Friday, July 4, 2008

Hey, you could be the one shining up the Pieta when it comes to St. Paul!

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Now don't say I've never done anything for you. This should be worth lots of votes in next year's "best blogs" contests!


MINNESOTA HISTORY CENTER

UNDERTAKES LARGEST
VOLUNTEER

RECRUITMENT EFFORT TO DATE


Volunteers needed for

‘Vatican Splendors’

exhibit


(April 30, 2008) – “Vatican Splendors: from Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums and Swiss Guard” is coming to the Minnesota History Center for a limited engagement beginning Sept. 27, 2008. This exhibit is one of the largest collections of art, documents and historically significant objects from the Vatican ever to tour North America.

Because of the size and scope of “Vatican Splendors” large crowds are expected during the run of this once-in-a-lifetime exhibit. In an effort to accommodate visitors the Minnesota History Center hopes to recruit 150 volunteers to assist the public.

Jean Nierenhausen, head of Volunteer Services says, “this is a great opportunity for members of the art, history and religious communities of the Twin Cities to be a part of this momentous exhibit, in a real and powerful way.” Volunteers will provide assistance to staff in the galleries. They are also needed to greet visitors, provide coat check and welcome group tours. Special training and insights about the exhibit will be provided.

Volunteers must enjoy working with the public, be able to stand for four-hour shifts, and work once a week or twice a month from September through January, including weekdays or weekends, and the busy holiday season. To apply to be a volunteer go online at www.mnhs.org/volunteers or call the Volunteer Vatican Hotline, 651-259-3188.

[The "Volunteers" link is now working!]

More information about “Vatican Splendors” is available at www.vaticansplendors.com. For information about the Minnesota History Center, visitors can call 651-259-3000 or visit www.mnhs.org.

“Vatican Splendors” is organized and circulated in conjunction with the Governatorato of the Vatican City State. The exhibition is produced by Evergreen Exhibitions in association with the Minnesota Historical Society. Objects in the exhibition are on loan from the Office of the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Vatican Museums, the Reverenda Fabbrica of Saint Peter, and the Apostolic Floreria. Additional objects are on loan by the Papal Swiss Guard and private collections.

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849 to preserve and share Minnesota history. The Society tells the stories of history through museum exhibits developed by the Society, traveling exhibits from other museums and organizations, extensive libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and book publishing.


Evergreen Exhibitions is a world leader in providing high quality, state-of-the-art exhibitions in collaboration with more than 200 leading museums and research institutions in the United States and internationally.


Update July 4: I just got my announcement for my first training session on July 15. Make sure that you get your application in soon.


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I clicked on the link you give in your post: http://www.vaticansplendors.com/
and I see the tour is in two other places--St Petersburg, Fla and Cleveland, Ohio. You lucky dogs, you!!! To be one of only three places to get this tour. But I can't imagine Michelangelo's Pieta being on the list...imagine going to the Vatican on pilgrimage and finding that the Pieta has "left the building"!! It would be too devastating!

I'd love to see the exhibition, even without the Pieta! Maybe this summer we'll see if we can get to one nearest exhibition city, if the timings are right.

God bless you always!
~Gette

Laura The Crazy Mama said...

I would SO love to do this!

Cathy_of_Alex said...

Ray: I want you to let me know when you have a shift during the show. I plan to show up and ask a lot of challenging questions that I expect you to answer like: "What is that thing?" or "Where's the Masonic exhibit?" or "Where's the loo?"

Unknown said...

Laura:

With a platoon of babies, I suppose your time is limited. But maybe you might call Gayle Cmiel at 651-259-3189 to see if they could use your assistance in a more limited fashion.

Unknown said...

Cathy of Alex:

I hope to be placed on the Museum's Goon Squad to take care of "disruptive elements."

I'll probably know where the loo, is, though.