When I first walked into work I asked the boss where I am going to be.
I was going back to the Preview Center. I thought I'd ask why I am always in the Preview Center. I was told that I was the only person who could make the Preview Center more interesting. It also helps that I get the most foot traffic and good donations.
When I get set up in the Preview Center, another co-worker came in and gave me a suggestion (this is the same guy that beat my donation). He said that I should keep the donation box so people will be a bit more open to give. BRILLIANT!!
I got say that on my last day the time really flew by. And as it turns out keeping the donation box made people more willing to acknowledge. I ended the day with $12 (talk about full circle).
I really gotta say that this internship experience has been fantastic. I was really lucky to get an internship in my home town and something that was correlated with one of my passions.
The blogging thing has been fun also.
Thanks everybody!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
August 3: Last Day in the Office
As the title suggests it was my last day in the office as the intern (I do have to be a gallery attendant the next day though, probably Preview Center). It was also Lauren's last day in the museum (she was my original contact for getting this internship). Lauren was the Administrative Assistant so she was an important player in making the museum run smooth.
When I first get to work, I'm asked to sign a card for Lauren while she isn't looking. There was also going to be a surprise lunch party for her as well. I spend the morning doing small stuff and looking for things to do but everyone was busy training the person and rearranging the office.
The surprise lunch party for Lauren was a success and we all sang "For she's a jolly good fellow". Afterwards they turned their attention to me and sang to me as well since it was my last day. I also got a good bye card to my surprise.
(we had chicken and shrimp tacos for the party, good Mexican food is a treat especially since there isn't much good Mexican food in Chicago).
After lunch, I did some product order filing.
The next job was a bit more unique, I had to catalog old quarterly news letters according to their date. It was interesting to see all the different things that the museum had done in the past.
At one point the museum hosted the tall ship Lady Washington, to those who don't know this ship played the role of the Interceptor in the Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl.
I also discovered that my picture as Thadius Gray would be on this quarter's new letter. Below is the link to take a look: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=aoymqun6&v=001BVj8qibBdX0l82YDZDXoXbwt2K8djUp8eEQ6BECZeYxygCeIx76AagXv59HiHc0jrT2bQ8jT0knfR8trgSf-FcMm6XZijnmat-XfJmDUpsf5ofgKoHR-8WZDAoPHZp6cKWPh0ZnXpIO5IIS3mRco7elRU6gZ3cLJ-fE_BbN-k-hrE8ua3Ctw97AY8EJDIYINVtfP01yofri7_un9O6BrsrzdeYX_YlU-C4OOtNjTqs3TnQMBHjABeUqBAcAMggAxms-CJeRKK--eMAgH4thZ1C0-ldy5O-KQoIPmRGT3T2Qg5A1yGKcGMEcXlDRetUlKMX9Uzk_xrE0VfRZlyN0pKYWUHMUatCzQYZ8GT-CkA6fyRmyWWA1R1w%3D%3D&id=preview
July 28: Preview Center (I'm running out of clever titles)
I can't really say that too much happened this Saturday.
Although one of the passer-byes was a kid from my high school. It was an extremely short conversation.
Donation amount: $5
I think I've lost my magic but I still have one more week left. Maybe my luck will change.
Although one of the passer-byes was a kid from my high school. It was an extremely short conversation.
Donation amount: $5
I think I've lost my magic but I still have one more week left. Maybe my luck will change.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
July 27: No Distractions
After last week's telemarketing experience I had to finish my third script. I came to work with a mission, I was going to start and finish this because that is what I am there to do.
I crack open the book and started reading. Unlike the other two scripts, it was much easier to do research on one person rather than a made up person. The person in question was Captain David Porter of the USS Essex.
I hit a real home run with the book that I got. It also focused on the foundations of America's Navy, which an origin story more presentable. I finished my research and script with an hour to spare!
Once I was finished I did contact updates on the computer system. I finished that as well before the day was over.
Overall, extremely productive day and I was proud of the work I did.
I crack open the book and started reading. Unlike the other two scripts, it was much easier to do research on one person rather than a made up person. The person in question was Captain David Porter of the USS Essex.
I hit a real home run with the book that I got. It also focused on the foundations of America's Navy, which an origin story more presentable. I finished my research and script with an hour to spare!
Once I was finished I did contact updates on the computer system. I finished that as well before the day was over.
Overall, extremely productive day and I was proud of the work I did.
July 20: Telemarketing
Now that I have two scripts completed it's time to get to work on the third. I stopped by the library before work to pick up a book that I put on reserve. While I was waiting for the library to open I met a lady who talking to me about the differences between East and West Coast. It was a strange and interesting conversation but I got my book and headed to the museum.
I crack open the book, which is about the USS Essex, and the boss asks me if I can do something else for her. Without thinking I say "What do you need me to do?". I am handed a list of people and phone numbers.
I am supposed to call these numbers as a follow up to the membership letters that I sent out a couple weeks ago. Calling all these numbers was a truly daunting task; I have no idea how telemarketers can do this day in and day out.
I don't know how many phone numbers I called but I only got one person who wanted to renew their membership immediately. I did however get many people who flat out refused and they often gave me an explanation as to why. Many of these didn't believe in the direction that the museum was heading (less focus on nautical history). One person said that the new building would obstruct their view. Go figure.
I didn't get much research done but I did get to experience a completely different side of what it takes to make a museum function.
I crack open the book, which is about the USS Essex, and the boss asks me if I can do something else for her. Without thinking I say "What do you need me to do?". I am handed a list of people and phone numbers.
I am supposed to call these numbers as a follow up to the membership letters that I sent out a couple weeks ago. Calling all these numbers was a truly daunting task; I have no idea how telemarketers can do this day in and day out.
I don't know how many phone numbers I called but I only got one person who wanted to renew their membership immediately. I did however get many people who flat out refused and they often gave me an explanation as to why. Many of these didn't believe in the direction that the museum was heading (less focus on nautical history). One person said that the new building would obstruct their view. Go figure.
I didn't get much research done but I did get to experience a completely different side of what it takes to make a museum function.
July 14: Having Some Fun in Preview Center
When I opened the sliding glass door, I pushed a bit too hard and discovered that the door opens more than I originally thought. I asked Sara if I could keep open so I could have a view of the fun zone and harbor.
The answer: "No".
I gotta say that this one of the slowest days I have ever experienced.
UNTIL a group of girls came through asking if they could take pictures of what we have. I said of course and asked what they were planning. They were preparing for a scavenger hunt within the harbor and wanted to use the museum as a stop. I give them a quick tour so they could pick out things that they wanted to use. They eventually picked the octant that we have on display and the submarine display.
Two hours later, the scavenger hunt must have started and I had several groups come in and ask if I knew where an octant. I usually pointed to it because it sits near my desk. Having all these different groups come in looking for stuff was pretty cool.
And donations are still low...
The answer: "No".
I gotta say that this one of the slowest days I have ever experienced.
UNTIL a group of girls came through asking if they could take pictures of what we have. I said of course and asked what they were planning. They were preparing for a scavenger hunt within the harbor and wanted to use the museum as a stop. I give them a quick tour so they could pick out things that they wanted to use. They eventually picked the octant that we have on display and the submarine display.
Two hours later, the scavenger hunt must have started and I had several groups come in and ask if I knew where an octant. I usually pointed to it because it sits near my desk. Having all these different groups come in looking for stuff was pretty cool.
And donations are still low...
July 13: Family Fun Zone Friday
As promised I did in fact buy a costume for the whaler the day before.
I show up to work on time only to find that no one is here. So I decided to walk around the fun zone, it was interesting for me to see all the different shops get ready for the Friday rush. Eventually one of the other employees let me in and I started reading over the script. Even though I did the research and wrote it, I read over it a lot.
The boss comes in and tells me that they a costume ready to go for me. I have to admit the one they picked out was a lot better looking than the one I got. To my pleasant surprise I also learned that were other props for me to use: two different kinds of harpoons (one flu and toggle) and a real whale skull! It was a minke whale skull, a minke whale is the second smallest baleen whale. And that skull was heavy!
I spent the day doing some basic work while reading over the script. I also found pictures of whales and whaling ships on the web to help people get a better visual of what whaling might be like.
It turns out that the whole Family Fun Zone Friday was a big deal. There were lots of volunteers, games, a magician, and a juggler. It drew a pretty big crowd but the most interesting thing was a tv crew talking to people about the event.
Eventually they interviewed me. I should have the link below (I believe 7min is where my interview starts)
http://newportbeach.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=45&clip_id=1590
I like to think I did a good job. And it proved to me that I am doing something beneficial for the museum.
I show up to work on time only to find that no one is here. So I decided to walk around the fun zone, it was interesting for me to see all the different shops get ready for the Friday rush. Eventually one of the other employees let me in and I started reading over the script. Even though I did the research and wrote it, I read over it a lot.
The boss comes in and tells me that they a costume ready to go for me. I have to admit the one they picked out was a lot better looking than the one I got. To my pleasant surprise I also learned that were other props for me to use: two different kinds of harpoons (one flu and toggle) and a real whale skull! It was a minke whale skull, a minke whale is the second smallest baleen whale. And that skull was heavy!
I spent the day doing some basic work while reading over the script. I also found pictures of whales and whaling ships on the web to help people get a better visual of what whaling might be like.
It turns out that the whole Family Fun Zone Friday was a big deal. There were lots of volunteers, games, a magician, and a juggler. It drew a pretty big crowd but the most interesting thing was a tv crew talking to people about the event.
Eventually they interviewed me. I should have the link below (I believe 7min is where my interview starts)
http://newportbeach.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=45&clip_id=1590
I like to think I did a good job. And it proved to me that I am doing something beneficial for the museum.
Friday, July 27, 2012
July 7: A Different Crowd
Gallery Attendant Day!
Back in the Preview Center!
Every time a person or group of people come in, I usually have a predetermined script of what I am supposed to say. And as the summer has gone on I been making little alterations to make it more user-friendly. I believe it works, making the gallery tour a bit more pleasant.
Now that summer is in full swing I had a lot of younger people (teenagers) come through the gallery. I always try to get the most foot traffic through the gallery but by the look of it they really don't seem to care too much. Once in a while a group will ask me what's inside and they take a 'real' look around.
And donations are lower than usual. I'm not too thrilled about that but I gotta keep trying.
Back in the Preview Center!
Every time a person or group of people come in, I usually have a predetermined script of what I am supposed to say. And as the summer has gone on I been making little alterations to make it more user-friendly. I believe it works, making the gallery tour a bit more pleasant.
Now that summer is in full swing I had a lot of younger people (teenagers) come through the gallery. I always try to get the most foot traffic through the gallery but by the look of it they really don't seem to care too much. Once in a while a group will ask me what's inside and they take a 'real' look around.
And donations are lower than usual. I'm not too thrilled about that but I gotta keep trying.
Friday, July 13, 2012
July 6: Office Work and Costumes
In the morning I asked to continue working on sending membership renewal letters to members of NHNM. It wasn't hard work just extremely time consuming.
After I finished sealing, stamping, and mailing off these letters I made a terrible mistake...
I asked "what else do you need me to do?"
Turns out that some (excuse me- many) product order forms needed to be filed in the books. I had to alphabetize the order forms and put them in the appropriate binders. Once again, it was quite time consuming but I know that I helped.
The boss asked me if I was available July 13 after regular hours to work "Family Fun zone Friday". I said that I was free and would be happy to help out. The boss wants to me to be the first to try the script I wrote, the whaling script to be more exact.
Not what I expected but I think it will be fun to try out my own script. I'll know what needs to be changed if something doesn't feel quite right.
I was also asked to go find a costume for my character, Thadius, before Friday. I immediately responded "Don't worry I will not procrastinate and not buy it the day of. I'll buy it the day before".
July 3: Antique Shop
I have lived in Newport Beach my whole life and there is one building I pass everyday when I go to work. I decided that I need to check this place out, it's called Vallejo Maritime Antique Gallery. I happened to walk in during closing time, I explained that I'm an intern at the Nautical Museum. They turned the lights back on and I was able to take a look around.
I have never seen so many model ships of different scales in one location and they all have a price tag. More importantly in the back (I mean way back in the corner) they had two prisoner of war ships for sale. The two ships had excellent craftsmanship and in excellent condition, just like the one we have on display HMS Kent. The two ships were for sale for $16k and $21k. That's a lot of money for bones!
The shop owner told me that making these ships was common for prisoners (nothing better to do). One of my biggest questions about these bone ships is how do they give it color? Especially a bright blue and red. He explained to me that they used berries to give it some coloring.
Overall, a very interesting experience to see these ships when I believed they were extremely rare.
June 30: A Different Approach
And I'm back at the Preview Center. Maybe the upper management likes to put me there. Because of my radiant personality?
Early in the shift I had a group of seniors (they were obviously in some kind of group program) come through the preview center. I told them about the preview center and how the museum hopes to expand with more interactive exhibits. They gave generous donations and told me that they understood what it takes to properly run a museum.
After the group left, one manager came in to talk to me. I told the manager that I already made quite a bit of donation money. Then she asked how do I get people to donate more money or more frequently than some other staff members. I know that there is a script I should follow when people come in but I altered the script to be more user friendly. The script (or flashcard taped to the computer) seemed to be very bland for me. If it's bland for me, I imagine other people think similarly.
She agreed with me and told to keep doing what I do 'cause it works.
After lunch I was transferred to the SMP. (You won't hear complain about that transfer). I got some donations but one group asked me for a tour. One has asked me for a tour before and I was very happy to give them a tour. I enjoyed giving the tour and I explained how I am creating scripts about some of the ships in the gallery.
They thanked me for the tour. Giving that tour was the biggest highlight for me that day even though I made $30 in donations.
Early in the shift I had a group of seniors (they were obviously in some kind of group program) come through the preview center. I told them about the preview center and how the museum hopes to expand with more interactive exhibits. They gave generous donations and told me that they understood what it takes to properly run a museum.
After the group left, one manager came in to talk to me. I told the manager that I already made quite a bit of donation money. Then she asked how do I get people to donate more money or more frequently than some other staff members. I know that there is a script I should follow when people come in but I altered the script to be more user friendly. The script (or flashcard taped to the computer) seemed to be very bland for me. If it's bland for me, I imagine other people think similarly.
She agreed with me and told to keep doing what I do 'cause it works.
After lunch I was transferred to the SMP. (You won't hear complain about that transfer). I got some donations but one group asked me for a tour. One has asked me for a tour before and I was very happy to give them a tour. I enjoyed giving the tour and I explained how I am creating scripts about some of the ships in the gallery.
They thanked me for the tour. Giving that tour was the biggest highlight for me that day even though I made $30 in donations.
Friday, July 6, 2012
June 29: Script #2 and Office Work
When I first arrived at the office I found my two co-workers and the boss having a meeting in the conference room. I was going to start doing research for script #2 but the boss asked me to join them. They were discussing potential themes for this upcoming Halloween. The big challenge was giving the event a name, the trouble with the name was that the name had to be cute enough to attract families with little kids and sound scary enough to get the Halloween portion across.
We had lots of ideas but none them were really that good. My personal favorite was "Shadows at the Sea" other runner-ups were "Harbor Haunt" and "Nightmare on Bay Street"
After doing some more research on Clipper Ships I started and finished my second script. This script is about a woman, Ruth McDaniel, who traveled to San Francisco on a Clipper called Young America. I think this script has a bit better flow than the first so a potential revision may be needed.
I am getting to know my co-workers better and I learned that one of them really likes the Alien series and really enjoyed the recent release Prometheus. I thought thus was really cool because I am a fan of the series as well.
Today really felt like a full work day I even had to make copies...
We had lots of ideas but none them were really that good. My personal favorite was "Shadows at the Sea" other runner-ups were "Harbor Haunt" and "Nightmare on Bay Street"
After doing some more research on Clipper Ships I started and finished my second script. This script is about a woman, Ruth McDaniel, who traveled to San Francisco on a Clipper called Young America. I think this script has a bit better flow than the first so a potential revision may be needed.
I am getting to know my co-workers better and I learned that one of them really likes the Alien series and really enjoyed the recent release Prometheus. I thought thus was really cool because I am a fan of the series as well.
Today really felt like a full work day I even had to make copies...
June 23: A Little More Responsibility
This Saturday I was asked to work the Preview Center again. I have mentioned earlier that this gallery is donation based unlike the East Wing.
In previous weeks, I have been able to get the museum more donation money than average. I feel like I am truly contributing to the museum. This Saturday I am supposed to monitor two excel programs: 1) if there are groups of four or more I supposed to learn how they heard about the museum (for marketing purposes) 2) keep track of how many people come through every hour.
It turns out that a vast majority of visitors are passer-bys who are visiting the Balboa Fun Zone. The Fun Zone is a bit touristy so many have never heard of the museum.
And I had a new personal record for total donations: $23.
I hear that the museum record was $35. At the rate that my donations are going hopefully I can break this record.
In previous weeks, I have been able to get the museum more donation money than average. I feel like I am truly contributing to the museum. This Saturday I am supposed to monitor two excel programs: 1) if there are groups of four or more I supposed to learn how they heard about the museum (for marketing purposes) 2) keep track of how many people come through every hour.
It turns out that a vast majority of visitors are passer-bys who are visiting the Balboa Fun Zone. The Fun Zone is a bit touristy so many have never heard of the museum.
And I had a new personal record for total donations: $23.
I hear that the museum record was $35. At the rate that my donations are going hopefully I can break this record.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
June 9: Steele Model Pavilion
The Steele Model Pavilion is where the Nick Scandone Exhibit and model ships are kept. Of the three, this one is my favorite because of the exhibits and it has the best view. Steve Grohl was an Olympic Athlete who participated in the Paralympics 2008. He was a sailor for the games and took home the Gold Medal for sailing. The theme of this exhibit is: If you can dream it, you can live it". The exhibit allows for kids to make this concept come alive by allowing the kids to write their dreams on sails (this got a bit out of hand, as the kids started writing on the curtains).
Working the desk was not particularly exciting until the boss comes in and tells me that some important people are coming to this gallery today for ????? (that wasn't explained exactly). I had to be extra sharp today to make a good impression. No problem except that these people were in the middle of a scavenger hunt and the museum was the last stop. I was not expecting a bunch of people in Hawaiian shirts to come walking in.
This was a big deal for the museum and everything went smoothly but that was not MY highlight for the day. the boss gave me the remote to the bubble machine. It was located on top of the entrance and it was supposed to make the scavenger hunt more entertaining but the bubble machine attracted a different audience. When the bubbles came on, all the kids in the area got really excited and tried to catch them all!
The bubble machine made everyone's day a bit better from kids to old folk to gallery attendants.
On a side note, new personal record for donations... $15
Working the desk was not particularly exciting until the boss comes in and tells me that some important people are coming to this gallery today for ????? (that wasn't explained exactly). I had to be extra sharp today to make a good impression. No problem except that these people were in the middle of a scavenger hunt and the museum was the last stop. I was not expecting a bunch of people in Hawaiian shirts to come walking in.
This was a big deal for the museum and everything went smoothly but that was not MY highlight for the day. the boss gave me the remote to the bubble machine. It was located on top of the entrance and it was supposed to make the scavenger hunt more entertaining but the bubble machine attracted a different audience. When the bubbles came on, all the kids in the area got really excited and tried to catch them all!
The bubble machine made everyone's day a bit better from kids to old folk to gallery attendants.
On a side note, new personal record for donations... $15
June 8: Whaling Rough Draft
Today was an accomplishing day for me as I completed a rough draft script for a whaling ship. After reading through different books and internet sources, I made a good rough draft. One problem that I quickly encountered was how to make the script presentable for kids. (Hunting and killing whales wouldn't go over too well in mind). But I had to write about those subjects with some deleted details.
I sent the script to the boss for a read over and get some feedback on it before the end of the day. Turns out that the boss really liked the script but just needs a little more before it is completely ready for presentation. I was flattered that it went so well.
Now it was time for me to get working on another script. I want to write a script about Clipper Ships (they are my favorite) but the boss had other plans for me.
Every other Friday the museum has an event called Family Fun Zone Fridays. The museum puts out some fun activities for people that are walking by, these activities are mostly targeted for kids. These events are meant to draw people into the museum.
The activity that was pretty popular and that I enjoyed was a build-your-own-boat. You were given a sheet of aluminum foil and make a simple boat out of it and see if floats (everyone's boat floated). But the real challenge was to see how many marbles you could out in your boat before it got too heavy or took on water and sank.
Here were the record holders:
1) Catherine 175 (10 years old)
2) Zachary 156 (8 years old)
3) Sara 134 (28 years old)
4) Joe (me) 117 (20 years old)
I don't want to talk about it...
I sent the script to the boss for a read over and get some feedback on it before the end of the day. Turns out that the boss really liked the script but just needs a little more before it is completely ready for presentation. I was flattered that it went so well.
Now it was time for me to get working on another script. I want to write a script about Clipper Ships (they are my favorite) but the boss had other plans for me.
Every other Friday the museum has an event called Family Fun Zone Fridays. The museum puts out some fun activities for people that are walking by, these activities are mostly targeted for kids. These events are meant to draw people into the museum.
The activity that was pretty popular and that I enjoyed was a build-your-own-boat. You were given a sheet of aluminum foil and make a simple boat out of it and see if floats (everyone's boat floated). But the real challenge was to see how many marbles you could out in your boat before it got too heavy or took on water and sank.
Here were the record holders:
1) Catherine 175 (10 years old)
2) Zachary 156 (8 years old)
3) Sara 134 (28 years old)
4) Joe (me) 117 (20 years old)
I don't want to talk about it...
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
June 2: More Preview Center!
As the title suggests, I worked the Preview Center again. Unfortunately Saturday was much more dull than Friday. Partly due to the fact that I was at desk from open to close and that I already read about all the exhibits.
But the good news: I got more donations on Saturday than I did on Friday. From $12 to $14 (I pick my battles). And there was a more steady flow of traffic throughout the day.
But the good news: I got more donations on Saturday than I did on Friday. From $12 to $14 (I pick my battles). And there was a more steady flow of traffic throughout the day.
June 1: Whaling
When I got into the office, I went to straight work research and started doing research for the Charles W. Morgan whaling ship. It was one of the ships I believe would be perfect for a script. I was shown the museum's library and found ships that pertain to whaling but I really struck gold when I found a book that is all about the Charles W. Morgan. I started reading the book and took notes on what is important that could be relevant to a script while eliminating all the dry information. One of my favorite topics that was mentioned in the book was called a sleigh ride; if a harpooner successfully hit a whale and the whale took off heading toward the horizon. The men had to keep hold of the harpoon line and the whale could have towed them for miles before tiring themselves out.After enough book research, I believe I have enough information to get a rough script going.
(The ship still EXISTS and is currently undergoing a restoration to become seaworthy again)
But my research was cut short for the day because one of the scheduled gallery attendants called in sick so I volunteered to work the gallery. So I went to the Preview Center and worked the front desk. Unlike the East Wing, the Preview Center does not have an admission fee but is donation based.
The Preview Center is what the Nautical Museum has planned for the future. A complete remodel and tear down of the current museum is the plan. The focus of the new museum is sea exploration, discoveries, and interactive exhibits. They plan on keeping the nautical history as part of the new museum.
People often asked me when the construction would begin. I often responded with "in the future". I truly had no idea but at least it made a good laugh.
But my research was cut short for the day because one of the scheduled gallery attendants called in sick so I volunteered to work the gallery. So I went to the Preview Center and worked the front desk. Unlike the East Wing, the Preview Center does not have an admission fee but is donation based.
The Preview Center is what the Nautical Museum has planned for the future. A complete remodel and tear down of the current museum is the plan. The focus of the new museum is sea exploration, discoveries, and interactive exhibits. They plan on keeping the nautical history as part of the new museum.
People often asked me when the construction would begin. I often responded with "in the future". I truly had no idea but at least it made a good laugh.
May 26: East Wing Gallery
While Fridays are going to be spent working in the office doing research for the scripts, Saturdays re spent as an attendant in one of the three galleries: East Wing, Preview Center, and Steele Model Pavilion.
For the first Saturday I was working the front desk for the East Wing. The East Wing is the center piece of the museum since it contains the most history that pertains to sailing, sea exploration, and Newport Beach. But the main attraction of the East Wing is the touch tank.
The touch tank has different creatures that inhabit tide pools that are found on the coast. Some of the most popular creatures in the tank are the sea urchins and sea slugs. Talk about extreme opposites: one that's hard and spiny while the other is soft and squishy (believe me, I speak from experience). But the main rule of the touch tank is only touch using two fingers and only use a stroking motion (if someone only uses one finger they are more likely to poke). Usually a museum attendant (me) has to stand by while people are interacting with the touch tank just to be safe.
One of the most interesting observations that I noticed throughout the day is that lots of people will walk in at once and then no one would come in. It was either filled with many people or no one at all.
For the first Saturday I was working the front desk for the East Wing. The East Wing is the center piece of the museum since it contains the most history that pertains to sailing, sea exploration, and Newport Beach. But the main attraction of the East Wing is the touch tank.
The touch tank has different creatures that inhabit tide pools that are found on the coast. Some of the most popular creatures in the tank are the sea urchins and sea slugs. Talk about extreme opposites: one that's hard and spiny while the other is soft and squishy (believe me, I speak from experience). But the main rule of the touch tank is only touch using two fingers and only use a stroking motion (if someone only uses one finger they are more likely to poke). Usually a museum attendant (me) has to stand by while people are interacting with the touch tank just to be safe.
One of the most interesting observations that I noticed throughout the day is that lots of people will walk in at once and then no one would come in. It was either filled with many people or no one at all.
Friday, June 1, 2012
May 25: The New Guy
For this internship, I am working for the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.
This museum has been in Newport Beach for 25 years with a dedication to nautical history and heritage. The organization has changed names and locations in the past couple years. It is now called ExplorOcean/ Newport Harbor Nautical Museum and the new location is in the Balboa Funzone, which has always struck me as being the center hub for the harbor.
The mission for the museum is to be dedicated to sharing the adventure, history, and natural wonders of the sea through fun and entertaining exhibits.
I have been to this museum several times before I applied to this internship so I thought I would be ready for anything that could come my way. As it turns out, I didn't really know too much about this museum especially since the ExplorOcean program was started after my last visit.
I arrive at the museum nice and early at 9am to get started (9am is early especially on summer vacation). I met with the boss to discuss what my job is going to be while I am interning for the summer. On Fridays, I will be doing research regarding the model ships in the Steele Model Pavillion. I am supposed to pick several ships and create scripts for potential re-enactments. On Saturdays, I will be working on the galleries that the museum has to open to the public.
The scripts would contain what a sailor's story might be (where did he come from, what are the skills he has), his position on the ship, what ship did he serve under, did he participate in a historical event (probably because that's why I'll pick a certain ship), and what would the overall experience be like.
The project seems pretty straightforward and like a lot of fun but there was one problem (there has to be one, right?). One of the scripts must pertain to a female character, if anyone who knows a thing about maritime history it's that women did not go aboard ships. Luckily, the ships in the gallery have a certain variety from ship type to time period so it's possible. I'm shown to computer where I can begin this research and I get started right away.
I decided to read all the descriptions of the model ships so I can pick which ships have the potential for scripts. After reading through all the descriptions, I had a good idea for the ships I wanted to pick but I wanted to know a bit more about these models so I asked the person working the gallery to give a tour while there was some time. The tour really helped since I put the description to the actual ship and I felt more confident about completing the scripts. After the tour, I spent the rest of the day doing research on one of the whaling vessels.
Outside of the research, I met most of the staff members and told them that I was the new intern. the staff was friendly and made the first day not so bad. It got to a point to where I introduced myself as the new guy when I met someone new. It was pretty sold first day and I really look forward to the rest of the summer with the museum.
This museum has been in Newport Beach for 25 years with a dedication to nautical history and heritage. The organization has changed names and locations in the past couple years. It is now called ExplorOcean/ Newport Harbor Nautical Museum and the new location is in the Balboa Funzone, which has always struck me as being the center hub for the harbor.
The mission for the museum is to be dedicated to sharing the adventure, history, and natural wonders of the sea through fun and entertaining exhibits.
I have been to this museum several times before I applied to this internship so I thought I would be ready for anything that could come my way. As it turns out, I didn't really know too much about this museum especially since the ExplorOcean program was started after my last visit.
I arrive at the museum nice and early at 9am to get started (9am is early especially on summer vacation). I met with the boss to discuss what my job is going to be while I am interning for the summer. On Fridays, I will be doing research regarding the model ships in the Steele Model Pavillion. I am supposed to pick several ships and create scripts for potential re-enactments. On Saturdays, I will be working on the galleries that the museum has to open to the public.
The scripts would contain what a sailor's story might be (where did he come from, what are the skills he has), his position on the ship, what ship did he serve under, did he participate in a historical event (probably because that's why I'll pick a certain ship), and what would the overall experience be like.
The project seems pretty straightforward and like a lot of fun but there was one problem (there has to be one, right?). One of the scripts must pertain to a female character, if anyone who knows a thing about maritime history it's that women did not go aboard ships. Luckily, the ships in the gallery have a certain variety from ship type to time period so it's possible. I'm shown to computer where I can begin this research and I get started right away.
Outside of the research, I met most of the staff members and told them that I was the new intern. the staff was friendly and made the first day not so bad. It got to a point to where I introduced myself as the new guy when I met someone new. It was pretty sold first day and I really look forward to the rest of the summer with the museum.
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