Lara: Thursday, June 15

Unfortunately I do not have much to update the team on regarding my activities on Thursday. My day was focused on inputting as much response data into the Imagine Africa Comment cards spreadsheet as I could. I am very hopeful that the data will ultimately be useful for the project, especially in terms of the what visitors saw as lacking in the Africa exhibitions (both in terms of Imagine Africa and the older Africa gallery).

One particular highlight of my day was the ability to meet interns and other professionals of the museum. For instance during lunch, I struck up a conversation with an intern working for Academic Engagement, who is from Boston. Recognizing that students from across the Northeast come to the museum to participate in an internship at the museum (especially one that is unpaid) hit home that the Penn Museum really is a central figure in the study of archaeology for students locally and regionally.

Later on in the day I met one of the conservators and an individual who works in publishing, while I was enjoying free food that was left over from a meeting that happened earlier in the day. I felt very welcome by the group, and I always enjoy getting to meet people in the museum I had never met before. Since everyone is such an important part of the workings of the institution, and I am constantly on the look out to learn who the people are that make it all happen!

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