The mission of the Arden Craft Shop Museum is to collect and exhibit materials and artifacts related to the Ardens, which include the villages of Arden, Ardentown, and Ardencroft. The Arden Craft Shop Museum seeks to educate the community on the Ardens’ history as single-tax communities in addition to how the roles of theater, craftsmanship, art, and other aspects of life have affected the development of the Ardens as a close-knit community. The Ardens occupy a unique position in the social and cultural history of the state of Delaware.
As the Curator/Archivist of the Arden Craft Shop Museum, the successful candidate will serve an important role in this unique, arts-minded, community-based small museum. As the regular staff member, the Curator/Archivist will make a significant difference in preserving and gaining intellectual control over the existing collections. The Curator/Archivist is the main manager of both the archival and object collections. He or she is the point of contact for questions about the collection and works closely with the Museum and Archives Committee to answer research questions, implement occasional education programs, and process collections. The Committee is made up of residents elected by the three villages who manage the daily operations of the museum and volunteer in many areas.
The position includes the following duties:
Curator/Exhibition Designer
- Help develop, design, and install exhibitions (1 major, 2-3 smaller yearly)
- Attend monthly committee meetings
- Manage the museum’s social media presence
- Act as main point of contact for researchers
- Monitor museum email account and respond on behalf of the ACSM
- Identify and coordinate collections-based projects with the Committee
Collections Manager/Registrar
- Process incoming object and archival collections
- Create finding aids for archival collections
- Manage PastPerfect collections database
- Oversee photograph and oral history digitization projects
- Monitor storage and exhibition environments
- Maintain donation and loan files
- Monitor pest control program
The position is approximately 8 hours per week. On-site hours must include 7-9 pm on Wednesdays, remaining hours flexible. $20/hour. Independent contractor position.
Qualifications: MA in history, museum studies, or related discipline—or equivalent experience. Must have collections management skills; archival experience strongly preferred.
Please email [email protected] with resume and cover letter by Friday, July 26, 2019.
Arden Craft Shop Museum
1807 Millers Road
Arden, DE 19810
302-475-3060
ardencraftshopmuseum.com