Organization: Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation
The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1963 that operates historic sites in Santa Barbara County, including El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park and Casa de la Guerra in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. As a historical museum and archaeological site, we provide comprehensive educational programming that addresses the history and relevance of the region’s multi-cultural and layered past.
Project:
The intern will create interpretive programming at Casa de la Guerra, SBTHP’s historic house museum. Casa de la Guerra is a site of immense importance to Santa Barbara’s past and present but has not yet reached its potential to engage and educate the public. Through an investigation into the history of the De la Guerra family and the historical significance of their Mexican-period home, the intern will help develop and propose multiple educational programming ideas for everyday visitors to the site, elementary, middle, and high school groups, and the general public through community-driven public programming ideas. The intended outcome is that the intern will lay the groundwork for SBTHP to increase the public’s awareness of and interest in the relevance of Casa de la Guerra’s history to their own lives and concerns. With a focus on relating the site’s history to contemporary issues facing people in the Santa Barbara community, SBTHP Programs Department staff will work with the intern to pilot the intern’s proposals for interpretive programming at the site. Because Casa de la Guerra and De la Guerra plaza have, since 1828, been a community hub for commercial trade, public discourse/debate, and civic engagement, this opportunity for an internship could be an enriching and enlightening experience for graduate students from a variety of disciplines and subject areas.
- Intern will engage with and learn from SBTHP’s collections and resources about the Casa de la Guerra and the De la Guerra family history
- Intern will then develop multiple (preferably 3-5) ideas for interpretive programming at Casa de la Guerra
- Intern will take into consideration the California State Standards (Curriculum framework and content standards) for the targeted age group(s) for the pilot program ideas
- Intern will consider and incorporate current, relevant issues facing the Santa Barbara community when developing programming ideas
- Intern will work with Programs Department staff to develop a plan and timeline for piloting the developed programming
The internship will take place for ten weeks (20 hours/week) beginning in June 2019.