Interns at the Pilsudski Institute

I have been interning at the Pilsudski Institute of Research for more than half a year. My primary duty at the Institute is to catalogue its collection of objects, including memorabilia, medals and works of art. Due to the coronavirus outbreak and obligatory social distancing, we no longer perform our tasks. However, we decided to share our work and experience with others in a series of blog posts.

My first encounter with the Institute took place after my graduation - I was looking for a suitable place to gain some experience in cataloguing and object management. Coming across an institution that meets the criteria and actually bears a collection devoted to Polish history, which I am very fond of, made me very happy. Especially that there are only a few places like this in London.

During my time at the Institute, I have had an invaluable opportunity to broaden my skills and knowledge about military history, a subject hitherto ambiguous to me. Furthermore, I have comprehended and become comfortable with widely recognised in the UK's museum sector procedures and standards. These involve object handling, collection management and preventive conservation. The biggest challenge, in my opinion, entails applying already gained knowledge into practice, especially when identifying types of material and artistic techniques. On the other hand, this is also the most rewarding part. Everything that I have learned at the Institute was truly significant, and I hope to continue our collaboration in the future.

Natalia Puchalska

2020-04-16

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