Museum Education & Interpretation Internship: Religious Studies at Hancock Shaker Village
Hancock Shaker Village is a vibrant living history museum and working farm in the Berkshires region of western Massachusetts. The Village is a National Historic Landmark dedicated to sharing the history, legacy, and continuing relevance of the Shakers. Find out
more at https://hancockshakervillage.org/.
Museum Education & Interpretation Internship: Religious Studies
We are looking for an intellectually curious and thoughtful intern, with an interest in religious
studies/history, to join the Education Department staff and volunteer interpreters as we share the Shakers’ history, beliefs, and continuing relevance with visitors. As an intern in our
department, you will gain valuable experience in public speaking and interpretation (both
formal and informal), historical research, visitor services, and program planning. With your
religious studies/history focus, you will be able to explore more deeply the opportunities and challenges of discussing and interpreting religion in a public, multicultural environment.
Your internship will have three major components:
1) working as an interpreter (staffing historic buildings and giving public talks) alongside seasoned staff to support daily public programming at the Village, particularly programs related to Shaker history and religious practices;
2) undertaking an independent project, mutually determined by the intern and the supervisor, that investigates an aspect of the Shaker religion pertinent to the museum’s interpretive goals;
3) creating a public program/presentation, appropriate for a general audience, from the
independent project. To research and develop your project, you will have access to a range of resources at the Village, including archival and library material, collections, and staff.
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate for this internship will have at least a general academic
foundation in the study of religion; basic historical research skills; demonstrated experience working with people of all ages; excellent communication skills, both oral and written; and demonstrated ability both to take direction and to work independently. The ideal candidate will be open-minded, hardworking, organized, and personable. Preference is given to religious studies, sociology, or history majors with a focus on American studies/religion. Onsite housing is available over the course of ten weeks. Interns must provide their own food and transportation; access to a car during the internship is highly recommended for a better experience but is not required. Shared kitchen facilities are part of the internship housing.