Memos from the Museum World: Interpreting Early American History with Annaliese Arnsten and Hailey Robbins
Welcome to Memos from the Museum World, a series that highlights the wonderful work our Tufts students are doing as they complete the in-field practicum component of the Museum Studies Program. Each student has a unique practicum experience, and we are excited to share the impacts they are making on the field in their own words. Check back throughout the year for more practicum updates from the Class of 2026!
Annaliese Arnsten: Curatorial Intern, Lexington History Museums
What have you been up to as a part of your practicum?
I have been working with the curatorial staff on a variety of projects such as updating PastPerfect with object locations, helping with research requests, and contributing to temporary exhibitions. I will also be producing interpretive public history panels for the town’s local CVS at the conclusion of my internship.
What has been the most impactful moment during your Practicum experience?
The most memorable moment of my internship so far was the opening of the temporary exhibition In The Footsteps of the American Revolutionary War because it was a fantastic opportunity to see some of my contributions in a public capacity. It was lovely to mingle with the community and help the curatorial staff answer questions and provide more information on the objects and images being displayed.
What is something you’ve gained that you’d like to take with you into your future career?
This internship opportunity has provided me with the skills to handle, research, and display objects in a closer way that I had previously gotten to experience. The Lexington History Museums team, especially Curator Jesse Hilton, has been invaluable to my experience this summer, and I look forward to bringing this knowledge with me into my future career in the museum field.
Hailey Robbins: Edward W. Pell Graduate Exhibits Fellow, Fort Ticonderoga
What have you been up to as a part of your practicum?
I am working at Fort Ticonderoga, a French and Indian War and Revolutionary War fort that tells stories of early America, this summer as the Edward W. Pell Graduate Exhibits Fellow. The fellowship program is an immersive ten-week residential cohort program designed to get fellows acquainted with all facets of work at a museum and historic site. My project, alongside Exhibit Designer and Fabricator TJ Mullen, is to re-imagine the “Iron and Stone: Building Carillon” exhibit. The exhibit, which describes the fort’s construction (Carillon was the French name for the fort), is about ten years old and is ready for a refresh. To this point, I have researched fort construction techniques broadly, as well as the ones used at Ticonderoga, worked with Curator Dr. Matt Keagle on writing and editing label copy, created a design scheme, and designed exhibit graphics. This week, TJ and I started the physical fabrication part of the project, including patching, sanding, priming, and painting the walls. There is quite a bit more work to be done in the next three weeks to get the exhibit finished, but I am excited to experience more of the exhibits process.
What has been the most impactful moment during your practicum experience?
I think the most impactful moment of my practicum experience so far has been cooking over an open fire as a part of the living history program with another living historian. While I have done living history before, this was the first time it felt natural. It was a hot day, and I was sweating. Between the butter I had churned, the steak I had seasoned, and the vegetables I had chopped, I was a mess. The previous weekend when I had done living history, I had been so eager to get home and shower. But on this day, I had a moment where I realized I didn’t care that I was in such a state! I was more concerned with working as a team with the other historian to make delicious and fulfilling food that the living history staff could enjoy for our midday meal than I was about the mess or my appearance. It felt like I had a sort of lightbulb moment where I realized I actually was living the history. The desire for nourishment and to complete my daily task in the little ecosystem of the fort pushed aside any sort of discomfort I felt. In that moment, I felt incredibly connected to the people of the 18th century, often women, who tended to the fire and made sure the people around them were fed. It was an unexpected, but very meaningful moment where I connected with history in a way I hadn’t before!
What is something you’ve gained that you’d like to take with you into your future career?
An understanding of the importance of taking every opportunity to experience or learn something new! Though living history is not a part of my job description, I have been volunteering on the weekends and have really connected with the history here in a new way. I don’t think I would feel as connected to and excited about the history here without having taken that chance, and I want to remind myself to do the same in other settings once the fellowship is done.
