Key information
- Dates: May 16-31 & July 5-23, 2023 (5 weeks in total)
- Location: Washington, DC (USA) from May 16 to May 31, 2023, & Athens (Greece) from July 5 to July 23, 2023
- Organized by: Museum of Philhellenism, CHS Greece, CHS US
- Open to: Harvard College students (one position per year)
- Application Period: January 20 - March 1st, 2023
- Internship Coordination: Eurydice Georganteli (Harvard), Constantinos Velentzas (Museum of Philhellenism)
- Activity Administration: Evan Katsarelis (CHS Greece)
Applications are closed.
About the internship
Overview
Τhis internship is designed to provide curatorial training and interdisciplinary research on collections related to Philhellenism. The program is offered by the Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies and the Museum of Philhellenism in Athens. The intern will work on projects related to the collection and the operation of the Museum. For summer 2023, the program focuses on the Parthenon. The intern will conduct preliminary research in May (May 16-31) based at the facilities of the CHS in Washington, DC, to use its library that specializes in Ancient Hellenic Civilization. In July (July 5-23), the intern will reside in Athens, working closely with the Museum of Philhellenism's collections, conducting comparative research in other collections in Athens, and contributing to the Museum's documentation, educational programming, and visitor engagement.
Provisions for the intern
- Airfare to and from Washington, DC (domestic flight) or ground transportation.
- Airfare to and from Greece (international flight).
- A stipend of 1200 USD.
- Accommodation in Washington, DC, at the facilities of the Center for Hellenic Studies in the US.
- Accommodation in Athens at an apartment close to the Museum of Philhellenism.
- Advising by the internship's supervisors.
- Transfers from/to the airport in Washington, DC, and Athens.
- Tickets for museums and archaeological sites in Greece.
- A two-day trip to Nafplio where the CHS Greece is located.
Intern Responsibilities
Phase one: Washington, DC (May 16-31, 2023)
The first phase of the internship focuses on research at the CHS US Library on assigned tasks in consultation with Prof. Eurydice Georganteli. During this phase, the intern will:
- Devote time to researching and recording the worldwide impact of the Acropolis and especially the Parthenon as a political monument, a metaphor for democracy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and an enduring source of artistic inspiration and interpretation.
- Devise narrative strategies to convey the sociocultural and historical perspectives represented by the collections of the Philhellenism Museum and propose methods for relating these narratives to an online audience. Carefully curated artworks from the collections of the Museum will serve as a starting point for digital documentation and storytelling.
- Work in consultation with Harvard's Bok Center to create a concept and content for a short podcast series on subjects connected to the Philhellenism Museum's collections.
Phase two: Athens (July 5-23, 2023)
While in Athens, the intern will work with the collections of the Philhellenism Museum in consultation with the Museum President, Constantinos Velentzas. During this phase, the intern will:
- Contribute to the digitization of the Museum's collections and organization of the Museum's Library and Photographic Archive.
- Participate in the Museum's educational programming and visitor engagement.
- Conduct research on the Parthenon in major museum collections in Athens that house comparable works of art.
At the end of the program, the intern is expected to submit a brief report summarizing the outcomes of their project and reflecting on their internship.
Eligibility
Harvard College students with the following academic concentrations and research interests are encouraged to apply:
- History of Art and Architecture
- Architecture
- Classics
- Archaeology
- History
- English
- Comparative Literature
- Comparative Study of Religion
- Government
- Cultural/Heritage Management
- Museum Studies
- Digital Humanities
Applicants must have good writing and communication skills. Basic knowledge of modern Greek might be helpful for the intern but is not required.
About the Museum
The Museum of Philhellenism in Athens is newly established, inaugurated in 2021, a year that marked the 200th anniversary of the Greek War of Independence, which led to the establishment of the Modern Greek state. Through its rich collections, the Museum presents the impact Hellenic ideals and culture have had on political and economic life, social justice, and the arts since the Enlightenment. Emphasis is placed on the contribution of Philhellenism to the American, French, and Greek Revolutions. The collections are arranged on 4 floors in a privately owned building. The Museum supports classical education, humanistic values, and Philhellenism as a global cultural phenomenon.
