Archival InternAt — Escondido History Center
The Escondido History Center is a small community museum and nonprofit located in Grape Day Park. We preserve artifacts, documents, and local history materials, and we’re seeking interns to support ongoing collections work and community projects. Students will help sort and label physical folders, assist with basic cataloging, and may participate in our Latinos in Oral History project, conducting interviews with local community members. Interns will gain hands-on experience working directly with historic objects, learning practical collections care, and contributing to projects that preserve Escondido’s stories. This is a strong opportunity for students interested in archives, museums, oral history, or local history who want meaningful, resume-building experience and the chance to make a visible impact on a small institution.
By the end of the internship, students will have hands-on experience in collections care and object handling. They will learn to organize archival materials, create consistent labels, follow basic cataloging procedures, and assist staff with exhibit preparation. Students may also gain experience conducting oral history interviews as part of our Latinos in Oral History project. The internship develops attention to detail, problem-solving, and an understanding of how day-to-day collections work functions alongside community-focused history projects.
Students will receive an initial orientation to the Escondido History Center, including an introduction to our collections, organizational procedures, and safety guidelines for handling artifacts. Staff will provide step-by-step training on sorting, labeling, and cataloging archival materials, as well as guidance on assisting with exhibit preparation. Students may have the opportunity to support projects such as the Latinos in Oral History initiative, with staff providing guidance if involved. Training will be ongoing as students take on tasks, with staff available for supervision, feedback, and support to ensure accurate and careful work.
Students may need to lift and carry heavy boxes or step on ladders to reach archival boxes on higher shelves.There have been incidents of criminal activity at the organization or site(s) within the last year. Or, the location would be described as a high-crime area. The Escondido History Center is located in Grape Day Park. Although there have never been instances of physical harm and students would never be on site alone, there are homeless people within the vicinity. There was one instance of vandalism over the past year, specifically a shattered window on the Santa Fe Train Depot.
To apply for an internship with the Escondido History Center, please send your resume and a brief letter of interest to ehc@escondidohistory.org. For questions, email ehc@escondidohistory.org or call 760-743-8207 Thursday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
| Hours | Duration |
|---|---|
| 8 | hours per week |