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The Thomas Cole National Historic Site is now accepting applications for its 2015 internship program. Interns are provided the opportunity to work closely with the education, collections, and interpretation staff on all aspects of the museum’s operation. In 2015, interns will also participate in the presentation of an unprecedented exhibition entitled “River Crossings”, organized in partnership with the nearby Olana State Historic Site, featuring contemporary art installed directly into the historic spaces and landscapes of the two historic sites. The exhibition is curated by the artist Stephen Hannock with Jason Rosenfeld, PhD. The artists in the exhibition include some of the most celebrated names over the last 40 years including Chuck Close, Angie Keefer, Stephen Hannock, Maya Lin, Elizabeth Murray, Martin Puryear, Cindy Sherman, Sienna Shields, Kiki Smith, and Elyn Zimmerman.

Description
Interns will work directly with museum staff and gain hands-on experience with exhibition installation, archive and collection inventory, daily office operations, research, and full engagement in the touring operation.  Interns also observe and participate in a variety of staff meetings to learn the structural, strategic, and operational decisions at play in an historic house museum. Internships are unpaid, though many interns arrange credit through their respective schools.  Interns are asked to commit to a minimum of 16 hours per week, preferably more, for the agreed-upon duration of the internship, which typically lasts three months but can be extended through six. The work week is Wednesday through Sunday.

Responsibilities
Through the combination of research, interpretation, and hands-on experience, selected candidates will have the opportunity to:

+ Lead tours of the historic buildings and monitor the galleries during the Open House

+ Conduct a research project

+ Take tickets, field customer phone calls, usher, and distribute programs at special events

+ Participate in day-to-day operations of a historic artist’s house museum

Qualifications
The TCNHS seeks self-motivated undergraduate students and recent graduates who have expressed a commitment to careers in a history or art museum, exhibition and collection management, and/ or museum education. A background, passion for, or study of history, art history, material culture, decorative arts, museum studies and/or museum education are ideal. Applicants should have strong organizational abilities, an affinity for public speaking, and computer skills.

How to Apply
Send a cover letter describing your interests and goals, as well as the days and times you would be available, along with a complete resume to: Melissa Gavilanes, Director of Education, [email protected] . For further information please email above or by phone call 518-943-7465 x 5.   For more information, please visit www.thomascole.org.

The Thomas Cole National Historic Site (TCNHS) preserves and interprets the home and studios of Thomas Cole, the founder of the Hudson River School of painting, the nation’s first art movement.  The TCNHS consists of Thomas Cole’s c. 1815 Federal-era brick home, his 1839 studio, and other historic structures on five landscaped acres with magnificent views of the Catskill Mountains.