BY: MAGGIE SMITH
Now that my graduate career is over, I must reflect on not only the past two years, but back to 2018-2019, when I was working towards a Master of Education at Earlham College. In January, I began a fantastic internship at the Wayne County Historical Museum, where I found my true museum passion: collections work. Working with objects made me feel excited and thrilled, like a little kid in a candy shop. My Wayne County Historical Museum internship allowed me to explore museum education, collections, administration work, and everything in between. At this internship, I had the luck to help with scientific work on the resident mummy, something that I would return to throughout the next 5-years of my museum career. In May 2019, I graduated and was planning on one last hurrah before moving on to my next adventure. However, life had different plans for me, such as a job at the Wayne County Historical Museum. It’s true what they say: it’s about being at the right place and time. The Education Manager decided to leave suddenly, leaving a position open for something I had just attended school for the past 1.5 years! Talk about fate! Thus, my journey as the Educational Outreach and Programs Manager began at the Wayne County Historical Museum.
I helped develop educational programming using Indiana State standards, such as Museum in a Box, a hands-on experience for grade school kids to learn more about Indiana and World history. On top of developing educational programming for children, I created Murder Mystery Nights for adults based on residents of Richmond, Indiana. Since the Wayne County Historical Museum had a small staff, I also ran the gift shop/ and the front of the Museum, scheduled/ran museum tours, was museum camp director, worked with collections and exhibits, and kept PastPerfect current on donations and memberships. My favorite museum memory by far was my work with the mummy. I helped create a mount for his exposed skulls and got to work with a conservator to rewrap him, hopefully giving him some peace in the afterlife.
My transition into the Master of Museum Studies program at IUI was a sign from the Collection’s Goddess! I was feeling lost and burnt out, and I, on a whim, requested more information about the Museum Studies graduate program at IUI. Almost immediately, I got a reply with info and a chance to meet the deadline for the 2023 cohort. This felt like fate, and my journey for my Master of Museum Studies began. I had many wonderful and meaningful experiences during my time in the program, including preventive conservation and having the luck and pleasure of participating in a collaboration project at the Ziibiwing Center in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
As I look to the future, it is my time to shine in other ways, pursuing my true passion in collections work and leaving the Wayne County Historical Museum. I love the Wayne County Historical Museum very much, but it can no longer contain my professional development or growth as a museum professional. I will always be grateful for the staff and board members of the Wayne County Historical Museum; many of them are dear friends, and I know they are excited for me to try defying gravity.
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- One of the major projects that I worked on at my Internship at the Masonic Library and Museum was the accessioning of over 300 pins.
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- In 2011I scored and internship at Wolf Park in Battleground Indiana. I was 18 at the time and learned that I love working with non-profits and social institutions. One of my dreams is to open up and animal sanctuary and help educate the public on endangered and threatened animals.
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- Proof that being a small person has its perks (and perhaps hardships). Building proper storage boxes for painting was an integral part of the Community Collaboration and Curation at the Ziibiwing Center.
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- Don’t let the lack of smile fool you, I was having a wonderful time at the Ziibiwing Center. Sometimes when you are thinking outside if the box you must be inside a box! And yes it was very hot inside the box!
Full Portfolio Link: https://smitmaj.wixsite.com/notdamemaggiesmith
Maggie Smith received her MA in Museum Studies from IU Indianapolis in May 2025.