Alanna Smollen

My project mostly focuses on the Brauer Museum of Art, specifically, the former financial support group the Friends of Art. The main goal of my exploration into this subject is to determine their tangible impact on the development of the Brauer through their charitable donations of art and funding. I have also been digitizing many of the important documents concerning the Friends of Art. I have many resources at my disposal to help me accomplish this, including the records left by the group when it disbanded, many copies of the Friends of Art’s newsletters describing their monthly activities and charity events, and, of course, the wisdom and insight of museum director, Gregg Hertzlieb, and former Friends of Art members.

I started working on this project because I have always had an interest in what goes into creating and running a successful museum, and because I think it is important to recognize the people who have helped make the Brauer as successful as it is today. Working in the archives has given me an excellent sense of what it is like to work as an archivist in a more professional setting. I have learned a lot so far about the types of procedures and protocols used when working at an archive, and I hope to learn more as I continue with my project. Being able to work independently on projects that interest me and make connections with others who love the work as much as I do has been a great opportunity.