At UIC, we’re extremely fortunate to have tons of culture right in our campus’s backyard. Our neighbor, Greektown, is especially rich in culture, with many opportunities in the area to sample traditional Greek food or explore the history of the neighborhood. One such institution is the National Hellenic Museum, located on South Halsted Street just a couple blocks away from East Campus.
The National Hellenic Museum is the first and only museum in the country that is fully dedicated to Greek history and culture throughout several generations, beginning with ancient times and extending into the present. The museum has several exhibits dedicated to exploring the history of Greece, such as its current exhibitions on Greek monsters and Greek independence, as well as exploring how Greek culture is expressed today, like their exhibition about street art.
The museum also caters to researchers through the Gus and Mary Stathis Library and Resource Center, which contains primary sources concerning Greek immigration and assimilation, as well as art and pieces of literature by Hellenic people that celebrate Hellenic culture. So if you’re studying classics or have a focus in Hellenism for anthropology or history, this is the place to go! In addition to the library, the museum also has the Frank S. Kamberos Oral History Center, which catalogues the stories of Greek immigrants. The National Hellenic Museum is dripping with live history, and it’s so great to explore the experiences of the people who built this city.
If you’re looking for employment, internship, or volunteer opportunities, the National Hellenic Museum has a wide range of options for whatever your focus of study may be. The museum is currently accepting internship applications for positions pertaining to everything from management of collections to public relations and social media, and the volunteer application is open to everyone!
Below is an interview we conducted with museum director Elizabeth Martin about her position as well as the workings of the museum.
HC: How would you describe the museum?
EM: We have two missions. 1) Preserve the Greek culture and immigrant stories, and 2) Educate people about Hellenism. It is not an antiques museum; the pieces present a story about the Greek culture and ideas in a relevant way. There were two waves of immigration, the first in the1800s and the second in the 1950s. We want to preserve and share the stories of those immigrants.
HC: What is your favorite exhibit?
EM: The street art exhibit. It’s very raw and it visually depicts current reality and is a modern interpretation of hardships.
HC: What is your day to day role in the museum?
EM: There are three segments. 1) Operation: budgets and opening/closing; 2) Vision: strategic planning pieces, keeping the mission in mind; and 3) Relationship: communicating the passion of preserving culture and education.
HC: Does the job relate to any experiences you had in college?
EM: I was a library assistant director, which helped. I took classes like mythology, philosophy, and ancient literature. We sometimes had modern philosophical debates.
HC: What is your personal mission statement as a museum director?
EM: Spread Hellenism and help others understand Hellenism. Even if you are not Greek, everyone is a Hellene. Those who aren’t Greek are Philhellenes “friends of the Greeks”.
HC: What is Hellenism?
EM: It is the foundation of modern culture. The Hellenic ideals include knowledge, democracy, truth, civic duty, reason, and excellence. These ideals are broad, but guide life decisions.
HC: Does the museum offer internships, volunteer, or employment opportunities for college students? If so, what qualifications would you recommend for these opportunities?
EM: Yes. I recommend having good organizational skills, perhaps a background in anthropology, or an understanding of public relations and engagement strategies.
For more information on the museum itself as well as its educational, employment, and research opportunities, visit its website at National Hellenic Museum.
*Images and information courtesy of www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org*