Photograph Collection Internship
The Erie Canal Museum, located in downtown Syracuse, is housed in the National Register 1850 Syracuse
Weighlock Building, the only structure of its kind in the United States. The Weighlock Building has served many
purposes since opening in 1850 including assessing tolls on the Canal, serving as an emergency dry dock, and
housing the regional headquarters of the New York State Department of Transportation. In 1957, the building
was abandoned and faced demolition to make way for Interstate 81. Local citizens rallied to preserve the
historic building. Their efforts paid off and, on October 25, 1962, the Erie Canal Museum opened to the public.
The unique weighlock building is to this day the Museum’s most important artifact and a centerpiece for the
interpretation of Erie Canal history. The Museum is dedicated to telling the great American adventure story of
the Erie Canal, a story that was a key factor in America’s phenomenal growth. The Erie Canal Museum collects
and conserves Canal material, champions an appreciation and understanding of Erie Canal history through
educational programming, and promotes an awareness of the Canal’s transforming effects on the past,
present and future. The Museum includes a full size canal boat, hands-on interactive exhibits, vignettes about
life along the canal, a special exhibits gallery, a 12-minute informative movie, and the outdoor Locktender’s
Garden. The Museum also has a gift shop with Erie Canal books, photos, and gifts. As the first canal museum
in New York State, the Erie Canal Museum serves as an entry point and node to the other interpretive centers
along the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. The Erie Canal Museum is also the site of the Syracuse
Heritage Area Visitor Center that provides information, brochures, and maps to visitors and includes
interpretive signage throughout downtown Syracuse.
Short Description:
The Erie Canal Museum is seeking organized and detail oriented photograph collection interns to aide in our
digitization efforts by scanning images from our photo collection for high resolution digital images. The Erie
Canal Museum has about 40,000 photographs in the permanent collection that document the fascinating
history of the Erie Canal. Having the collection fully digitized will create increased opportunities for exhibiting
and sharing our extensive photo collection. Photograph Collection Interns typically work in pairs.
318 Erie Boulevard East
Syracuse, New York 13202
www.ErieCanalMuseum.org
315.471-0593
Main Responsibilities:
 Produce high quality digital scans of photographs from the Museum's permanent collection
 Maintain orderly management of digitization projects and records
 Other department tasks as assigned
Minimum Qualifications:
 Experience handling Museum artifacts, such as photographs and prints
 Ability to operate a flatbed scanner
 Attention to detail
 Ability to work independently
 Museum Studies, Information Studies, or Fine Arts student preferred
 Internship hours are flexible.
Benefits:
The Erie Canal Museum can work with the university to provide course credit. The internship will offer an
enriching experiencing that will be both beneficial to the intern and the Museum.
How to apply:
Please fill out the internship application and return it along with a resume to:
Daniel Franklin Ward, Curator
318 Erie Boulevard East | Syracuse, NY 13202
[email protected] | 315.471.0593x13
318 Erie Boulevard East
Syracuse, New York 13202
www.ErieCanalMuseum.org
315.471-0593