Kristina Bush

October 23, 2015

Small Institution, Big Possibilities

The Fairbanks House is a historic house museum in Dedham, MA. As one of four interns, Kristina participated in a variety of projects for the small institution ranging from an inventory of the textile collection to matching objects with long lost donation letters. Kristina's primary responsibility was a research project on children from 1637 to the 1820s. Kristina's research took her to other institutions including Historic Deerfield and the American Antiquarian Society, and required her to use primary sources to understand lesser known historical narratives. The final outcome was a reinterpretation of the East Chamber, or children's room, and a pop-up exhibit proposal. The internship exposed Kristina to all the possibilities within the field of museum work as she gained a deeper appreciation for the numerous responsibilities of the staff of small institutions.