So far I am three weeks into my internship, and it has been three weeks of experience and discovery! I started my internship by learning the routine for cleaning the visitor route on a daily basis and opening up the house for visitors at 12:30. I have also been busy finding my way around trying not to get lost, and meeting the staff and volunteers at Attingham.
Over the next six months of my internship, I will be working on a few specific projects as well as gaining experience in specific conservation techniques. These projects are things which I will be updating the blog about, as I learn how to look after and wind historic clocks around the property, and create interpretation for Paintings, Portraits and Miniatures.
After cleaning the mansion in the mornings ready for visitors, I have been working with the house team in various jobs around the property. One of these projects has been to ensure that all objects in the collection are inventory marked correctly, and on the object rather than on stickers. Inventory marking the whole collection is important to maintain Museum Accreditation Status, so that all of our collection is accessible to the public. Therefore inventory marking items is necessary so that objects can be tracked down if they are needed for any reason. Most objects in the house have been inventory marked already, however we have been placing the correct inventory marks on some of the pans in the kitchens. Here you can see the inventory marking in progress and a lid with the new inventory mark on.
Attingham is a property of many surprises, like the bells on sensors in the basements! However I have also been discovering the wonderful collection at Attingham, and so far my favourite item has been the elephant clock.
The clock is a French 8 day striking mantel clock in ormolu, in an ‘elephant’ case signed by Lesage C1850. The clock is currently in the Boudoir on the East side of the mansion, and gets wound every week. You can view more information about this clock by clicking here.
This week sees the end of the Meadow Arts ‘House of Beasts’ exhibition. The artwork that has been displayed around the mansion for a year is now being taken out. This has involved carefully protecting items in the collection, to ensure that nothing is damaged in their removal, as some of them are heavy and fragile. Therefore this week the team has been helping remove the art, and then moving back the Attingham collection items to how they previously were displayed.
Attingham Park 
Great to read about what you’re up to! Good luck with the rest of your placement Jenny. We read your blogs with interest 🙂
What incredibly tedious work! Thank you for sharing 🙂