Mary Wakefield Charitable Trust

Internship in

Policy Development

Posted: January 9, 2011

The Mary M. B. Wakefield Charitable Trust is seeking an intern for either spring or summer, 2012 to develop a collections management policy for the organization.  The Wakefield Trust promotes life-long participatory learning using the land and resources of the Wakefield estate in Milton, MA.   Through collaborative partnerships with schools and community organizations, the Wakefield Trust carries out this mission by providing educational opportunities, tours, presentations, workshops, hands-on training, internships and other programs covering a variety of subjects, including local history, ecology, horticulture, agriculture, archival work and historic preservation. Through fostering the connections between people, land and history, the Wakefield Charitable Trust aims to create a living and accessible landscape that carries on the legacy of founder Polly Wakefield and her vision for an engaged and knowledgeable citizenry.

Polly Wakefield was the last of a long line of prominent family members who occupied a large mansion house in Milton.  When she passed away in 2004 she left the house, outbuildings, and contents to the trust.  The family amassed a large collection of furniture, paintings and decorative arts in the 250 years it occupied the estate.  The contents of this house and its outbuildings form the collections of the institution.

Activities the Intern will be involved in include:

Drafting a Collections Management Plan for the Mary Wakefield Charitable Trust

Researching plans in use by similar institutions

Presenting policies and documents to an advisory board for approval and

Producing a timeline of the project with goals and objectives

Producing a short report at the end of the internship summarizing the project and its outcomes

Visiting other area museums for a chance to see behind the scenes

Internship Hours

Start dates and end dates are flexible as well as the hours per week.  The total hours must meet the Tufts Internship required number of hours.

To Apply

Sent a letter of interest and a current resume via e-mail to:  valariekinkade@gmail.com.

Please put “Wakefield Internship” in the subject line.

Or, you can mail resume and letter to:

Valarie J. Kinkade

Principal

Museum & Collector Resource

134 Musterfield Road

Concord, MA  01742