CALL FOR DOCENTS:
Be a Key Part of History
The Museum of Old Newbury seeks volunteers to serve as docents for the 2020 season, June through Columbus Day.
Docents provide vital support by leading tours of the Cushing House period rooms and galleries to diverse audiences and communities. Hours are flexible and orientation and training are provided by the museum.
Why volunteer here?
It’s a great place to meet visitors from around the world; get to know other history buffs in your own community; and come to appreciate the legacy of what makes Newburyport and its sister communities such special places. If you enjoy talking about history, architecture, art and the lives of merchant families and mariners in the 18th and 19th centuries, this is the place for you.
Meet the cast of characters:
John Newmarch Cushing
, a ship master and affluent merchant, whose family occupied the three-story Federal brick mansion; The Honorable
Caleb Cushing
who successfully opened the first trade routes between China and the United States and had a far reaching political career during the 1800s in the U.S. and abroad;
Caroline Wilde Cushing
, the beautiful and talented young wife of Caleb who died tragically eight years after their marriage;
Margaret Cushing
, a little girl in the 1850s who grew up with tales of ships and stories of family and friends who sailed the globe. She later became a pioneer preservationist in the first half of the 20th century.
Learn about travel to the West Indies, Europe and China during the golden age of sail and experience what it was like to live in Newburyport during the days when it was a bustling international port.
But it’s not all about the Cushing family. You will experience the rich diversity of Old Newbury through characters like
Lord Timothy Dexter
, the
Reverend John Murray
and
Dr. Brickett,
personal physician to Siamese twins, Chang and Eng, when they arrived in Newburyport in 1829. They were brought aboard a ship mastered by
Captain Abel Coffin
and made their home with the Coffins on Washington Street for many years. Over the centuries, Newburyport has been home to fine cabinetmakers, artists and silversmiths whose work is on exhibit at the Cushing House.
Docents receive complimentary admission to the museum and all museum programs. There are also regular opportunities for complimentary, behind-the-scenes visits to other local museums and cultural organizations.
The ideal candidate should be interested in history, architecture and decorative arts, and enjoy interacting with visitors of all ages. Docents typically commit to one half-day shift (four hours). If you are interested, please call the office at 978.462.2681 or email
info@newburyhistory.org
.
