NYU Program in Museum Studies at Villa La Pietra, New York University Florence – 2020 – Museum Studies

NYU Program in Museum Studies at Villa La Pietra, New York University Florence – 2020 DEADLINE TO APPLY: JANUARY 30, 2020 by 5PM EST

For all the positions please send curriculum vitae with a cover letter indicating the motivation of application to Francesca Baldry (francesca.baldry@nyu.edu).

COLLECTION OFFICE: 3 positions, 300 hours each

Project 1: documentation, collection care and educational activities in a house museum – 1 position

The Acton Collection is displayed in Villa La Pietra, a Renaissance villa on the northern hills of Florence. Collected during the early 20th century by Hortense Mitchell Acton from Chicago and Arthur Acton from London, it was donated in 1994 to NYU by their son, Sir Harold (1904-1994). It comprises over 6,000 art objects including paintings, sculptures, textile, household objects and furniture, dating from the Classical Age to the early 20th century. The Villa also preserves the family library and an archive of photographs.

The collection metadata has been recently migrated to a more web-aware platform: the TMS Collections and Conservation Studio platform (Gallery Systems). The student will be asked to assist the Collection Manager in the organization and retrieval of data in the new environment and in the creation of new records and reports, in particular related to the textile collection. The student will be involved also in preventive conservation activities and in the presentation of the Villa, its history, collections and its public outreach by giving tours and creating material for social media platforms.
Preference will be given to students who are highly organized, detail oriented, and proficient in Microsoft Excel and collection management databases. A good experience with objects’ photography and past museum registrarial work, are much appreciated.

The project takes place at Villa La Pietra, under the supervision of the Collection Manager, Francesca Baldry. Visits to other house museums will be organized. The student will also interact with the Institute of Fine Arts Conservation Faculty and graduate students working at the Villa.

Time Commitment: The project generally spans seven to eight weeks, with activities carried out five days a week between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The beginning and ending dates, and the daily schedule of the project will be determined after the students are selected (approx. week of May 25 – week of July 6).

Project 2: The Acton Guest Book (1923-1994): documentation and research – 1 position

Between 1923 and 1994 the family kept a guest book that represents a living memory of the studentational social life of the Villa. The bound volume is preserved in the collection and has been digitized (high-resolution photographs) in order to preserve it and to eventually make it accessible to students, faculty and scholars for study and research. An on-going project has been identifying and transcribing each individual signature. These have in turn been entered into a database containing biographical information on each guest, with social and professional status, cultural background, and relationship to the Acton family. The student will assist with the continued documentation of these signatures and baseline research on these visitors.

The project takes place in Villa La Pietra, under the supervision of the Collection Manager, Francesca Baldry and the Coordinator of Instructional Technology and Digital Initiatives, Scott Palmer. Visits to other house museums and archives will be organized.

Preference will be given to students who are highly organized, detail-oriented, and proficient in Microsoft Excel and AirTable. The subject matter of the Acton guest book is related to 20th century history, art and society, therefore students interested in this period are encouraged to apply. This year the research project will focus on the Post World War II period.

Project 3: Tours and use of Villa La Pietra as a public space- 1 position

This project is related to two aspects of Villa La Pietra: visitors and special events.
One portion of the project is related to the presentation of the collection and garden to visitors. The project for this summer is the study of the tour script which covers the history of the villa, the artwork, the garden, and the family who donated the estate to NYU in 1994. The student will be asked to make suggestions on how to improve the visual layout of the text, to create room charts, to update the paper photo albums and to design a digital version of these albums for digital devices. The student will be involved in the presentation of the Villa, its history, collections and its public outreach by giving tours and creating material for the social media platforms.

The student will also have the opportunity to experience the complexity of staging events in a historical mansion and its gardens. Tasks will include: general assistance with the organization of events and with the implementation of logistical aspects that must take into consideration the preservation of the venue in which the events take place; communication to the general public, design and preparation of the The Season 2020 calendar flyers and invitations, and other related promotional materials; database and general office assistance including statistical analysis and reports on the events. There will also be opportunities to welcome NYU students and guests, and to show them around the art collection and the gardens.

Knowledge of computer design or graphics is highly recommended. Candidates with some Italian language speaking skills are preferred for this position.
The Visit and Event Coordinator, Cristina Fantacci, supervises this project with the assistance of Francesca Baldry. Beginning and end dates, and daily schedule of the project will be determined (approx. end of May to end of June) after the student has been selected.

All three students will be asked to provide support during public evening events.