Student Name:

Ellen

Programme of Study:

Museum Studies (MA) 2016 - 2017 Academic Year

Career/ Sector Interests:

Collections management & documentation

Placement Venue:

Discovery Museum and South Shields Museum & Art Gallery

Placement Duration (30 or 12 days):

30 days

What type of activities did you undertake whilst you were on placement?

My placement was mostly spent making online records for items in the museum’s collections as I worked my way through a backlog of items that had been accessioned in the 1990s, but not given records yet. This was really interesting for me as I was able to research items and the fascinating stories behind them, and I was trained to use KE EMu software. During the placement I was also able to shadow the Keeper of History in his varied daily tasks, such as putting up an exhibition, deaccessioning items from the collections, and digitizing the collections.

I have gained many practical skills from this placement that I feel enable me to apply for jobs in the sector that I was not qualified for previously.

What were you placement highlights?

I had the opportunity of accessioning a collection of ‘Brexit’ related ephemera from the European Union referendum in 2016 into the South Shields Museum & Art Gallery collections. I loved being able to document these contemporary items for future use, as they represent such a significant event in my own memory.

I also really enjoyed working between the Discovery and South Shields Museum & Art Gallery as it gave me the chance to experience two different venues and their individual histories and collections.