French Heritage Society

French Heritage Society

Preserving our historic treasures to inspire future generations

France

Jardin des Plantes

Feb 14, 2025
Gain hands-on experience in gardening and landscaping practices at one of Paris’ most iconic public gardens.

Jardin des Plantes

Internship Description
This internship offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in gardening and landscaping practices within one of Paris’ most iconic public gardens. Interns will work closely with the horticulture team, participating in essential gardening tasks and contributing to the overall maintenance and beautification of the garden.

Throughout this internship, the successful candidate will develop a comprehensive understanding of horticultural techniques, such as weeding, pruning, soil preparation, plant grooming, and general garden care. This immersive experience will also provide insights into the operations and management of a historic public garden that blends scientific research with public enjoyment.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Assist with key horticultural tasks, including weeding, pruning, soil preparation, and plant grooming.
  • Contribute to the overall maintenance and care of various garden sections, ensuring a high standard of presentation and health for the plants.
  • Gain experience in the management of diverse plant species and garden areas, including thematic plantings and specialized spaces.
  • Work alongside the horticulture team to understand sustainable gardening practices and conservation efforts.
  • Support the daily operations of the garden and assist in special projects designed to enhance the visitor experience.

This internship provides valuable experience in the preservation and maintenance of a historic public garden, offering a chance to apply horticultural knowledge in a real-world, scientifically-driven environment.

About the Jardin des Plantes
The Jardin des Plantes, established in 1626, is a cornerstone of Parisian heritage and remains one of the most prestigious botanical gardens in France. Located in the heart of Paris, this vibrant space is part of the National Museum of Natural History and serves as both a public garden and a hub for scientific discovery. Visitors can explore a variety of attractions, including a historic menagerie, diverse greenhouses, and specialized exhibition halls such as the Mineralogy and Paleontology Galleries. The garden is a living laboratory, offering a unique opportunity to study and experience plant life in a historically rich setting.

Application Procedure
Complete the online application and submit the following:

  • Resume
  • Cover Letter
  • Case study :
    Write and submit a case study (500 words): Discuss the impact of botanical gardens on urban communities

Archives Nationales

Feb 14, 2025
Develop a comprehensive understanding of development at one of France’s most prestigious cultural institutions.

Archives Nationales

Internship Description
This internship offers a unique opportunity for a graduate-level student specializing in history, communications, or public relations to gain a comprehensive understanding of the sponsorship and public relations operations at one of France’s most prestigious cultural institutions. The selected intern will work closely with the Development Manager to assist in key patronage and donor engagement activities.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Collaborate with the Development Manager to strategize and implement patronage programs, focusing on donor acquisition and retention.
  • Assist in drafting and producing communication materials aimed at engaging new patrons and enhancing relationships with existing ones.
  • Contribute to the planning and execution of patron events, helping to facilitate meaningful engagement with potential and current supporters.
  • Take part in guiding tours for visitors, sharing the historical and cultural significance of the archives, and assisting with public relations efforts.

This internship provides valuable, hands-on experience in cultural sponsorship and public relations, while offering a deep dive into the operations of a world-renowned institution.

About the Archives Nationales
The Archives Nationales of France hold one of the most important archival collections in the world, chronicling history from the 7th century to the present day. The collection includes a diverse range of materials such as papyrus, parchment, and paper manuscripts, as well as maps, drawings, photographs, and various objects. These archives are housed in two remarkable locations:

  • The Soubise and Rohan Palaces, along with the Grand Dépôt, dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, situated in the historic Marais district of Paris.
  • The Grand Bâtiment de Pierrefitte-sur-Seine, located just outside Paris, is Europe’s largest archival center, dedicated to the preservation and accessibility of this invaluable heritage.

Application Procedure
Complete the online application and submit the following:

  • Resume
  • Cover Letter
  • Case study :
    Write and submit a case study (500 words): Explore the evolving role of archives in the 21st century’s collective memory.

Opéra de Paris

Feb 7, 2025
Work closely with historical costume artifacts and gain hands-on experience in museum and archival practices.

Opéra de Paris

About the Costume Heritage Department:

The mission of the Costume Heritage Department of the Opéra de Paris is to store, inventory, and preserve the Paris Opera’s extensive collection of stage costumes and accessories. A significant part of their work involves safeguarding retired costumes from the repertoire. Within their archives, they maintain a collection of approximately 300 opera jewelry pieces dating back to the 19th century, some predating the construction of the Palais Garnier.

Internship Overview

The Costume Heritage Department at the Opéra de Paris is seeking a dedicated and meticulous intern to assist with the preservation, documentation, and research of its opera jewelry collection. This internship provides a rare opportunity to work closely with historical costume artifacts and gain hands-on experience in museum and archival practices.

Responsibilities:

  • Reference each jewelry piece in the Dièse software after assigning an inventory number in the form of a barcode.
  • Create appropriate packaging for the jewelry following preventive conservation standards.
  • Conduct research to identify the productions from which these pieces originated and compile a dedicated documentation file.
  • Assist in the general organization and storage of the costume collection.
  • Collaborate with costume conservation specialists to implement best preservation practices.

Application Procedure
Complete the online application and submit the following:

  • Resume
  • Cover Letter
  • Case study :
    Write and submit a case study (500 words): Discuss the role of costumes and accessories in the performing arts.

Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

Feb 7, 2025
Collaborate on two key archival projects as part of a campaign to enhance Vaux-le-Vincomte's collection visibility.

Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

Internship description

As part of a campaign to enhance the visibility of the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte’s archival collections, two key projects—an inventory and a digitization initiative—are to be undertaken.

The “Sommier” archive collection, which documents the history of the family and their establishment at the château, provides a remarkable account of family life on the estate and the evolution of its architecture and collections between 1875 and 1967. Comprising around twenty boxes of archives, this untapped resource requires a full inventory. This work will be closely linked to the planned publication of a book dedicated to the château’s collections and the family’s history.

The archival collection of the Association des Amis de Vaux-le-Vicomte is the focus of a digitization campaign aimed at increasing accessibility to these materials and showcasing their historical significance. The goal is to make these documents available online via the Association’s website. This collection, which includes fascinating archives from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, is deeply tied to the history of the château but remains largely underutilized today.

The intern will work closely with the conservation officer on both projects. Their responsibilities will include:

  • Conducting a detailed inventory of all documents within the “Sommier” archive boxes, following the classification framework established by the conservation officer.
  • Identifying documents relevant to the publication on the château’s collections and history.
  • Communicating with the authors contributing to the book to provide them with documents that could enrich ongoing research.
  • Using specialized equipment to digitize selected archival materials from the Association des Amis de Vaux-le-Vicomte’s collection.
  • Exploring different methods for making these archives accessible and engaging on the Association’s website and presenting proposals for validation by the President of the Association and the conservation officer.
  • Managing the online publication of these materials and ensuring their accessibility for digital consultation.
  • Hosting a presentation for the Association des Amis de Vaux-le-Vicomte to share insights from the project and contribute to the broader effort of promoting both the archives and the digitization work.

About Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

Designed between 1658 and 1661 for Louis XIV’s Superintendent of Finances, Nicolas Fouquet, the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is an architectural masterpiece born from the collaboration of three iconic 17th-century artists: architect Louis Le Vau, landscape designer André Le Nôtre, and painter Charles Le Brun. Open to the public since 1968, the château and its gardens house a remarkable collection of paintings, sculptures, engravings, and decorative arts.

For several years, the Vogüé family has been dedicated to the professional management and preservation of this collection and its reserves. Significant initiatives have already been undertaken, including a comprehensive inventory, the development of a preventive conservation strategy, and the monitoring of temperature and humidity variations in the exhibition rooms. However, much work remains to be done. The addition of an intern would provide valuable support in advancing the project to showcase and enhance the collections, including those belonging to the Association des Amis de Vaux-le-Vicomte.

Application Procedure
Complete the online application and submit the following:

  • Resume
  • Cover Letter
  • Case study :
    Write and submit a case study (500 words): Explore the influence of the castle on French art and architecture of the 17th century.

Musée Carnavalet

Jan 29, 2025
Develop an in-depth understanding of the complexities and decision-making of curating a major city museum.

Musée Carnavalet

Internship Description
The purpose of this internship is to provide mature art history students who intends on pursuing a career in curation with an in-depth understanding of the complexities and decision-making process of the Carnavalet Museum.

The successful candidate will have an opportunity to participate in curatorial business meetings and work closely with the curator and her staff in a variety of tasks including parsing through archives and files, cataloguing and researching in the unique museum called “the Paris City Museum”. 

About the Musée Carnavalet
Conceived as a true journey into the past and present of Paris, the museum’s presentation exhibits the greatest historical treasures of the museum, from prehistory to the present. Paintings, sculptures, furniture, woodwork, objets d’art, historical objects, signs, photographs, drawings, engravings, posters, models, medals, coins and archaeological collections retrace the history of Paris in a unique way: it is at once historical, documentary, emotional and close to the heart of all Parisians. 

Application Procedure
Complete the online application and submit the following:

  • Case study
    Write and submit a case study (500 words): Discuss effective communication strategies to engage the younger generation with a historical exhibition.
  • Resume
  • Cover letter