHC will provide all training, materials, work area, equipment, and staff/volunteer support to promote a successful experience for the student.
• Internship hours must take place within PHC’s visitor season office schedule, approximately 9-4 Tuesday-Saturday (with some flexibility for Monday hours). At least one staff member or regular volunteer will be on-site whenever the student is in attendance. PHC records all volunteer/intern time provided to the organization. The student is responsible for communicating with the Executive Director and Outreach Manager in advance regarding any changes to their schedule.
• When on-site, the student is expected to follow the same guidelines and expectations required of volunteers.
• The student may be asked to provide a short written summary of their experience for inclusion in PHC materials

PHC does not offer a stipend for internships, so we like to work with universities that have subsidized internship programs— and we are more than happy to help student with any paperwork that will assist them in getting funding or academic credit from their university.

2025 Historical Society Archives and Public History Internship

The Castine Historical Society offers a graduate level internship for students enrolled in master’s degree or Ph.D. programs in museum studies, history, public history, or archival studies. The internship contract is for eight weeks at 35 hours/week (usually 7 hours per day), and is compensated with a $3,000 stipend. The start date is flexible between June 16 and July 1, 2025.

Castine is a small coastal village that is home to the Maine Maritime Academy and a year-round population of 1,400 people which nearly doubles in the summer. It is located within the traditional territory of the Penobscot Nation, where the Penobscot and Bagaduce Rivers meet on the Maine coast. Europeans built trading posts in the early 1600s and political claims to the peninsula and its deep, secure harbor remained contentious from that time through the War of 1812. Development in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries represents a microcosm of American commercial and cultural history.

The Historical Society occupies two historic buildings on Castine’s town common and is a 501(c)(3) membership organization with a paid staff of three and an active volunteer Board of Directors. Changing and permanent exhibits are hosted in the 1859 Abbott Schoolhouse. In 2015, the Society completed construction of a climate-controlled, fireproof storage facility, research center, and administrative offices located next door in its restored c. 1850 Grindle House.

This internship is designed to give graduate students an opportunity to gain experience with professional staff in a local history setting. In addition to the projects outlined below, the intern will participate in the day-to-day activities of the Castine Historical Society, attending staff and Board meetings as well as programs and fundraising events. No previous experience in these areas is needed. The Historical Society’s Collections Manager works with the student to structure the internship to meet requirements for academic credit as needed. While the internship will take place mostly on weekdays, some weekend hours are required.

The Historical Society will provide the intern with information on rental options for housing. The intern will need their own vehicle in order to access local amenities.

Projects

Photography Collections

The Historical Society’s collections are at the core of its mission and programs, and include archives, photographs, artworks, and objects. The 2025 intern will be mainly responsible for digitizing and cataloging the Historical Society’s print photography collections, as well as creating and curating a small exhibition of photographs at the local Witherle Memorial Library.

Walking Tour Program

The Castine Historical Society also provides free public tours of Castine history and private tours by appointment. The intern will join a small group of volunteers who give these tours. Resources and time to study Castine’s history are built into the first week of the internship. As well, the intern will shadow a volunteer guide and practice his/her tour before being the guide.

A Successful Candidate Will:

● Be currently enrolled in a history, museum, or archives related graduate program

● Show sincere interest in documenting and sharing local history

● Demonstrate proven attention to detail

● Possess social skills for working with staff and volunteers

● Work well independently and as part of a team

● Display professional behavior and a customer service attitude

To Apply

Send the following materials by Friday, March 14, 2025, to Jules Thomson via email at collections@castinehistoricalsociety.org(please include the word “internship” in the subject line) or by post to Castine Historical Society, P.O. Box 238, Castine, Maine 04421.

• Cover letter describing your:

• • Need for the experience offered by this internship

  • Course of study including any internship requirements

  • Availability (start date is flexible between June 16 and July 1)

• Résumé summarizing work experience and education

• Letter of support from a faculty member in your graduate program

• Names and contact information for two references from previous work or volunteer experiences.

Interviews will be conducted virtually via Zoom.

The Castine Historical Society is committed to fostering equity and inclusion in the public history and information science fields. We strongly encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply.