Short-term Fellowships with the Conservation Department of the National Museum of the American Indian, Cultural Resources Center, Suitland, MD.
June 7, 2004 - August 13, 2004

The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is offering up to four ten-week fellowships in ethnographic artifact and textile conservation funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.  The Conservation Laboratory and NMAI's Cultural Resource Center in Suitland, MD (Metro DC area) is the work site.  Projects will focus primarily on the survey and treatment of artifacts for an upcoming exhibit on Northwest Coast materials to open in 2005 and exhibits in the new museum building on the National Mall in Washington, DC (scheduled to open in September 2004) and other on-going loan and publication projects.  The projects are intended to cultivate practical skills as well as to foster a solid understanding of the contexts of material culture, the philosophies of conservation at NMAI, and the ethics of the conservation profession.  Museum programming involves collaboration with Native Peoples in the development of appropriate methods of care for, and interpretation of, their cultural materials.

Candidates who are recently graduated from a recognized conservation program and demonstrate a career interest in the conservation of material culture of indigenous peoples of North, South and Central American will be especially welcome.  

Applications, postmarked no later than March15, 2004, must include:  a cover letter explaining candidate's interests and intent in applying for the project, curriculum vitae including basic biographical information with current and permanent addresses and telephone numbers, three letters of recommendation (one personal and two academic/professional), and transcripts of undergraduate and graduate work (cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better is expected).

Notifications will be sent by April 15, 2004.  The 10-week summer project includes a generous stipend.  Dates for the Fellowships are June 7, 2004 - August 13, 2004.

NMAI is an equal opportunity employer.  All applications should be sent to:

Marian A. Kaminitz
National Museum of the American Indian/Smithsonian Institution
Cultural Resources Center, MRC 541
4220 Silver Hill Road
Suitland, MD  20746.

For more information please call: (301)238-6624 ext. 6322
Or email: [log in to unmask]

Submitted by:

Susan Heald
Senior Textile Conservator
National Museum of the American Indian
Cultural Resources Center
4220 Silver Hill Road
Suitland, MD 20746
(301)238-6624 ext 6317
[log in to unmask]