Mandy Maselli | Summer Internship - Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House (Concord, MA)

While working in Concord, Massachusetts this summer, I gained a deeper appreciation for the intricate relationships among the Transcendentalists and how their shared philosophical beliefs shaped their personal lives. My internship was incredibly rewarding, largely because of the authentic environment. The majority of the furniture and artifacts in the museum homes are original which created an immersive historical experience rather than a typical office setting.

I spent a significant amount of time studying the personal dynamics of the Transcendentalist movement, which was a surprisingly small group, at only around 50 people at its peak. I was especially fascinated by Nathaniel Hawthorne's struggle to fully integrate into the Concord circle. He believed that some of his friends, like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Bronson Alcott, were overly optimistic and failed to acknowledge the darker aspects of human nature. This intellectual disagreement often strained his personal relationships.

Another compelling example was Louisa May Alcott's application of the Transcendentalist ideal of self-reliance. Her father, Bronson Alcott, was a kind and devoted parent, but his focus on spreading the Transcendentalist message often left the family in financial hardship. Inspired by her close friend Emerson’s ideas of self-reliance, Louisa embraced the idea that it was her responsibility to provide for her family. This resolve fueled her to write her iconic novel, Little Women, which is a powerful testament of her dedication to her family.

This experience sparked my interest in the world of museum curation. I was fascinated to learn about the careful and deliberate process of historical curation undertaken by museum fellows and directors. At Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House, in particular, I observed the intricate business operations that are essential to running a museum. This intersection of history, art, and commerce is something I find incredibly compelling and something I hope to explore in my future career.