Interns at the Powerhouse
Museum
The Powerhouse Museum is committed to providing regional programs and services to the people of New South Wales, reflecting the government’s emphasis on equity of access to the state's major cultural institutions.
The Powerhouse Museum’s regional programs and services are designed to assist individuals and organisations working with the cultural heritage of NSW (cultural heritage covers the natural and built environment, movable heritage and cultural beliefs and practices).
They encompass professional advice, site visits, workshops and seminars in regional locations and at the Powerhouse Museum, the Powerhouse Discovery Centre and the Sydney Observatory.
Australian Dress Register workshop
presentation 2008
Collaborative projects
Partnerships between the Powerhouse and a particular regional community are welcome and can include exhibition and collection development, internships, staff exchanges, training, research and facility redevelopment. The major collaborative project at present is the Australian Dress Register.
Movable Heritage
Through its Regional Services Program the Powerhouse Museum supports cultural heritage organisations across New South Wales to record, preserve and display their collections for the benefit of regional communities. Applications are invited from regional organisations to express interest in participating in the program during 2010.
Organisations seeking assistance with a specific project are invited to submit an Expression of Interest. The program also offers training and development opportunities for people working with cultural heritage through the Regional Internship and Staff Exchange Program. A Movable Heritage Fellowship is available to university students to research an object or group of objects in a community collection.
Regional Services Program
Expression of Interest Application
The closing dates for applications is 25 September 2009
Regional Internships
The Powerhouse Museum provides training and development opportunities for regional and rural cultural heritage workers through its Regional Internship Program. Placements are for up to four weeks and interns can apply for financial assistance (maximum of $750 per week) towards their accommodation and travel costs. Small groups working on projects are also encouraged to apply.
Further information and application forms can be obtained by contacting the Regional Services Coordinator.
Examples of 2009 internships and feedback
Regional Internship and Staff Placement Program
Regional Internship and Staff Placement Application form
Powerhouse Museum Movable Heritage Fellowship
The Powerhouse Museum is inviting students resident in New South Wales and enrolled at any campus of a University in New South Wales to apply for a fellowship for 2010 offered by the Powerhouse Museum through its Movable Heritage, NSW program. Movable heritage is a term used to define any natural or manufactured object of heritage significance.
The successful student will undertake a research project on an object or group of objects in a community museum, historical society or other collecting institution. The student will receive $5,000 and spend a minimum of one week at the Powerhouse Museum working with a supervisor.
The project outcome will depend on the student’s interests. For example, in the Albury Regional Museum there is a small collection of objects relating to two Chinese market gardening families in the town. Students could: write a background paper on the history of market gardening in Albury as told through these objects and include significance statements for some of these objects; having researched the objects and their significance in Albury history, write a radio play based around the experiences of Chinese market gardeners in the district; or develop an activity for primary aged school children using these objects
The closing date for applications is 6 November 2009.
For further information contact the Regional Services Coordinator, Powerhouse Museum on Freecall 1800 882 092 or email regionalservices@phm.gov.au
This project is supported by Regional Services at the Powerhouse Museum which is a statutory authority of, and principally funded by the NSW State Government.
Movable Heritage fellowship information
Movable Heritage Fellowship application form
The Powerhouse Museum collection is diverse and covers decorative arts, design, social history, science and technology.
Objects from the collection can be lent for a variety of purposes such as for display or small specialised collections for research. The Powerhouse is especially interested in activities that promote the collection and reflect on and extend our understanding of its significance. The Powerhouse has a particular responsibility to document the history of NSW and many items in the collection originate from regional areas and/or have particular relevance to the state’s history.
Regional Loans Program Information
Advice is available across all the collection areas and other areas of museum practice such as developing exhibitions, museum learning, publishing, security and marketing. If a site visit is arranged then a fee to cover costs incurred may apply. For further information contact the Regional Services Coordinator
Research and curatorial assistance
Curators can provide advice about conducting research and on collecting and collections. Collaborative projects with regional institutions are encouraged. A site visit by a curator for consultations or workshops can often be arranged.
Collection management
Seminars and workshops are provided in regional locations on a range of issues including contemporary conservation and registration practices, and significance. Powerhouse staff can provide specialist advice and technical information to regional museums. In addition to correspondence and contact by telephone, a site visit may be possible.
Exhibitions
Powerhouse staff can provide professional advice and assistance to local and regional museums, historical societies, community groups and committees on a range of issues including exhibition planning, costing and design, and venue development.
Exhibition texts and publishing
Advice on writing and presenting text (theme panels, labels etc) for display in exhibitions and publishing (from fliers to books) is available from Editorial & Publishing. The Powerhouse house style and label manuals are available for sale — contact Powerhouse Publishing on Fridays (02) 9217 0129.
Digital, Social & Emerging Technologies
The DSET teams can provide specialist advice in the areas of web and online, social media, mobile and other emerging technologies. Please check our Fresh + New blog, for your area of interest prior to contacting us. Some specialist service and consulting can incur a fee.
Museum learning
Public and education programs are an important way to enhance exhibitions and visitors experience. The Museum is interested in sharing information and exchanging programs with regional organisations. Visits to observe Powerhouse programs can be arranged and details of current programs, copies of teaching materials and advice on the current school curriculum are available on request from Education & Program Development edserv@phm.gov.au or by fax (02) 9217 0622.
Volunteer programs
Volunteers are the backbone of many smaller museums and galleries. Advice on how to recruit volunteers, train them, keep them and the policies needed for such programs is available from our volunteers department.
Promotion and marketing
Advice Public Relations, media campaigns and advertising can be requested from the Marketing & Communications Department which manages the with the Powerhouse Museum’s brand and promotion of its exhibitions and programs.
Facilities Management
Advice on the management of museum buildings and facilities is available from the Facilities Management department.
Greening the Silver City at the Yamba
Museum 2009
Powerhouse travelling exhibitions are designed for a range of venue types, sizes and audiences. Exhibitions travel to regional galleries and museums, libraries and many smaller venues such as local history museums. These exhibitions usually come as a complete package including the display, promotional and educational material. In many cases Powerhouse Museum staff can assist with installation, the opening, media liaison and dismantling of the exhibition. The level of security, climate control and size of venue required by each show varies and is assessed by a facilities report. For more information contact Exhibition Coordination on (02) 9217 0215 or the Regional Services Coordinator.
Powerhouse Museum research library
The Research Library, which holds specialised information on the Powerhouse’s collection areas, can be used in person by appointment only, or via inter-library loans. Opening hours: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm Mon – Fri. Tel (02) 9217 0258 or email referencelibrarian@phm.gov.au for an appointment. Tel (02) 9217 0259 or email ill@phm.gov.au for inter-library loans.
The Museum’s Photo Library contains over 250,000 images (colour and black + white) of objects in the collection, exhibitions, and Museum events. The primary purpose of this collection is to record and document the Museum’s collection, and to provide an image bank for the Museum’s publications and exhibitions.
The Photo Library also caters to a growing demand from external publishers and authors for illustrations of objects in the Museum’s collection. Images are also made available for appropriate commercial purposes. Fees are applicable to any external use. Opening hours: 9.00 am to 5.00 pm Mon – Fri. Tel: (02) 9217 0561 or for information on fees and copyright issues Tel: (02) 9217 0172.