Museum Studies Intern at the Senator John Heinz History Center – Spring 2019
Through the course of my internship at the Senator John Heinz History Center I had many experiences which helped me understand museum work better. I was an intern in the curatorial department under Senior Curator Leslie Przybylek and conducted research to help expand the museum’s body of knowledge. I had two great experiences which really shaped and changed my expectations and goals of working in a museum setting. Under the guidance of Ms. Przybylek, I found that what I really wanted to do was tell stories. And what better way to do that than to go and find them yourself?
My two areas of research throughout the internship were Skiing and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. I focused on the Pittsburgh area and mainly focused on the 1900s. I learned so much about Eastern Orthodox Christianity that I hadn’t known before doing this internship. I was lucky enough to be invited to attend a service at St. Nicholas Church in McKees Rocks. It was when I went here and listened to the service and talked with congregation members afterwards, that I wanted to do something more than simply interacting with icons in the collections. Objects are awesome and I love learning about them, but to me the story behind them and the people who interacted with them are the real gems of the collections at the Heinz History Center.
The research that went in to skiing was a little different. Unfortunately, I could not go on any big downhill skiing adventures, though I was invited on an outing. No hills? No problem! Nordic Skiing, or Cross-Country Skiing, is a great alternative when there aren’t any convenient mountains. I received a great lesson about Nordic Skiing from Rick Garstka, the former president of the Pennsylvania Association of Cross-Country Skiing. I learned from Mr. Garstka that the wax on the middle part of the skis actually grips the snow so that you can propel yourself forward. It’s great for all ages and a wonderful way to stay in shape during the winter months!
During my research I also came across a lovely article in the Pittsburgh Press from 1935. Aleen Westein had some advice on what to do with unused ski equipment including using it to ward of intruders in the night! Some other good tidbits include wearing ski pants to make unwanted guests leave early and transforming ski poles into a lamp.
Throughout my internship I loved meeting new people and learning about their experiences. The ability of curators to not only collect objects but tell a story that might otherwise remain unshared is something I greatly admire and hope that I can one day do myself.