As the child of two history enthusiasts, from an early age I visited historic sites and museums around the country. From San Diego's Old Towne to Colonial Williamsburg, from the British Museum in London to the crypts of the Capuchin Monks in Rome. Everywhere we have traveled we have found the museums that tell stories of the people who made a place what it is. Luckily for me, such a place exists almost in my backyard, in Portsmouth, NH. Strawbery Banke Museum is a Smithsonian affiliated establishment that I have been involved with since the age of eight, when I started attending their history-themed camps.
I've continued with the museum ever since, not only participating in summer programs, but also in their special events as taking on the character of a person who lived in that particular neighborhood of the city. The unique quality of Strawbery Banke is that they do not just depict one time period, but each home or building on the site represents a different snapshot in time. I've had the opportunity to immerse myself in the lives of everyone from Augustine Walsh of the 1800s to Kay Peletier from the 1950s ,and many characters in between. This page is a peek into my experience as a historic role player and museum curator.
Museum Curation
During the summer of 2025 I attended camp at Strawbery Banke Museum, but this time as a curator! As a group we worked with the Collections Manager to curate an exhibit that remains on display at the museum. The theme we were tasked with was the effects of everyday objects on climate change. I worked overtime on this project writing and editing all of the item descriptions.
