Asst. Archives Coordinator, Exhibitions & Programs

Museum of Art & History (MAH)

Bronwyn Eyre

My name is Bronwyn! I'm a fourth-year History and Spanish Studies double major.

Coming into this fellowship I had previous work experience and had studied history for several years; however, this was my first chance to experience the professional side of my academic interests. I knew going in that museum and archival work were to potential careers interests of mine, but this was my first chance to experience the behind-the-scenes of it all.

About the MAH

Mentors:

Jessie Durant (Archives Specialist) and Tahnee Henningsen (Programs Coordinator)

The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History is one of Santa Cruz's key cultural institutions. In addition to presenting several rotating exhibits year-round, the MAH also offers weekly tours and field trips, hosts public events, and oversees three off-site locations: Evergreen Cemetary, the Davenport Jail, and the Octagon.

How does this internship apply to your academic journey in the humanities?

With this being my last year as an undergraduate student, I've found this internship at the MAH to be an incredible opportunity for professional development as I look ahead towards possible career pathways. My first three years as a student of the humanities I learned analyzing, synthesizing, and communicating history. Of course, it would not have been possible to develop those skills without the resources provided by cultural institutions like museums and libraries. This internship exposed me to the behind the scenes work that goes into maintaining such institutions and the challenges that come along with that. I've had the opportunity to learn from the incredible team at the MAH in addition to my mentors, Tahnee and Jessie. While it's a small community, every team member engages with a wide variety of tasks and projects. This has really taught me about the importance of flexibility pursuing a career in the humanities. Over the course of my time at UCSC, I've witnessed how vulnerable humanities programming can be to public scrutiny and targeted legislation. And after working at the MAH I only feel more strongly that these institutions need to be protected because they offer community and inclusion when the world feels increasingly divided.

Projects

MAH Photographs Collection Digitization

Throughout this internship I've had the opportunity to contribute to a very ambitious digitization project in the MAH's archives that is focused on scanning and cataloguing the archives' Santa Cruz Photographs Collection. By doing this work I learned about the process of digitizing archival materials and recording metadata to be uploaded to our online database. Most of this I learned from Rebecca Snyder, the Archives Assistant who is leading much of the project, and shewas always extremely helpful and offered great insight throughout the process.

Trivia Night Event

On the first Friday of April (04/04), Morgan and I hosted a Trivia Night event that focused on the content of our three main exhibits at the museum. Though it was relatively small and casual, this was the first event that me and Morgan hosted on our own which was slightly daunting at first. However, we received lots of positive feedback about the event and had lots of fun that night. Several MAH staff members participated, so we felt very supported throughout the entire process, and we are hoping to continue hosting events like this as new exhibits open in the future.

Outreach Event(s)

There were several offsite outreach events that I was involved with over the course of this internship including The Monarch Festival, Kids Day in Downtown, and--most recently--the History Fair. Each outreach event involved planning an activity or display and showcasing the many projects and pprograms the Museum engages with across the community. My favorite part of working these events was always meeting new people who were interested and excited about history--especially local history. Especially at this moment in time when the humanites are being specifically targeted, it was extremely heartening to connect with others and remeber why the humanities are so important.

Rebecca posing candidly in archives

Photo from Trivia Night Event in April.

Rebecca at the History Fair

Kids Day!

Image from helping with the AWA gallery transition.

Me and Jessie Durant's soccer team winning our league!

Me, Tahnee, and Morgan's maserpiece example paintings for the Paint Your Pet Event.

Wilson, the Icon.

Reflections on working with the MAH

I'm someone who is fascinated by a wide variety of subjects, so I was really happy with how diverse the tasks and learning opportunities were throughout this internship. The MAH staff is such a unique and talented and welcoming group of people. Outside of just professional and academic skills, I feel like I have learned so much about myself and about how to be a better collaborator. I am incredibly grateful for Morgan and for our supervisors, Tahnee and Jessie. I couldn't have asked for better support throughout this fellowship, and I have a newfound sense of community and purpose that I hadn't really felt living in Santa Cruz before this.

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