As a student in George Washington University’s Museum Studies program, I am required to complete a 260-hr internship at a museum as part of my curriculum. Given my passion for horses and dogs and the ways they serve us, the National Sporting Library & Museum was the perfect opportunity for me to combine my interests with my education. Fortunately, they also offer a robust internship program and were more than willing to work with my GWU advisor and me to put together a program of study and work.
Four-paneled Sporting Screen , c. 1860
hand-colored engravings and oils on canvas on a wooden frame
81 1/2 x 108 inches, Bequest of Sonia Phipps Seherr-Thoss, 2006, photography Cynthia Kurtz
At the time of writing, I have completed 210 of those hours, and my time at the NSLM is winding to a close. I am sad to leave this place; I love the collections, the mission, and the people who make it all happen. But I am also excited to see what I can do next with all the skills and knowledge I have acquired over the past three months!
Before I started my internship, I had never actually handled artwork of any sort besides my own. There are extensive protocols and rules when it comes to handling different types of artwork and frames; for instance, it is usually necessary to wear gloves to protect the work. Sometimes, however, it is safer not to wear them for increased tactile feedback, for example when handling works on paper. There is also a lot of work that goes into keeping the works in tip-top shape while on display: every week I went through the entire museum and cleaned all the frames and sculptures with special brushes.
I also learned more about forming a solid collection plan, processing acquisitions, and keeping strong records of items in the collections. I compiled research for some current exhibitions (see my upcoming post on zoetropes, which I worked on for NSLMology: The Science of Sporting Art!) and some for shows that will not be on display for several years. The ability to work on such a variety of programs in different stages of development meant that I got a taste of the entire process of curating a museum exhibition, start to finish.
In short, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities NSLM has given me this semester and have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I wish the best of luck to the next intern, and I eagerly await the next chapter of my own career.
Cynthia Kurtz is the Spring 2019 Curatorial Intern at the National Sporting Museum and Library. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Museum Studies at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and graduated cum laude from Tulane University with a degree in Classical Literature in 2016. When not at the museum she can likely be found with her beloved horse Splash.
Drawing Covert 