As I’ve been getting a feel for life inside a museum, I have started to feel my way into the various other opportunities that are available in the public history field – and let me tell you there are many! As I mentioned in a previous post about my discussion with Patty, asking questions to my co-workers and talking with as many people as I can has proved fruitful. For example while discussing my interests following graduation, one staff member at the museum recounted their time spent working at a historical house in Long Beach, CA. I didn’t know much about historical houses so it was quite exciting to learn about. Working there she was able to do primary research on the house itself and its inhabitants. She gave tours of the premises and gardens – and even learned more about the house from guests on one of the tours which she was able to put into her research and present to the historical association. During the holidays, particularly at Christmas, they decorated the house festively and dressed up like the inhabitants would have at that time. As I have a large interest in serving as a docent it was fun to hear about various ways that this can happen. Public historians don’t have to be limited to a museum – there are many other avenues out there to explore!
For some interesting information on the historical house she worked at, go here:
See you next time,
Allison
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