Lily Burrows ’26 explores career as museum curator with Rice County Historical Society

Lily Burrows ’26 explored the past this summer as an intern at the Rice County Historical Society in nearby Faribault, Minnesota. The experience has given Burrows a deeper understanding of the museum field and the complex ethical responsibilities that come with preserving and presenting history.

The Rice County Historical Society is “the repository for all historical records in the county and a museum that serves the local community,” said Burrows. Their summer internship provided a comprehensive introduction to museums, covering everything from collections management and preservation to exhibit creation and the ethical considerations involved in running a museum.

“Museums ideally reflect the communities they serve,” said Burrows. In Minnesota, each county is legally required to maintain a historical society or county museum, making the role of these institutions vital. The ethical dilemmas they face, including the repatriation of Indigenous artifacts under laws like NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act), have been eye-opening for Burrows. There are actually a few Carleton connections in this area — Melanie Wood O’Brien ’99 is the manager of the national program that oversees repatriation under NAGPRA, and the local Northfield History Center recently started its own repatriation effort with the Prairie Island Indian Community, which is one of Carleton’s community partners.

“Understanding the broader responsibility of representing all the people in Rice County, not just the majority, is crucial,” Burrows said. “There’s a lot to consider with abiding by legal requirements, and going a step further to actively include the narrative of immigrants in the community where others might be against that part of the county’s history.” 

Burrows chose this internship to explore how their history major could translate into a career after graduation. This internship, with its hands-on approach, provided a “crash course” in the realities of working at a small-scale museum with limited staff. The experience has both confirmed and refined Burrows’ career aspirations, making them eager to explore larger institutions, like the Smithsonian, in the future.

“I’m interested in public history because I enjoy engaging with people and making history accessible to everyone,” said Burrows. 

Burrows’ typical work day for the summer began around 9:30 a.m. with their capstone project. The project involved developing a social media strategy for the museum, aiming to expand its reach beyond its current audience on Facebook. Burrows was tasked with revitalizing the museum’s Instagram account and outlining a broader social media plan that included evaluating the feasibility of joining platforms like YouTube.

After an hour of independent work every day, Burrows collaborated with the museum’s curator on various tasks in the collections storage room. These tasks ranged from filing paper artifacts to evaluating new donations. The variety of work has given Burrows a closer look at the day-to-day operations of a museum, revealing more nuances and complications than they initially anticipated. They’ve also gained practical skills, such as writing concise and accessible labels for exhibits, contrasting the more academic writing style they’re accustomed to at Carleton.

“I didn’t realize how much there is to do — it’s a never-ending list of things,” said Burrows. “I’m impressed by the focus of my two supervisors to get things done, and how they are planning for the future yet staying present in the day-to-day activities. Watching them manage all these things has been fascinating.”

One of the most rewarding aspects of the internship for Burrows has been the sense of community among the researchers and volunteers at the historical society. The dedication of these volunteers, many of whom have lived in the area their entire lives and remember the events featured in the museum, has been inspiring. 

This internship has not only deepened Burrows’ understanding of local history but also challenged them to think about history on a more granular level. 

“As a history major, I’m used to focusing on broader history, but this has made me realize how much is contained within specific geographic regions,” said Burrows. 

Burrows credits their time at Carleton with helping them secure and succeed in this internship. A course called Historians for Hire introduced them to the historical society, and their professor — Susannah Ottaway ’89, Laird Bell Professor of History — played a key role in facilitating the connection. Additionally, funding from Carleton’s Career Center made this unpaid internship feasible, alleviating financial stress and allowing Burrows to fully engage in the experience.