FOUNDERS HALL museum
Two Positions:
Collections Management Intern and Marketing & Social Media Intern
Background | Details | Eligibility
Background
Housed in a magnificent Greek Revival landmark, the Founder’s Hall Museum offers a glimpse into the complex life of Stephen Girard, America’s first multi-millionaire and founder of Girard College.
His life illuminates the legacy of a school that has fascinated visitors since the 19th century and which became the focus of a key Northern civil rights case in the 20th century. Girard College continues to educate youth today.
Details
INTERNS MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROGRAM.
Overview
Do you like old stuff? Do you want to get hands-on with history? Do you get a kick out of organizing things? Founder’s Hall Museum is looking for a Collections Management Intern for an inventory and cataloging project to make our collections more accessible.
Founder’s Hall is a museum operating within Girard College, a full scholarship boarding school for financially-disadvantaged students. It preserves and shares the history of the unique institution and its founder, Stephen Girard (1750-1831), a merchant, banker, and philanthropist whose fortune went to improving educational opportunities for orphans.
The museum collections include thousands of pages of papers from Stephen Girard, the uniquely-preserved contents of his home, and over 175-years’ worth of collections chronicling the history of school, from photographs to pennants and books to cookies (yes, real cookies), including materials documenting the historic struggle to desegregate Girard College.
We are a small museum, so you will have a big impact! Join us in helping to document and share the stories of a truly fascinating and significant Philadelphia institution.
Collections Management Intern
Responsibilities
The Collections Management Intern will:
Work with the Director of Historical Collections to inventory the school history collection and update information in our computerized collections catalog.
Undertake a cataloging project to document a set of un- or under-cataloged items
Create a project to help others access this material: possibilities include a written guide, an online exhibit, a temporary gallery installation, or other approach to be mutually determined.
Requirements, Skills, and Qualifications
The ideal candidate possesses strong organizational ability and attention to detail. They are self-motivated and capable of working independently. Previous experience working with databases is a plus but is not required.
The intern must be able to climb stairs, as the museum is located on the second floor of a historic building with no elevator.
NOTE: As a school, Girard College requires criminal background checks (FBI and Pennsylvania), child abuse clearance, and substance abuse testing of any applicant offered employment.
Compensation
$20.00 per hour
INTENS WILL WORK 28 HOURS PER WEEK AND ATTEND A MANDATORY OFFSITE PROGRAM DAY ONE DAY PER WEEK WITH THEIR COHORT.
Internship Period: June 11 – August 13
Total Weeks: 9 weeks
Work Hours per Week: 28
Total Hours: 252
Workdays: 4 days per week onsite, 9AM–5PM
PROGRAM DAY:
On Wednesdays, interns will attend an offsite program day with their cohort.
These hours are separate from the internship hours.
INTERNS MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROGRAM.
Overview
Do you like old stuff? Are you a creative thinker? Founder’s Hall Museum is looking for a Marketing/Social Media Intern to help us connect our amazing stories with the public. Founder’s Hall is a museum operating within Girard College, a full scholarship boarding school for financially-disadvantaged students. It preserves and shares the history of the unique institution and its founder, Stephen Girard (1750-1831), a merchant, banker, and philanthropist whose fortune went to improving educational opportunities for orphans.
The museum collections include thousands of pages of papers from Stephen Girard, the uniquely-preserved contents of his home, including furniture, silver, and even his carriage; and over 175-years’ worth of collections chronicling the history of school, from photographs to pennants and books to cookies (yes, real cookies), including collections documenting the historic struggle to desegregate Girard College.
In Fall 2024, Founder’s Hall created its own social media accounts for the first time (separate from the College). We are a small museum, so you will have a big impact! Join us in helping to document and share the stories of a truly fascinating and significant Philadelphian and Philadelphia institution.
Marketing & Social Media Intern
Responsibilities
The Marketing/Social Media intern wil:
Take the lead in developing the museum’s social media posts for Instagram and Facebook, including the possibility of introducing new types of posts such as video
Analyze the effectiveness of our social media outreach.
They will also:
Assist with the development of social media marketing campaigns to increase our reach and other promotional efforts.
Participate in the general life of the museum and will gain hands-on experience with the collection via a short cataloging project to document a set of un- or under-cataloged items.
Requirements, Skills, and Qualifications
The ideal candidate has a passion for history, art, and architecture, strong communication skills, and the ability to work well independently. Graphic design experience is a plus.
The intern must be able to climb stairs, as the museum is located on the second floor of a historic building with no elevator.
NOTE: As a school, Girard College requires criminal background checks (FBI and Pennsylvania), child abuse clearance, and substance abuse testing of any applicant offered employment.
Compensation
$20.00 per hour
INTENS WILL WORK 28 HOURS PER WEEK AND ATTEND A MANDATORY OFFSITE PROGRAM DAY ONE DAY PER WEEK WITH THEIR COHORT.
Internship Period: June 11 – August 13
Total Weeks: 9 weeks
Work Hours per Week: 28
Total Hours: 252
Workdays: 4 days per week onsite, 9AM–5PM
PROGRAM DAY:
On Wednesdays, interns will attend an offsite program day with their cohort.
These hours are separate from the internship hours.
Eligibility
To be eligible for Arts Intern 2025, you must be pursuing a bachelor’s degree and:
Currently enrolled as a full-time rising junior (a current sophomore)
– or –Currently enrolled as a full-time junior – or –
Currently enrolled as a full-time senior graduating by fall 2025.
You must either reside or attend college in Philadelphia.