Contract Collections Assistants
The Brown County Historical Society seeks two part-time, temporary contract collections assistants to inventory a portion of the Brown County Historical Society’s textile collection as part of a phased inventory of its entire 3D artifact collection. The work will include reviewing and updating current catalog records to include descriptions, measurements, history, condition, and photographs into the museum’s PastPerfect database. Appropriate marking and photographing of objects is also needed before placing them back into storage. The collections assistants will work under the direction of the collections curator.
These are positions are grant-funded in part with funds provided by the State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society.
Pay is $15 per hour, with a minimum of 20 hours per week expected.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Creates new catalog records if needed in the PastPerfect collections database.
- Reviews and updates existing catalog records and inputs required information on each object.
- Documents condition details of each object, and researches object histories.
- Photographs, assigns numbers as needed, and rehouses each object.
Desired Qualifications:
- Degree in museum studies, history, or equivalent.
- Experience working with historical collections.
- Experience working with PastPerfect or other museum collections database.
Required Qualifications:
- Able to bend, stoop, climb ladders, or reach for and carry items up to 30 lbs.
- Able to write neatly and legibly.
- Be organized and meticulous.
- Skilled at using computers.
- Willing to perform computer data entry into PastPerfect Museum Software.
- Willing to follow established collections procedures and project work plan.
- Able to work as part of a team.
Application deadline: February 7, 2020
To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and three references to Brown County Historical Society, attn. Ryan Harren, Collections Curator, 2 North Broadway Street, New Ulm, MN, 56073 or collections@browncountyhistorymn.org. Job incumbents may be required to perform other duties not specifically addressed in this job description. The Brown County Historical Society is an equal opportunity employer.
Exhibit Designer Request For Proposal
The Brown County Historical Society (BCHS) in New Ulm, Minnesota, is soliciting Request for Proposals (RFP) from contractors interested in designing and fabricating the exhibit Early Brown County for the BCHS Museum first floor gallery space. The exhibit will interpret the history of Brown County, Minnesota from pre-history to World War I.
Proposals should contain designs or plans for an engaging exhibit that features interactive or hands-on learning for visitors. Research for the exhibit has been completed and interpretive text will be provided by museum staff. Museum staff will also assist in selection of artifacts and photographs or images. The selected contractor is expected to collaborate with BCHS staff to create imagery for the exhibit.
Click here to view the Request For Proposal document.
Exhibit Concept
Early Brown County will tell the story of Brown County during the eras of early human habitation, European settlement, and post-Civil War to World War I. Specific topics will include: geographic composition of the county and how it affected human settlement; Native American cultures who occupied the area; the fur trade; settlement by Europeans; the organization of Brown County; early towns, industries, and businesses; ethnicity and culture of inhabitants; and significant events. If space allows, small portions of the exhibit will contain other minor themes, such as transportation, early education, health care, or recreational activities. These minor themes may be rotated out of the exhibit every two years as a way of keeping the exhibit fresh.
Submission of Proposals
Proposals are preferred to be sent as electronic files in .pdf format to collections@browncountyhistorymn.org.
Hard copies should be sent to:
Brown County Historical Society
c/o Collections Curator
2 North Broadway Street
New Ulm, Minnesota 56073.
Proposals must be received by February 28, 2019.