The Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library (LMEC) is looking for BPS high school juniors and seniors to serve as teen curators for our upcoming exhibition Terrains of Independence. This exhibition will explore how places in the Boston region shaped the events of the American Revolutionary War period.
Teen curators will collaborate with LMEC staff to research and write exhibition texts about the revolutionary moment in the Boston region in the 1770s. The resulting work will be featured and viewed by an anticipated 60,000 visitors to the Leventhal Center over the course of the exhibition.
Participation in this program will provide students the opportunity to develop valuable skills in research, writing, and collaboration. Students interested in pursuing careers in the humanities, especially museum work, will gain professional insights and resume-building experience.
Selected teens will participate in four working sessions with LMEC curators, education staff, and designers. One session in early January will be in-person at the Central Library in Copley Square. The remaining three working sessions will be conducted over Zoom in January and February.
Teen curators will be responsible for researching a place in Boston’s revolutionary history and writing a 100-word label to be included in the exhibition. They will also participate in a peer-review process.
Selected teen curators and LMEC staff will determine meeting dates and times together based on availability. Teen curators will be expected to attend all meetings.
Teen curators will gain experience writing for a general audience and collaborating on the development of an exhibition.
Time Commitment:
Interested BPS high school juniors and seniors should apply by Tuesday, November 26 at 5 pm ET. The application includes two short answer questions and a reference from a classroom teacher.
Selected applicants will participate in 20-minute Zoom interviews with members of the LMEC education team from Wednesday, December 4 through Friday, December 13.
The Teen Curator team will be announced Monday, December 15.
Three to five teen curators will be selected.
Applicants must be current Boston Public School juniors and seniors.
Teen curators will be provided with a stipend of $575 at the end of the program.