For the past several weeks, we’ve enjoyed working with our Rosenbach summer interns Maria della Porta, Annette Seo, and Reily Brown. This terrific trio worked with our Collections Department on stewardship tasks including photo inventory, organizing 70 years of exhibition files, collections object photography, developing a directory of collections related to marine life and creating an updated bibliography of publications based on Rosenbach research. They also worked on special projects including creating unique Behind the Bookcase tours (“Down the Shore with the Rosenbach’s” and “Deep Sea Diving with Marianne Moore”), an illustrated guide to making an illuminated manuscript, and a podcast episode on the Ireland forgeries. We’re so pleased to have had this time with them and have truly delighted in their enthusiasm and engagement. Please enjoy these parting notes from each of them below.
The Rosenbach would like to extend gratitude and thanks to Studio Institute and the Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest at Villanova University for providing the funding for our summer interns.
Reily Brown
Hello! My name is Reily Brown, and I am a rising Junior at Villanova University studying History and Art History. I was able to get this internship opportunity through the Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest. I am from New Orleans, Louisiana and have always been interested in museum work!
During my time at the Rosenbach Museum and Library I was given the chance to experience what it’s like to help run a museum efficiently. I worked on past exhibition files with one of the other interns, Annette, to have a more effective organization system that allows the files to be easily navigated. We went through every major and minor exhibition since the museum’s founding and noted what documentation is expected to be in the records. We decided to create a checklist using this information. The list is intended to be an easy way for researchers and staff to know if what they’re looking for is in the physical files without flipping through every document, saving significant time. We also reorganized the exhibitions in a clearer, chronological order, further simplifying the process of looking through past exhibitions. I was also given the opportunity to work with David Rhys Owen on collection stewardship work. We were able to contribute to photograph inventory work, identifying and updating bookplate records, as well as taking new photographs for the databases of the collections. These activities were time-consuming but extremely rewarding, allowing us to take a more active role in the objects the museum holds while contributing to their documentation and accessibility to the public.
(Reily Brown gives a presentation to the staff. Photos by Jobi Zink.)
Maria della Porta
Hi Everyone! I am Maria della Porta, the summer 2024 Registrar Intern from Studio Institute. I am a rising Senior at the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Urban Studies.
Over the past two months, I have updated the online bibliography of publications based on the Rosenbach collections, created a directory of marine-related objects in the collections, and scripted a Behind the Bookcase tour. Along with the other interns, Annette and Reily, I have participated in Stewardship Mondays (where we’ve focused on photography inventory), cataloged bookplates, and photographed 2-D and 3-D objects with David Owen. With each project and small task, I have grown more confident in my problem-solving abilities and refined my attention to detail.
It has been incredible to gain insights from every department at the Rosenbach from collections to development to facilities and everything in between. Before coming to the Rosenbach, I worried that museum work might be too individual and isolating, but after working here for the past two months I have experienced the spirited cross-department collaboration and learned how necessary shared knowledge is for the vibrancy of an institution. By working on the bibliography of publications with Elizabeth Fuller, volunteering on Bloomsday, and attending a Behind the Bookcase event presented by Alex Ames, I’ve also seen firsthand how important the Rosenbach and its collections are to Philadelphia’s cultural fabric and to researchers and academics around the world.
For my final project, with inspiration from my research of the marine-related objects in the collections, I decided to develop a script for a Behind the Bookcase event about the Rosenbach’s summer family vacations to the Jersey Shore, which will offer attendees a more personal glimpse into Dr. Rosenbach’s life while also exploring what it was like to vacation down the shore nearly a century ago. This project has helped me hone my research skills while also refining my ability to craft a compelling narrative.
I am endlessly grateful to everyone on the staff especially for their kindness, patience, and support. A special thanks to Jobi Zink and Emilie Parker for encouraging our curiosities.
(Left- Maria della Porta gives a presentation to the staff. Right- Maria, Reily, and Annette work with David Rhys Owen, Collections Stewardship Assistant. Photos by Jobi Zink.)
Annette Seo
Hello! I’m Annette Seo, a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania, and I’m excited to share my unforgettable summer internship experience at the Rosenbach Museum and Library. As a design major, I had the unique opportunity to blend my creative skills with the fascinating world of historical collections.
My main project involved organizing the past 70 years of exhibition files, which each contain comprehensive records of an exhibition’s planning, execution, and reviews. I sifted through everything from old handwritten letters (deciphering them was quite a challenge) to wedding invites and Post-it notes scribbled with details. Working with my fellow intern Reily, we created standardized checklists to help future users navigate these files more easily. It was amazing to see how exhibition planning has evolved over the decades, from handwritten correspondence to the age of emails.
As a final project, I combined my passion for design with the museum’s collections. I created a booklet for the Behind the Bookcase Book Arts Tour, illustrating the process of creating illuminated manuscripts. I had the opportunity to work with authentic materials such as vellum and gold leaf, mirroring traditional techniques used by medieval artisans! This hands-on experience not only enhanced my understanding of historical book-making processes but also allowed me to create an engaging resource for visitors.
Beyond these main projects, my internship was filled with diverse tasks that gave me a comprehensive view of museum operations, such as photograph inventory, bookplate cataloging, object photography, and Bloomsday volunteering. None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of the museum staff. Their guidance and enthusiasm made each day a rewarding learning experience.
This internship has provided me valuable insights into the workings of a museum. The range of skills I’ve developed will definitely be beneficial as I continue my studies and consider future career paths. Returning to Penn for my junior year, I bring with me a deeper understanding of museum operations and the role they play in preserving and presenting stories. Thank you, Rosenbach, for this illuminating experience!
(Left- Annette Seo gives a presentation to the staff. Right- Hands holding open a volume of sample manuscript pages. Photos by Jobi Zink.)
(l-r- Maria della Porta, Annette Seo, and Reily Brown work together in Rosenbach’s South Study. Photo by Jobi Zink.)