Mellon Museum Profession Fellow at The Frick Pittsburgh – Summer 2019
As a native of Point Breeze, I was excited to return to the neighborhood when I received the news that I had been accepted as the A.W. Mellon Foundation Fellow at the Frick Pittsburgh. Growing up, I loved coming to the Frick to see the racecars in the Car and Carriage Museum (CCM), and my little brother has carried on the tradition. As I grew older, I remember touring Clayton (the Frick family home) and the art museum when my grandparents came to visit Pittsburgh. This summer, while working with the department of Learning & Visitor Experience (L&VE), I was able to see first-hand how the Frick interacts with public audiences through programming that connects to visitors of all ages and demographics. In my first few days, I went on a tour of Clayton, one of the first public CCM tours, and attended gallery talks, in order to familiarize myself with the mission of the L&VE department. Prior to the tour, I was told to listen how the docents employ storytelling to deepen the connection between an object or a space and the visitors.
Within a week, I was acquainted with the site, the permanent collection, and this summer’s travelling exhibition, A Sporting Vision. I also conducted research for Coffee and Culture programs and contributed to docent training for A Sporting Vision. The most comprehensive segment of my internship came later in the summer, when I helped plan this year’s Wine Walk. I was present at all stages of the planning process, from helping decide the route and topics for each stop, to attending logistics meetings and doing research on the content of the program. For one stop, we decided that it would be interesting to hear about other buildings that Frick commissioned around Pittsburgh, all while standing in the shadow of Clayton.
While researching Frick’s buildings I had to find useful facts to present, but also figure out a way to weave them into a cohesive narrative. I ultimately tied everything into a story about Frick showing his commitment to Pittsburgh by investing in the construction of prominent buildings that still stand today. I also used this information to create a piece on the StoryView app, which will also be displayed on iPads in the Grable Visitor Center and in the galleries. The emphasis on storytelling ultimate relates back to creating enriching educational experiences for visitors, a value that L&VE, as well as the rest of the Frick, hold deeply.