Wells Boat Hall Exhibition Curator

Description:

THIS IS POSITION IS AN 18 MONTH ASSIGNMENT WITH POTENTIAL TO BE EXTENDED LONGER.

The Wells Boat Hall Exhibition Curator will be responsible for interpreting the museum’s extensive watercraft collection for a major new installation in the new Wells Boat Hall. The collection in its entirety is comprised of over 500 watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels and hundreds of engines.

The Curator will oversee the premier installation of the small watercraft collection in the Wells Boat Hall, a soon to be renovated 35,000 square foot exhibition space in the historic Rossie Mill. The Curator will provide research and exhibition content and connect with all related departments in the project, including collections, copyright and licensing, accessions and loans specific to the exhibition. The Curator will also oversee a related publication production and updated website database.

One of the largest collections of its kind in the world, many of the museum’s 450+ smaller vessels will be open to visitors for the first time in our almost 100-year history. During this project, the Curator will work most closely with the Senior Vice President, Senior Vice President of Watercraft Preservation and Programs, the Exhibitions and Collections Departments as well as with the Henry B. du Pont Shipyard, the Clark Senior Curator for Watercraft, Watercraft Volunteers, exhibition designers and contractors with a goal to complete the Hall installation in 2025. As part of this project, the Curator will work with the Education Department to take advantage of opportunities to collaborate on content to support their programs.

In addition, the Curator will manage the production of publications supporting the exhibition and relevant collections as part of Mystic’s commitment to enhance and build our scholarship and research offerings. The Curator will seek to acquire additional watercraft to deepen the narrative, fill gaps in the collection, and add relevance to the public, bringing the collection into the 21st century while maintaining a strong connection to the past. The Curator will participate in the new peer-reviewed journal, Mainsheet. Public speaking and participation in relevant conferences and other institutional outreach will be a strong expectation in this role. Other projects include an upcoming international refugee boat initiative led by Mystic Seaport Museum and the International Council for Maritime Museums.

The Curator will also play an expert advisory role for the Collections Department regarding the Museum’s extensive ships plans collection. Watercraft volunteers are actively engaged in photogrammetry of the watercraft collections (an exhibit of this work to be included in the exhibition), which, in many cases result in the development of ships plans for restoration and/or reproduction builds of these vessels. The Ships Plans Collection at Mystic Seaport includes significant collections from renowned designers such as L. Francis Herreshoff, Philip Rhodes, William Garden, Henry A. Scheel, and Cox & Stephens. Many of these are sought after for research for publications, restorations of existing vessels, new builds, and ship model design.

• 
  Successfully launch the Wells Boat Hall exhibition in partnership with stakeholders;
• Create and implement a strategic plan for interpretation of all watercraft to enhance visitor experience throughout the campus;
• Review and assess the watercraft and related collections of the Museum in order to develop a strategic plan for collections, exhibition, scholarship, and preservation of these artifacts;
• Collaborate with other departments to maximize the potential of these collections institutionally;
• Collaborate with the Curatorial department on aligning accessioned collections within the same best practices protocols and database platforms;
• Assist in future exhibitions as an advisor and/or curator in relation to these collections;
• Participate in summer Munson Institute lectures and discussions;
• Write and review content for public presentation;
• Collaborate with fellow museum staff to organize and present public programs, workshops, and lectures that advance public awareness of these collections;
• Perform other tasks as assigned.

Requirements:

Application materials must include the following:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Brief writing sample (2500 words max) excerpt
• Links to public speaking programs where possible
• MA in museum studies, history, and/or maritime studies or related professional equivalent. A deep knowledge of maritime history (including history of boat building and related economic, social, and industrial context) is preferred;
• A deep knowledge and hands-on experience in boat building and related materials;
• Five to seven years’ experience as a curator, maritime historian and/or educator;
• A thorough understanding of material culture and exhibiting artifacts;
• Ability to relate historic content to current affairs;
• Ability to bring new ideas and understanding to the Museum’s interpretation of its collections;
• Flexibility and ability to work well in a team environment;
• Ability to maintain high standards of scholarship, creativity, and sensitivity to audience needs;
• Proven ability to influence and drive change;
• Excellent oral and written communication, public speaking, organizational, and research skills;
• Proven team leadership.